I’ve seen a few things on television recently which have made me wonder whether the BBC’s wildlife programmes put the grab for ratings and cheap fixes ahead of the welfare of their subjects. For example, on ’Johnny’s New Kingdom’, a roe deer kid just days old was approached far too closely by Johnny himself, a deer ’expert’, the cameraman and soundman, who then hung around it for far too long, with the doe no doubt going frantic somewhere off-screen. What on earth did such an intrusive shot achieve? I for one would have preferred a longer-range shot of a mother and calf calmly going about their business, unperturbed and unmolested.

What has happened to skilled and patient willdife presenters these days? Wildlife shows, like so much of our televison, has become about quick fixes with an expert hurriedly drawn in to point out to a slighly unbalanced presenter with a personality quirk exactly where to sit and when to obtain the perfect ’money shot’.

The BBC attracts large viewing figures and has a great deal of potential to influence people’s attitude and behaviour towards animals, for better or worse. I think they should start showing a little more responsibility and respect towards their animal subjects.

Do wildlife shows put ratings ahead of their subjects?