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Attenborough reflects on historic gorilla meeting ahead of centenary
As Sir David Attenborough approaches his 100th birthday on 8 May, two new documentaries revisit his groundbreaking 1978 encounter with mountain gorillas in Rwanda's Virunga Mountains-a moment that reshaped public perception of wildlife and conservation.
The mission: filming a gorilla's thumb
In January 1978, Attenborough and his crew ascended Rwanda's steep volcanic slopes to film mountain gorillas for the Life on Earth series. Their goal was simple: demonstrate how opposable thumbs enabled apes to use tools. But the journey was fraught with challenges.
The species teetered on extinction, with fewer than 285 individuals remaining in the Virungas due to poaching and habitat destruction. Approaching the gorillas was nearly impossible-until the team secured an invitation from Dian Fossey, the pioneering American researcher who had studied them for years.
"We couldn't have got anywhere near them without Dian," Attenborough recalls. Fossey taught the crew to avoid direct eye contact and mimic gorilla vocalisations-techniques that proved transformative.
An unforeseen connection
What began as a scientific expedition quickly turned magical. As Attenborough prepared to address the camera, a young gorilla named Poppy tugged at his shoes. Then, three-year-old Pablo clambered onto him, while an adult female twisted his head to meet her gaze, pressing a finger to his lips before belching.
"There is more meaning and mutual understanding in exchanging a glance with a gorilla than any other animal I know."
Sir David Attenborough
The crew, constrained by limited film stock, captured only minutes of the interaction. Yet those fleeting moments-Attenborough lying in the undergrowth, lost in wonder-became iconic.
"It was one of the most privileged moments of my life," he says. "I dream about it. It was the most breathtaking experience anybody interested in the natural world could want."
Danger and legacy
The expedition took a dark turn on the descent. Gunfire echoed as Rwandan soldiers detained the crew, interrogating them for hours before releasing them unharmed. Their footage survived, but the ordeal underscored the region's volatility.
When Life on Earth aired in 1979, the gorilla sequence captivated 500 million viewers worldwide. Attenborough's encounter humanised the animals, sparking global conservation efforts. He helped establish the Mountain Gorilla Project, while Fossey's 1985 murder further galvanised support for the species.
Today, the Virunga population has doubled to around 600 gorillas, with the largest family tracing its lineage to Pablo-the playful infant who once climbed on Attenborough.
Pablo's dynasty: a story of survival
A new Netflix documentary, A Gorilla Story: Told by David Attenborough, chronicles Pablo's extraordinary life. Abandoned as an infant, he defied odds to become a dominant silverback, leading his family until his death at 33 while defending them from rivals.
Dr. Tara Stoinski of the Dian Fossey Gorilla Fund notes that Pablo's group faced brutal power struggles during filming, mirroring the unpredictability of Attenborough's 1978 visit. "The gorillas were writing the script," she says.
"We can see so much of ourselves in them. The trust surprised people-it showed gorillas weren't jungle beasts, but beings with rich emotional lives."
Dr. Tara Stoinski
A lasting message
The encounter's enduring power lies in its subversion of expectations. Instead of humans observing nature, the gorillas became the curious explorers, blurring the line between species. Attenborough's words-"We see the world in the same way as they do"-challenged viewers to rethink humanity's place in the natural order.
As Attenborough marks his centenary, the moment stands as a testament to the profound connections between humans and wildlife-and the urgent need to protect them.
Making Life on Earth: Attenborough's Greatest Adventure airs on BBC One and iPlayer on 3 May.
