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Celebrating 100 Years of Sir David Attenborough
Today, Sir David Attenborough turns 100.
For so many people working in zoos, wildlife, and conservation, it is almost impossible to explain the impact he has had, and continues to have, on our lives.
Through decades of storytelling, he has shaped the way generations of people see the natural world, inspiring millions to care more deeply about wildlife and conservation.
A Day with Sir David
Sir David has visited Paignton Zoo many times, most recently in 2016 while filming Natural Curiosities. He spent the day with zoo keeper Sam Gray, exploring ostriches, emus, and cassowaries.
Nearly a decade later, as he celebrates this incredible milestone, we asked Sam what she remembers most about the experience.
“Exactly How You’d Hope He Would Be”
"I remember being told he was coming to film with us, and it didn't quite feel real," she says. "You grow up watching him, so to suddenly be walking around the zoo together, talking about the animals, was quite surreal."
But for Sam, it was not the cameras or the production itself that stayed with her most. It was simply who he was as a person.
"He was exactly how you'd hope he would be. So warm, so kind, and genuinely interested in everything and everyone. There was no sense of status about him at all. He just felt like another person who loved animals."
A day Sam says she will never forget... filming ratites with Sir David Attenborough in 2016
Throughout the day, she remembers how naturally he spoke with keepers, asking questions, listening carefully, and making everyone around him feel comfortable.
"He had this way of making you feel completely at ease. There was no ego, just curiosity. It made the whole experience feel very natural."
The Moments That Stayed With Her
One moment in particular has stayed with her ever since.
"The biggest memory for me was him telling me what a wonderful rapport I had with the animals," she says. "And hearing something like that from Sir David... that's something I'll always be grateful for."
And alongside those bigger moments, she still remembers the smaller details too.
"He kept offering me wrapped Cadbury's Éclair sweets throughout the day," she laughs. "The sort that were always left at the bottom of the Heroes tins."
"It sounds like such a small thing, but it summed him up. Thoughtful, unassuming, and just very normal in the best possible way."
For Sam, the experience was never really about meeting a celebrity broadcaster. It was about meeting someone whose passion for wildlife felt entirely genuine.
"He wasn't performing or putting anything on. He was just completely himself. You could see how much he cares about the natural world."
Sir David's 2016 visit coincided with his 90th birthday... zoo staff made him an orangutan themed cake to celebrate
The Voice That Inspired Generations
For many keepers, conservationists, researchers, and animal lovers across both Paignton Zoo and Newquay Zoo, Sir David Attenborough was the starting point. The voice that sparked curiosity. The person who made people stop and look more closely at the living world around them.
"I think I can speak for so many of us when I say how much he's shaped the way we see and care about wildlife," Sam says. "For a lot of people, he's the reason that passion started in the first place."
As Sir David celebrates his 100th birthday today, we celebrate not only his extraordinary body of work, but also the kindness, humility, and genuine love of nature that so many people still experience when meeting him.
Later this year, we also look forward to sharing more about plans to establish a charitable foundation supporting conservation projects around the world, a direction that closely reflects everything Sir David has spent his life advocating for.
Happy 100th birthday, Sir David, and thank you.