Page 29 - BBC Wildlife Volume 36 #12
P. 29
hat words do you Literaturedatingfrom
most associate
with books, theMiddleAgesand
articles and
programmes beyondispeppered
about the
W natural world? withanimaljokes.
If someone asked you to describe a
few well-known writers and presenters
who cover this important subject – say, beer. Studies into the effects of humour in
David Attenborough, Chris Packham, science communication and education have
Kate Humble, George Monbiot, Rachel found that it boosts enjoyment of content.
Carson and John Muir – which words One study found that humour significantly
would you use? Distinguished, engaging, increased pupils’ attention in lessons.
knowledgeable or passionate, maybe. But I Could these techniques be used more
would be willing to bet that ‘funny’ wasn’t a in our natural-history programming and
word you thought of. writing? We know that people find animals
Nature writing and broadcasting, both funny – literature dating back to the Middle
historical and contemporary, on the whole Ages and beyond is peppered with animal-
has been a rather serious affair, with based jokes. The rise of the internet has
prominent figures focusing on either the heralded a new era of animal-based comedy,
beauty of nature or serious environmental as evidenced by the huge boom in ‘viral’
threats. There have been calls for more content and popular ‘memes’ featuring
humour, but attempts to make information species from cats and honey badgers to
ARE YOU about the natural world funny have more octopuses and sharks – and everything in
often been met with criticism. The BBC’s
OUS?
SERi
between. But is this style of communication
Should humour be wildlife programming has come under appropriate for what is often worrying news
used more oten when particular scrutiny, receiving a barrage of about the state of the natural world?
complaints over joking between presenters The serious messaging in wildlife
we're talking about the on both Springwatch and Countryfile. Some documentaries, books and other media
more light-hearted wildlife films on The may be down to the fact that, more often
natural world and how One Show, while reaching huge audiences, than not, stories about the natural world
to protect it? Or does have also not been to everyone’s taste. involve bad news. Current extinction
Yet in other areas of life humour is a
rates are calculated to be 100–1,000 times
laughter detract from well-established communication technique. background level, and we are losing natural
Laughter has been found to reduce blood habitats at an unprecedented rate, with an
important conservation pressure, decrease the body’s inflammatory estimated 160,000 sq km of forest being
response and reduce anxiety and stress in lost each year. One would hope that these
messages? cancer patients. The use of humour has stark figures relating to the degradation
been linked to everything from shorter of our planet are not something that
recovery times in hospital patients to anyone would find amusing.
By Dani Rabaiotti boosting the effectiveness of adverts for There is understandable concern that
December 2018 BBC Wildlife 29
