Sir David Attenborough Replied To Boy Who Asked If Humans Will Become Extinct

However, when young Otis baffled his mother with the bedtime teaser, she thought that they should write to a man who was at least well educated to have a prediction: Sir David Attenborough. The 94-year-old naturalist and TV presenter had spent his life studying the natural world, giving special attention to animals, dinosaurs, and humans, so the pair decided to get a hold of him.

To their surprise, a handwritten letter dropped onto their doormat some days late- it was from Sir Dave in response to Otis’ doubt. Attenborough wrote that the answer is that we need not do so as long as we take care of our planet accordingly.

Gerry, Otis’ mother said that when she was asked the question by her kid she decided to follow the phrase ‘honesty is the best policy’ and so she simply explained that she didn’t know. In an interview, she said that even though she didn’t know the answer, she hoped that it would be ‘no’. Therefore, she told him about climate change and how we need to look after our planet.

She and her kid also had the conversation about the work lots of amazing people, like Sir David and Greta Thunberg, were doing to make sure people were taking action to make a difference. When she explained to him about global warming, his little eyes were on stalks, but she tried to focus on the small things that they could do to help like recycling their rubbish, driving the car less, and eating less meat.

The next day they put together a letter, complete with a card and dinosaur drawing, and sent it off. Three days later they got their reply. Gerry continued saying that there was something really special and touching about a 94-year-old conservationist who had spent his life working to save the planet, corresponding with a four-and-a-half-year-old who was just at the start of his journey to realize the consequences of climate change and our behavior on the planet.

Further, she said that she believed that it was necessary for kids to learn from a very young age about what was going on and the action they need to take. Obviously, Otis was excited to get a letter back, even if he was yet to fully lay hold of its significance. Gerry added that his little face just brightened up when she read him the letter that morning. He was familiar with who Sir David was and that he was special.

Sir David was just a wonderful human being. He has worked without any complain, being completely dedicated to helping us all understand our own impact on the planet and how important it was for us to take the action now. He has that power to inspire and engage people, whether it was speaking at UN climate change talks or writing to a young boy about the dinosaurs. He was a national treasure who had inspired generations.