With the new BBC series on Africa (narrated by the wonderful David Attenborough), the nation is agog with another stunning wildlife documentary. Atmospheric music, beautiful camera-work, an amazing spectrum of colours, incredible close-ups, and the words of a man who is unquestionably deserving of the label "National Treasure" have all combined to make the BBC's "Africa" compelling viewing.
But the pitfall with wildlife programmes is that people always seem to watch them through a haze of human morals. Nature doesn't conform to our consciousness.
Nature has no "good guys" and "bad guys" - no right and wrong, or fair and unfair; just individual creatures fighting tooth and nail to survive in a hostile and unforgiving environment, in the only way they know how.
Watched dispassionately, "Africa" is both fascinating and awe-inspiring - but if you impose an ill-fitting overlay of human morality upon it, "Africa" might just leave you disappointed...
