BBC Natural History Unit co-founder dies aged 95

A erstwhile BBC wildlife TV presenter, writer and naturalist has died aged 95.

Tony Soper co-founded the BBC's Natural History Unit, which began successful Bristol successful 1957 and has since produced countless wildlife programmes astir the world.

Mr Soper was calved successful Southampton successful 1929 and brought up successful Plymouth, wherever helium started his vocation astatine the corp arsenic a trainee technologist successful 1947.

He was a wildlife camera operator, a movie shaper and went connected to contiguous galore TV shows, including Birdwatch and Beside the Sea.

Speaking to BBC Radio Devon successful 1995, Mr Soper said the squad who acceptable up the portion "had to beryllium precise resourceful" successful its aboriginal days.

"Our cutting country acceptable up was a projector and a splicing machine, which we bought from the section camera store - we lusted aft having a camera truthful we could sprout our ain film," helium said.

According to his website, helium started moving arsenic a freelancer successful 1963 truthful helium could unrecorded person to the oversea successful Devon.

He subsequently pursued a vocation starring wildlife cruises to the Arctic and Antarctica, penning a multitude of books astir wildlife successful the UK and further afield.

Mr Soper is survived by his woman Hilary, his 2 sons Tim and Jack and his 5 grandchildren.