TV’s Simon King got the new Wild Festival Scotland that is being held in Dumfries and Galloway this weekend off to a cracking start.
Fans flocked to the Theatre Royal, Dumfries, on Friday evening when Simon, of Big Cat Diary and many other wildlife programmes, taught them how to talk to the animals.
The presenter, cameraman and author of Nature Watch: How to Track and Observe Wild Animals, said: “I’m really excited to be here in Dumfries, this is such a great event and I’m delighted to be part of it.”
Explaining what his talk was about he added: “It’s how to talk to the animals, so there’s a big dose of Dr Doolittle in there. Every species has its language and they are often a lot more complex than people think.
“I reveal how to get up close and personal with barn owls, how to chat up a vixen or get in a rut with a red deer stag.
“Basically it’s about being prey, friend or foe. So if it’s mating season then you learn to do the “wow-wow” bark of a male fox to get a vixen interested to come and take a look to see if you are a dog fox she’d like to mate with.
“Or if you pack a couple of antlers in your rucksack when you are in red deer country, then bang them together and do a red deer roar, a feisty stag can’t resist the idea that there might be a fight going on and there may be females around which are unattended.”
Other special festival guests include Iolo Williams of Springwatch, and Sacha Dench “the human swan” who revealed this week that she plans a powered paraglider flight from tip to toe of the Hebrides.
Sacha, of the Wildfowl and Wetlands Trust, first hit the headlines when she flew 4,500 miles from the Arctic to the UK along the migratory route of the endangered Bewick’s swan.
The WFFS festival features 30 films (many of them award winners), 20 speakers, two photographic exhibtions, an art installation, live music and a Wild Film Fayre. They are all taking place at venues across Dumfries from 24-26 March.
Sid Ambrose, festival organiser, said: “The festival couldn’t have got off to a better start with people packing in to see Simon and our other speakers. We have so much on offer – for children as well as adults – so we are looking forward to welcoming many more visitors throughout the weekend.”
- Wild Film Festival Scotland is being made possible due to a series of partnerships. Our funders and supporters include the Rural Dumfries and Galloway LEADER Programme, Dumfries and Galloway Council and The Hollywood Trust, The Scottish Rural Development Programme and E-on.
