Adrian Loo was digging through his 2006 albums earlier when he chanced upon this photo and video and just emailed me. A bunch of us had gone to Sungei Buloh Wetlands Reserve to assist/watch the BBC crew film mangrove tree-climbing crabs (Episesarma spp.) at high tide. The clip was part of the crab-eating mangrove snake story for ‘Life in Cold Blood’, which would air some two years later in Singapore.
Whilst setting up, the BBC crew whom we had worked with months earlier muttered to themselves and finally came over and said they needed a guy in the water. Since I was dressed in my usual bermudas, belt and polo-T, I happily jumped in as we all knew I would.
Krish from NParks SBWR later gave me his extra change of clothes for the journey home.
Adrian, careful not to disrupt filming, took this film as we manouevered to an alcove below a now very famous Rhizophora tree at the SBWR VC boardwalk. Hearing that familiar voice waft through our tiny mangrove was certainly lovely. And there was a special mood amongst the BBC, NParks and NUS people there on the boardwalk. The final footage may have only lasted seconds on the documentary but we still remember the cooperative and genteel atmosphere of the session year later.
I guess you can’t go wrong when a bunch of people who love the mangrove come together.
The Singapore crew at the mangrove that day loved David and remember him fondly. Ladybug says, “I love David Attenborough’s excited grin – looks like a kid taken on an exciting amusement ride. :)” Adrian says the complete photo is his desktop picture now. “Just cant erase the mama pulling the sampan..”
Link to Adrian’s post.
Otterman speaks... 
His grin lights up the whole picture!
Siva and David
wading through the grove
what a sight to behove
Yes, grinning like a kid in a candy store.
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