Sir David has Nessie tale of how he was secretly drafted to help save Nessie
May 8 2011 Steve Hendry, Sunday Mail

Sir David Attenborough has revealed he was once asked to help save Nessie.

The veteran naturalist was contacted by conservationist Sir Peter Scott in 1975 and asked to meet him at the Natural History Museum.

It came in the wake of the publication of Robert Rine's sonar photographs from Loch Ness, including one which seemed to show the monster's diamond-shaped fin.

On Radio 4's Life Stories, Sir David revealed how Scott risked ridicule showing him a painting he had done of the "monster" in a bid to have it legally protected.

He said: "At this time, Nessie had become something of a musical hall joke.

"Serious scientists poohpoohed the idea it existed so Peter was certainly going out on a limb.

"He had good reason. If there was a monster and someone got the chance of catching it, or harpooning it, there was nothing to stop them.

"In Peter's view, as a conservationist concerned about the loss of rare species, it should be legally protected.

"To do that, something material was needed to demonstrate it's existence.

"A painting would do, so he painted Nessie's portrait."

Sir David admits he is saddened many of the monster sightings having been exposed as hoaxes.

He said: "I'm clinging to the hope that monsters haven't yet vanished from the face of the Earth."

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