Polar Species and their Struggles

Narwhal's coming up for a breath of air while hunting.

National Geographic photographer Paul Nicklen discusses the majestic wildlife of polar areas and the impact the human race is having upon them in his TED Talk.  During his time in the northern region of the world, he was able to see, first hand, the effects of humans and the struggle of native species to survive in their ever changing environment. This included photographing and interacting with many different species including, but not limited to, amphipods, penguins, polar bears, narwhals, and leopard seals.

Nicklen's TED Talk consists of many different stories and photos of his travels abroad.  He tells of his time in the north and the impacts that we are having on our world.  His goal is to get his audience to think on their actions and how it effects the world around them.  Also to spread awareness to the plight of the species that are living in the areas where the ice is melting.  As the years pass and our world continues progressing, people don't take these events as seriously, they just believe that they are something that happens in the news.  Nicklen's hope is that his experiences will enlighten those that hear him speak. This talk given by Nicklen may appeal to many different viewer types, as it not only is informational on the melting of ice caps at the poles, but it also shows us beautiful photography of rarely seen animals.  He is able to capture audiences with funny stories of his travels, but tie it in to the issues that are seen. Although he hopes to reach people from all walks of life, his audience may actually consist of people who are already interested in the topics of animals or polar studies.

Throughout the viewing of his photography and stories that he tells, although cute and funny, continuously he reminds his audience of the dire events that are causing the ice caps to melt and that are putting the lives of hundreds of species at risk of extinction.

Photo taken by Nicklen of a leopard seal eating a gentoo penguin.

Paul Nicklen is not only a photographer, but is a marine biologist, filmmaker, and conservationist.  He has spent over 20 years honing his craft and during this time has amassed over 30 awards to his name.  Nicklen has also collaborated with many people in the scientific and arts communities to create awareness for environmental issues.

My Thoughts?

Emperor penguin adults and chicks.

As someone who does not normally enjoy watching or listening to TED Talks, I found this specific speech very interesting.  The speaker did a great job of weaving the stories of his experiences with the bigger issues, making the audience understand and go on a journey with him.  Although not manipulative in my opinion, his stories help us sympathize with his point and start to see the gravity behind the situation he is talking about. As he told his stories, I was able to laugh along with him and fully understand what he was saying.  When listening to some talks, it can be easy to space out or not pay attention to what is being said, but this talk is relatable and very interesting to listeners.  I would recommend this TED Talk to anyone who is interested in the sciences or even just in pictures of cute animals.  Throughout this presentation we were able to get a glimpse into the lives of the animals that we would never otherwise get to see. Ten out of ten would recommend. Both Inspiring and Captivating.