The former BBC wildlife TV presenter, author and naturalist has died aged 95.
Tony Soper co-founded the BBC Natural History Department, which was established in Bristol in 1957 and has since produced numerous wildlife programs around the world.
Mr Soper was born in Southampton in 1929 and grew up in Plymouth, starting his career with the company in 1947 as a trainee engineer.
He was a wildlife photographer, film producer and went on to produce a number of television shows including Birding and By the Sea.
In an interview with BBC Radio Devon in 1995, Mr Soper said the team that set up the unit “had to be very resourceful” in the early days.
“Our editing room was equipped with a projector and a splicer that we bought from a local camera shop – we were keen to have a camera so we could shoot our own movies,” he said.
according to his websiteIn 1963 he began working as a freelancer so that he could live near the sea in Devon.
He subsequently began a career leading wildlife cruises in the Arctic and Antarctica and has written numerous books on wildlife in the UK and further afield.
Mr. Soper is survived by his wife, Hillary, two sons, Tim and Jack, and five grandchildren.
