Gordon Buchanan facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Gordon Buchanan
|
|
|---|---|
Buchanan in March 2023.
|
|
| Born | 10 April 1972 Dumbarton, Scotland
|
| Alma mater | |
| Occupation |
|
| Years active | 1989–present |
| Spouse(s) | Wendy Buchanan |
| Children | 2 |
Gordon John Buchanan MBE (born 10 April 1972) is a Scottish wildlife cameraman and filmmaker. He travels all over the world to film amazing animals in their natural homes. He also presents TV shows about his adventures. You might have seen his work in shows like Tribes, Predators & Me or The Polar Bear Family & Me.
Contents
Early Life
Gordon Buchanan was born in Alexandria, West Dunbartonshire, Scotland, in 1972. He grew up on a beautiful place called the Isle of Mull. When he was a kid, Gordon loved watching nature shows. He especially enjoyed programmes by David Attenborough and a series called Survival. These shows probably inspired him to work with wildlife!
Career
Starting His Wild Journey
Gordon's amazing career began when he was quite young. He was working in a restaurant when he met a cameraman named Nick Gordon. Nick invited Gordon to be his camera assistant for a project in Sierra Leone. Gordon was only 17 and left school for this exciting chance! He spent almost a year there, but they had to leave because of danger in the country. After that, he continued working with Nick in places like Venezuela and Brazil.
Filming Big Cats and Eagles
By 1995, Gordon started working on his own. He became well-known for filming large wild cats, like those in the show Big Cat Diary. He also returned to his home on the Isle of Mull to film white tailed eagles. The film, called "Eagle Island", got great reviews. He also filmed "Leopards of Yala", another popular nature episode.
From Foxes to Volcanoes
Gordon has filmed foxes in Glasgow for TV shows like Springwatch and Autumnwatch. He also filmed cute grey seal pups, which was a highlight of the show. In 2009, Gordon worked with the BBC to film Lost Land of the Volcano. This project took him to Papua New Guinea to explore new places. He also filmed similar series like Lost Land of the Tiger and Lost Land of the Jaguar.
Living with Bears and Wolves
In 2010, Gordon spent a whole year with black bears in Minnesota, USA. This amazing experience became a documentary called The Bear Family and Me. In 2013, he presented and filmed The Polar Bear Family & Me. This show followed a polar bear and her cubs through different seasons.
In 2014, Gordon visited Ellesmere Island in Canada for The Snow Wolf Family & Me. He followed a wolf pack as they raised their cubs. He also filmed Super Cute Animals, a fun documentary about adorable creatures.
Urban Leopards and Elephants
In 2015, Gordon presented Leopard in the City. This film was about "urban leopards" living in a park in Mumbai, India. These leopards mostly hunt stray dogs in the city. He also continued his "...And Me" series, this time focusing on Gorillas.
In 2016, he appeared in Elephant Family and Me. He visited Africa to understand how elephants live and talk to each other. He also narrated Life in the Snow and explored how polar bears live near people in Life in Polar Bear Town.
Tribes, Reindeer, and Animal Cameras
From 2016 to 2017, Gordon filmed two series of Tribes, Predators and Me. He spent time with people who live alongside dangerous animals like hyenas and crocodiles. He then filmed The Reindeer Family and Me, following reindeer on their long journey.
Gordon also took famous people to amazing wildlife spots in the UK for his six-part series Into the Wild. In 2018, he presented Animals with Cameras. This show used special cameras on animals to see the world from their point of view. After that, he filmed Grizzly Bear Cubs and Me, where he helped young bears get ready to go back to the wild.
Recent Adventures
In 2019, Gordon continued to present nature shows for the BBC. He traveled around the equator for the series Equator from the Air. He also filmed Snow Cats and Me, helping to prepare Lynx to return to the wild. In 2020, he returned to Springwatch as a guest presenter, filming live from Scotland. He ended the year with The Cheetah Family and Me, following cheetahs in Africa.
In 2021, it was announced that a second series of Animals with Cameras would be made. In 2022, Gordon began touring the UK to share stories from his "30 Years in the Wild". He also became a presenter for a new show called Our Changing Planet.
Awards
In June 2013, Gordon received a special award from the University of Stirling. He also won the Glenfiddich Spirit of Scotland award for his work in the environment. This showed he was one of Scotland's best cameramen and filmmakers.
Gordon was also made a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2020. This award was for his great work in conservation and wildlife filmmaking.
Personal Life
Gordon often talks about missing his family when he is away filming. His wife, Wendy, and their two children, Lola and Harris, even visited him during the filming of The Bear Family & Me. He also enjoys drinking whisky.
Documentaries
- Wild Scotland (2002)
- Expedition Borneo (2006)
- Amba the Russian Tiger (2008)
- Lost Land of the Jaguar (2008)
- Lost Land of the Volcano (2009)
- Snow Watch (2010)
- Lost Land of the Tiger (2011)
- The Bear Family & Me (2011)
- Maneater Manhunt (2012)
- Land of the Lost Wolves (2012)
- The Polar Bear Family & Me (2013)
- Snow Wolf Family & Me (2014)
- Gorilla Family & Me (2015)
- Leopard in the City (2015)
- Elephant Family & Me (2016)
- Into the Wild (2016)
- Life in the Snow (2016)
- Life in Polar Bear Town (2016)
- Tribes, Predators & Me (2016–2017)
- The Reindeer Family & Me (2017)
- Animals with Cameras (Series 1) (2018)
- Grizzly Bear Cubs and Me (2018)
- Equator from the Air (2019)
- Snow Cats and Me (2019)
- The Cheetah Family and Me (2020)
- Animals with Cameras (Series 2) (2021)
- Our Wild Adventures (2021)
- Our Changing Planet (2022)
- Snow Dogs: Into The Wild (2022)
- Big Cats 24/7 (2024)
- My Epic Camel Adventure with Gordon Buchanan (2024)
