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Carnivorous Plants UK > Carnivorous Genera > Pitcher Plants > Nepenthes |
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 17th August 2009 - 12:07 PM
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#1
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Group: Members Posts: 63 Joined: 24th February 2005 From: Wimbledon Member No.: 1,433  |
British tabloid, The Sun, feature a rather poor and misquoted piece of journalism on N. attenboroughii today:
British Scientists discover plant that eats rats I'm not sure how to feel about all this sudden press; in the face of unscrupulous collectors' habits, I don't think it'll do the wild population any favours, especially if the Philippine authorities are not quick to move to protect the species and its habitat. Time will tell. Alastair. This post has been edited by Stairs: 17th August 2009 - 12:10 PM |
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17th August 2009 - 12:33 PM
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#2
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Group: Members Posts: 1,592 Joined: 2nd May 2007 From: Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Member No.: 3,141 |
I'm surprised that such a prestigious publication would get the facts wrong
 This is the newspaper that gave us 'FREDDIE STARR ATE MY HAMSTER' as a front page headline story. Don't tell me that was factually incorrect too! 
This post has been edited by mobile: 17th August 2009 - 21:25 PM |
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17th August 2009 - 12:38 PM
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#3
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Group: Members Posts: 371 Joined: 19th April 2009 From: Shropshire, UK Member No.: 4,680 |
Its already happening I'm sorry to say. I've had an e-mail asking me if I know when they can get one.
The Sun producing poor and misquoted journalism? Never!!  They would not know the truth if it came up and bit them on the ....... (fill in your own endings). You've got to love the pic of the rat in the pitcher though!
This post has been edited by andyoliver: 17th August 2009 - 12:40 PM |
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17th August 2009 - 19:37 PM
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#4
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Group: Members Posts: 269 Joined: 12th September 2008 From: Northern Ireland Member No.: 4,259 |
Any journalist using the word 'boffins' in a story needs shot... What a moron
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17th August 2009 - 21:18 PM
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#5
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Group: Members Posts: 63 Joined: 24th February 2005 From: Wimbledon Member No.: 1,433 |
Well, I can take being called a boffin; being a botanist isn't über sexy ;)
Anyway, I'll stop posting these updates; N. attenboroughii has featured in no less than 35 major publications today, which is crazy. The mass media machine at its worst, and all because it featured on the BBC. |
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17th August 2009 - 21:52 PM
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#6
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Group: Members Posts: 371 Joined: 19th April 2009 From: Shropshire, UK Member No.: 4,680 |
QUOTE (Stairs @ 17th August 2009 - 20:18 PM)  Well, I can take being called a boffin; being a botanist isn't über sexy ;) Anyway, I'll stop posting these updates; N. attenboroughii has featured in no less than 35 major publications today, which is crazy. The mass media machine at its worst, and all because it featured on the BBC. I'd take being called a boffin over some of the things I'm called at work some days! |
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18th August 2009 - 00:29 AM
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#7
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Group: Members Posts: 760 Joined: 15th September 2006 From: canada Member No.: 2,517 |
Well guys....if you look at the bright side of things.... the false imagery will throw some ppl off.
 LOL! And...if it throws off the "poacher"....then thats all we are concerned about. I am sure Dear Sir David knows the plant named after him is not N. northiana.
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18th August 2009 - 09:34 AM
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#8
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Group: Members Posts: 269 Joined: 12th September 2008 From: Northern Ireland Member No.: 4,259 |
QUOTE (Stairs @ 17th August 2009 - 20:18 PM) Well, I can take being called a boffin; being a botanist isn't über sexy ;) You're very lucky to be able to call yourself a botanist  Sorry for the outburst, I just really have a thing against journalists 
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18th August 2009 - 11:46 AM
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#9
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Group: Members Posts: 15 Joined: 18th April 2009 From: sweden Member No.: 4,677 |
why do he put a N. northiana as N. attenboroughii !!
and have anyone any info on N. attenboroughii fedding on rats?? //Ludvig |
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18th August 2009 - 12:17 PM
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#10
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Group: Members Posts: 1,592 Joined: 2nd May 2007 From: Aberdeenshire, Scotland. Member No.: 3,141 |
QUOTE (nhamata @ 18th August 2009 - 11:46 AM) why do he put a N. northiana as N. attenboroughii !! and have anyone any info on N. attenboroughii fedding on rats?? //Ludvig Ludvig, This newspaper is not known for its factual correctness. It has a tendency to exaggerate the facts (or make them up!) |
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19th August 2009 - 15:03 PM
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#11
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Group: Members Posts: 63 Joined: 24th February 2005 From: Wimbledon Member No.: 1,433 |
QUOTE (nhamata @ 18th August 2009 - 10:46 AM) and have anyone any info on N. attenboroughii fedding on rats?? //Ludvig Ludvig, This taxon does not feed on rats; we observed mainly jewel bugs and winged insects in its pitchers. Somewhere along the line, somebody must have said that it is large enough to eat a rat, and being prone to hyperbole, the papers ran with that sensationalist idea and made it "fact". It's rubbish; as with any species, a rodent could end up in the pitcher by accident, but rodents were few and far between on Mount Victoria - such an event would be the exception, rather than the rule. Cheers, Alastair. |
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19th August 2009 - 16:07 PM
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#12
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Group: Members Posts: 449 Joined: 3rd April 2008 From: Northwestern New Jersey, USA Member No.: 3,950 |
Funny how wrong information travels better than an accurate one! Now, a NYC news entity is pushing that envelope with another twist!
http://www.nydailynews.com/money/business_...rats_whole.html |
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26th October 2009 - 23:54 PM
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#13
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Group: Members Posts: 379 Joined: 16th December 2004 From: Milton Keynes, UK Member No.: 1,337 |
I just wanted to point out something I noticed in the October issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine. They also displayed a photograph of N. northiana in the guise of N. attenboroughii, so I contacted their editor about it. He (Mr. B. Hoare) told me, and I quote,
"We were supplied the image in question by the people who discovered the plant" Could this really be true? I was told any corrections will be printed on the letters page of the November Issue. This post has been edited by Amori: 26th October 2009 - 23:56 PM |
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27th October 2009 - 01:05 AM
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#14
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Group: Members Posts: 449 Joined: 3rd April 2008 From: Northwestern New Jersey, USA Member No.: 3,950 |
QUOTE (Amori @ 26th October 2009 - 17:54 PM) I just wanted to point out something I noticed in the October issue of BBC Wildlife Magazine. They also displayed a photograph of N. northiana in the guise of N. attenboroughii, so I contacted their editor about it. He (Mr. B. Hoare) told me, and I quote, "We were supplied the image in question by the people who discovered the plant" Could this really be true? I was told any corrections will be printed on the letters page of the November Issue. Most likely, they were just given a generic link to their website homepage, and jumped at the photo of the N. northiana with a rodent in its mouth without searching out the correct page on that website for this new species. - Rich |
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