Image Courtesy: Google Doodle
Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente (14 March 1928 – 14 March 1980) was a Spanish naturalist and broadcaster. He is best known for the highly successful and influential TV series, El Hombre y la Tierra (1974–1980).
Life and Career
Félix Samuel Rodríguez de la Fuente was born in Poza de la Sal (Burgos, Spain) on 14 March 1928. His household was somewhat intellectual for a small Castillian village. He was schooled at home due to the Civil War (1936 – 1939) and his father’s opposition to early schooling. Felix’s adventures in the surrounding natural world were continuous until he was ten. He would describe his birthplace as a “human community living in harmony with the landscape” that shaped his “zoomorphic universe.” This environment had a deep impact on his future sensitivity, and his anthropological and philosophical approach to his career as a naturalist.
Some of his notable achievements include:
- Television programs: Rodríguez de la Fuente hosted several popular television programs in Spain, including “El hombre y la tierra” (“Man and the Earth”), which focused on the natural world and its conservation.
- Wildlife conservation: Rodríguez de la Fuente was a vocal advocate for wildlife conservation and played a key role in the creation of several national parks and protected areas in Spain.
- Research and publications: Rodríguez de la Fuente conducted extensive research on the behavior of wolves and other wildlife, and his findings were published in numerous scientific journals and books.
- International recognition: Rodríguez de la Fuente was recognized for his contributions to the field of natural history and wildlife conservation, receiving awards and honors from organizations around the world.
- Legacy: Rodríguez de la Fuente’s work had a profound impact on Spain’s environmental movement, inspiring a generation of conservationists and helping to create a greater awareness of the importance of protecting the natural world.
Today, Rodríguez de la Fuente is remembered as one of Spain’s most influential naturalists and conservationists, and his work continues to inspire people around the world to protect and preserve our planet’s biodiversity.
He died in Alaska the day he turned 52 on 14 March 1980.
Award and Legacy
Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente’s legacy is significant and enduring, both in Spain and around the world. Some of his notable achievements include:
- Conservation efforts: Rodríguez de la Fuente was a passionate advocate for wildlife conservation and played a key role in the creation of several national parks and protected areas in Spain.
- Television programs: Rodríguez de la Fuente’s television programs, particularly “El hombre y la tierra,” were incredibly popular in Spain and helped to raise awareness of the importance of protecting the natural world.
- Research and publications: Rodríguez de la Fuente conducted extensive research on wildlife, particularly wolves, and his findings were published in numerous scientific journals and books.
- International recognition: Rodríguez de la Fuente received numerous awards and honors for his contributions to environmental education and conservation, including the UNESCO Prize for Science in 1978.
Rodríguez de la Fuente’s work had a profound impact on Spain’s environmental movement, inspiring a generation of conservationists and helping to create a greater awareness of the importance of protecting the natural world.
Today, Rodríguez de la Fuente is remembered as one of Spain’s most influential naturalists and conservationists, and his work continues to inspire people around the world to protect and preserve our planet’s biodiversity. In Spain, his legacy lives on through the Félix Rodríguez de la Fuente Foundation, which promotes environmental education and conservation, and works to ensure that Rodríguez de la Fuente’s vision for a sustainable future is carried forward.
On 14 March 2010, Google celebrated Felix Rodriguez de la Fuente’s Birthday with a doodle.