Sir David Attenborough spiked by cactus during TV show filming
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You know how much it hurts when you accidently touch the spines on a cactus? Well now Sir David Attenborough does too!
Sir David was spiked by the "vicious spines" of a cholla cactus while filming an episode for his latest documentary series, The Green Planet.
In the show, the broadcaster sticks his hand into a teddy bear cholla and, despite wearing a layered protective glove, he gets a nasty jab from one of the spines piercing through.
The 95-year-old experienced the prickly encounter while filming in the Sonoran desert in Arizona.
The teddy bear cholla might sound cuddly but it really isn't!
The show describes the teddy bear cholla as having the "ultimate protection" as it has a "fuzzy coating of vicious spines" to warn off predators.
Its spines also have backwards-facing barbs which can easily penetrate the skin, meaning animals avoid it.
Sir David said: "The cholla is a real danger... if you just brush against it, the spines are like spicules of glass, I mean they are that sharp!"
The episode also showcases how one animal, the packrat, is able to climb the cholla, pick up the joints and drag them off to defend its nest.
The rodent will then chew off the spines to get at the watery flesh inside.
The naturalist also explained it was tough to get the spines out again afterwards: "You better watch out!"
He also warned he "wouldn't dream" of putting his hand anywhere near it without proper protection.
And even with the special gloves on, one of the spines pierced through and spiked him in his hand, saying: "It's quite painful. This is not pleasant at all."