Hamza Yassin interview!

Wildlife cameraman, TV presenter and author Hamza Yassin tells us about his epic wildlife encounters, cool filming experiences and top animal facts. Find out more in this Hamza Yassin interview…

Who is Hamza Yassin?

Name: Hamza Yassin

Born: 22 February 1990

From: Sudan, Africa

Job: Naturalist, wildlife cameraman and TV presenter

Fun fact: Hamza won Strictly Come Dancing, a TV celebrity dance competition, in 2022!

Hamza Yassin interview

NGK: Hi Hamza! What’s the most memorable thing you’ve ever filmed?

Hamza: I was trying to capture the breeding season of a white-tailed eagle from start to finish, which I don’t think anyone has done before. The final challenge was to film the chicks jumping out of the nest and there were only two of them!

I was knackered, and when I eventually turned up near the last day, one of the chicks had already fledged (left the nest), so the pressure was on to get the shot of the last chick. I ended up staying in the hide from around 18 hours, but we finally managed to film the shot!

NGK: Talk about dedication! What’s your top skill?

H: I’m great at predicting when animals are going to arrive! For example, ravens have a special call they make when they know a flying predator is coming. I’ll hear that and know that 10–15 minutes later an eagle will arrive.

When it turns up, you might think, ‘Hamza, how did you know that? You’re psychic!’ – but it’s like clockwork. People always think I’m a genius but I can just read the wildlife around me.

NGK: That’s so clever!

H: There are loads of situations like that which I always find funny. Another one is if we’re all standing in a field looking for deer, facing one way for a while, then we’ll turn around and they’ll be behind us, staring at us as if to say, ‘What are you guys all looking for?!’

NGK: Ha! What’s your favourite animal?

H: The silverback gorilla. They put on all of this muscle and move away from their family to find their own troop. They’re too heavy to sleep at the tops of trees, so their family sleep at the top of the tree and they sleep at the bottom to protect them. Then in the morning the family all climb down to say hello. I think that’s so cool.

NGK: Awesome! Do you have a top animal fact, too?

H: There are loads of interesting facts out there that I love, but one of my favourite animal facts is that wombats have square poos!

NGK: Cool! What advice would you give to a kid who’s interested in wildlife photography?

H: Follow your dream and don’t focus on the equipment – focus on the wildlife. Anyone who’s four metres away from an animal can press record; the tricky part is getting that close without them realising you’re there.

Understanding animals’ behaviour will allow you to get up close and personal, so learn the wildlife around you. Become a nerd! I’m a nerd and I don’t mind saying it – we need nerds.

NGK: You’re also the ambassador for Dyslexia Scotland. Can you tell us about that?

H: I struggled at school but managed to get the help I needed for my dyslexia – and now I’ve written a book!

I had weekly meetings with my writer Catherine – and we talked about all of the animals we wanted to include in the book, the best facts and my experiences of filming. We recorded everything and then we shaped the text. I think my dyslexia helps me see the world differently.

I’m the cameraman I am today because of my dyslexia. If anyone is dyslexic, see it as your superpower!

Hamza’s Wild World is in stores now.

Images: White-tailed eagle and gorilla © Adobe Stock. All others © Hamza Yassin Photography. Hamza’s Wild World by Hamza Yassin illustrated by Louise Forshaw, published by Macmillan Children’s Books.

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