But the only things Italian Sir David would have pursued would have been whatever lived in the wild hills outside Sorrento.
To say he had been recognised for his work over those 66 years would be an understatement the size of an African elephant.
He is a Member of the Order of Merit, Companion of Honour, Commander of the Royal Victorian Order, Commander of the Order of the British Empire, Fellow of the Royal Society, Fellow of the Linnean Society of London, Fellow of the Zoological Society of London and a Fellow of the Society of Antiquaries.
That is an awful lot of initials after the name, although you quickly get the impression Sir David isn't one to gloat or carry such accolades widely out in the open.
He has retained a terrifically humble approach to life and what it has brought, and hopefully will continue to bring for some time yet.
His interest in the natural world developed from childhood, which he spent searching and collecting strange old stones and whatever fossil-type objects he could unearth.
He grew up in the grounds of the University College in Leicester where his father was principal, and was clearly no mug when it came to recognising there could be funds gained from a love of nature's creatures.
He heard the college's zoology department needed more newts so, through his dad, he offered to go out and find some and sell them to the department for threepence each.
He did well ... although the one thing he did not reveal was that the newts he was gathering came from the pond just a few yards from the zoology department.
Basically, they were there all the time and his knowledge of that won him gratitude and a few bob.
Of course he went on to gather up the appropriate degrees in zoology and geology, as well as attend the London School of Economics (the newts clearly taught him that economies could be managed appropriately).
I daresay this may come up in his engaging interview with Kirsty Young on Prime this coming Sunday evening.
Always a pleasure to have a fine chap visit one's lounge.
Ditto for the colourful and equally engaging Timothy Spall.
He sparked on to our screens through Auf Wiedersehen, Pet and latterly has become familiar to a whole new and younger audience through his appearances in the Harry Potter films.
Great comic and great actor - the lad crosses into both performing territories with ease, and that is well illustrated in his role as the eccentric English painter JMW Turner which drew great accolades when it first screened two years ago.
One of his finest portraits and again, a fine chap to have visit of a Sunday.
● Attenborough at 90, Prime at 7.30pm Sunday: Sir David is as adept at telling his many adventurous tales as he is in pursuing them. A relaxing and enlightening watch.
● Mr Turner, Maori Television at 8.30pm Sunday: Once Sir David leaves the screen at 8.30pm, Timothy Spall steps in to complete an entertaining double act of two of England's finest chaps.
ON THE BOX
● The Graham Norton Show, TV3 at 8.30pm Friday: Mr Norton (or more likely his production crew) have reached into the bag of fine diversity again and come up with an interesting spread of known names and faces - the one which caught my attention was that of Sir David Attenborough.
Yep, he's out and about this weekend.
You'd be hard-pressed to come up with anyone else in possession of such a remarkable life, in terms of where he has been and what he has seen.
He will have some tales to tell, that is for sure.
Joining him for an evening with Mr Norton will be Ben Affleck, Matt Smith and Claire Foy, while Sting delivers a spot of music.
● All Blacks vs Italy, Sky Sport 1 at 2.30am Sunday (Prime at noon): Being in possession of some Irish heritage I was not in the slightest upset at last weekend's result ... because, quite simply, the best team won.
And it's always good to have a foot in both camps.
So here the ABs take on Italy, who will no doubt be slightly fearful they could be the targets of a "let's get back on top of the world big time!" approach.
Could be interesting as it's a home game for the proud Italians.
