Bermuda will be featured later this month in a programme of the popular ABC television news magazine show, Nightline.

Government conservationist Dr. David Wingate told The Royal Gazette that the four days and nights the Nightline crew spent taping him and cahows at Nonsuch Island were flawless.

"They came in late May, the end of the cahow nesting season and the weather was just perfect which was good because many of the things they were able to film could only be done in perfect weather conditions.'' he said. "It was extraordinarily lucky for them.'' Dr. Wingate was contacted to be in the programme when a Nightline producer felt the angle they were taking on a show was too pessimistic. "They were doing a programme on bio-diversity and the worldwide problem of animals losing their habitats and becoming extinct.'' Dr. Wingate said. "But the producer said that the show was too pessimistic and needed an optimistic story to balance out the doom and gloom.

"They chose to highlight the cahow as one of the few success stories.'' Dr.

Wingate added. "I'm not sure if was because of proximity or because they really loved the cahow story itself.'' No matter what the motivation, the producers were so pleased with the footage they shot while here, that they decided to make Bermuda, Nonsuch Island and the cahows, feature more prominently than they had originally planned.

"I understand the footage is so beautiful that it will now make up a significant portion of the programme.'' Dr. Wingate said. "It's good news because its free publicity for Bermuda.'' Slated to air at the end of the month, Dr. Wingate noted: "It will be interesting to see how much footage they've used. I am looking forward to seeing it just as much as anyone.''