Category Archives: White Rhinocerous

Africa, Animal Rights, Biodiversity, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Dehorning, Documentary Films, Endangered Species, environment, Extinction, In vitro fertilization, Kenya, Mammals, Nature Documentary, Nature Films, New York City, Northern White Rhinocerous, Ol Pejeta Conservancy, Poaching, Poaching, Rhino, Rhino horn, Rhinos, Sudan-The Last Northern White Rhino, Uncategorized, WCFF, WCFF Education Outreach, White Rhinocerous, wildlife, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Wildlife Crime, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife Films

The last male Northern White Rhino

March 20, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

Sudan, the world’s last male northern white rhinoceros, has died at the age of 45 years old in Kenya at the Ol Pejeta Conservancy. His death leaves the species functionally extinct, as only two females remain. Northern white rhinos used to be found in an area spanning Uganda, Chad, southwestern Sudan, the Central African Republic and the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Some 2,000 existed in 1960, but war and poaching drove them to extinction in the wild. Ignorance & greed lead to this tragedy.

Less than 12 Vaquita porpoise remain, fewer then 40 Sumatran Rhinoceros are left, the Yangtze River Dolphin is gone and the North Atlantic Right Whale population is crashing. How many more species must we lose before the world wakes up?

The WCFF informs, engage and inspires wildlife conservation through the power of film. Join us for our eight year anniversary in New York, NY, October 18-28, 2018. Ten days of film screenings, panel discussions, receptions, field trips, networking, Virtual Reality and more.

Contact: info@wcff.org to join the planning committee. Sponsor the film festival, advertise on the big screen during the outdoor summer series and the October festival. Take a page in the full color program book to be distributed in USA, China and other countries

Christopher J. Gervais, FRGS
Twitter: @CJGERVAIS
Christopher@WCFF.org

Wildlife Conservation Film Festival
October 18-28, 2018 | New York, NY
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Dehorning Rhino – Official WCFF selection

February 25, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

Dehorning Rhino in the Wild, produced and directed by James and Sam Suter, is an official selection to the 2018 WCFF. This short documentary will screen this October in New York.

The WCFF mission is to Informs, Engage and Inspire wildlife conservation through the power of film. Join us for our eight year anniversary in New York, NY, October 18-28, 2018. Ten days of film screenings, panel discussions, receptions, field trips, networking, virtual reality and more.

Is this the End of the Sumatran Rhino?

December 19, 2017 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

Some years ago when i was in high school there were an estimated 800 Sumatran Rhino left in the world. Today estimates have as few as 30 to no higher than 90 animals left in the wild and captivity combined.

Habitat destruction has been the primary culprit along with poaching for rhino horn. Mismanagement of wildlife conservation has been another factor that has plagued the protection of this unique species. For the years the governments of Indonesia and Malaysia have not cooperated to devise a comprehensive management plan to include captive breeding and habitat protection. Now with perhaps as few as 30 animals left on earth is it too late.

History has shown that it is not too late. The White Rhinoceros was nearly exterminated and number were reduced to as low as 50 animals. Today there are around 15,000. The number was higher a decade ago but years of poaching have reduced the species by over a thousand animals a year for the past ten years.

Captive breeding has been successful recently at the Cincinnati zoo until their last female rhino died. The International Rhino Foundation (IRF) breeding center in Sumatra has had success but the number of offspring is not competing with the overall birth/death rate.

The Sumatran Rhino s the smallest of all five rhino species, it is also a close relative of the extinct Wooly Rhinoceros that dies out at the end of the Pleistocene Era. To lose another rhino species in such a short time in geological history would be a tragedy.

More can and needs to be done to save this species. IT IS NOT TOO LATE! An aggressive captive breeding program must be implemented with combined efforts of Indonesia and Malaysia. Some scientists believe that In vitro fertilization may be the answer. It is certainly worth a try. We will not know unless an effort is put to the test.

Recently the Wildlife Conservation Film Festival (WCFF) partnered with NatGeoWild to host a program on Sumatran Rhino Conservation in Dali, China. The event screened clips from Operation Sumatran Rhino and discussed conservation work for tis endangered species. In the audience were over 150 wildlife conservation experts, biologists, government representatives from multiple South-east Asia countries and leaders in the nature/wildlife documentary film industry. All were in agreement, more needs to be done to save this species and the power of this film is getting the word out.

Christopher J. Gervais, F.R.G.S.
Twitter: @CJGERVAIS
Christopher@WCFF.org

From the Founder: Wildlife Conservation Film Festival