Tag Archives: wildlife conservation

Bengal Tiger, Big Cats, Biodiversity, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Documentary Films, Endangered Species, environment, Extinction, Film Festival, India, Nature Documentary, Nature Films, New York City, Power of Film, Ranthambore National Park, tigers, Uncategorized, WCFF, wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife Films

Looking for Sultan – Official WCFF Selection

May 16, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

Tiger sitting in a chattri or palace in Ranthambore tiger reserve

“Looking for Sultan” produced by Riverbanks Studio screens as North America premiere this October in New York City.

SYNOPSIS: Each and every tiger is important and that’s why we need to find Sultan. This film follows the story of Sultan, the up and coming dominant tiger of Ranthambore Tiger Reserve who vanished suddenly. Father and son wildlife filmmakers, Mike and Gautam, had been following and filming him since he was a cub and are now trying to put the pieces together to solve this mystery.

More than 12 tigers have gone missing in Ranthambhore between 2012 and 2017. Young tigers who go missing are usually thought to have been poached or just lost forever. But the story is much more complicated.T rackers on ground have proved that tigers leave the protected territory of national parks to walk great distances in search for new territory. Tigers know no borders and young sub adult tigers must walk hundreds of kilometers to find a new home, prey and a new mate. The film looks at broader issues of conservation of tigers and the different efforts being made towards it in India through the story of Sultan

Join the WCFF for ten days of film screenings, panel discussions, receptions, field trips, networking, VR experience & more. The WCFF mission is to inform, engage and inspire wildlife conservation through the power of film. Join us for our eight year anniversary October 18-28, 2018. Ten days with over 100 documentary films screened, many World and North America premieres. Panel discussions, receptions, field trips, networking, virtual reality/360 and more. All Access Film Festival passes are available now for purchase: wcff.org/nyc-festival-2018/

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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Amazon, Biodiversity, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Deforestation, Documentary Films, Endangered Species, environment, Film Festival, Guyana, habitat destruction, Habitat Restoration, Iwokrama Reserve, Nature Documentary, Nature Films, Power of Film, Rainforest, South America, Uncategorized, WCFF, WCFF Education Outreach, wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife Films

Green Heart of Guyana

April 2, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

“The Green Heart of Guyana” produced and directed by Benjamin Driver will premiere at the 2018 WCFF in New York, NY. The WCFF mission is to inform, engage and inspire wildlife conservation through the power of film. Join us for our eight year anniversary is October 18-28, 2018. Ten days of film screenings, panel discussions, receptions, field trips, networking, virtual reality and more. All Access Film Festival passes are available now for purchase: wcff.org/nyc-festival-2018/

https://vimeo.com/256662126

Synopsis: The Green Heart of Guyana is a look into the conservation research that is carried out in the Iwokrama reserve of Guyana. Guyana holds one of the largest intact tropical rain-forests in the world, and here we see renown scientists working with indigenous people of the region to try and protect this wonder. Political pressure is making the fate of Guyanas vast expanse of wilderness unknown. A country the size of Britain that is almost entirely covered in either tropical rain-forest or savanna grassland is in danger of being slowly infested with development that could fragment and erode the forests there. Looking at the different taxa within the tropical habitat, we see how surveys are carried out and building to construct a better understand of how the forests and all its inhabitants are responding to a changing environment and ultimately how the country is trying to use its wealth of resources without trying to exhaust them. Guyana is one of the last strongholds of intact tropical rain forests in the world. This is a unique opportunity, where experience and knowledge can help preserve Guyana’s wildlife before it becomes yet another race to extinction.

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

Animal Intelligence, Animal Rights, Atlantic Ocean, Biodiversity, Canada, Cetaceans, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Documentary Films, Endangered Species, Endangered Species Act, environment, Extinction, Film Festival, Marine Mammals, Marine Protected Area, Nature Documentary, Nature Films, New York City, North America, North Atlantic Right Whales, Ocean, Ocean Pollution, Oceans, phytoplankton, Plastic Debris, Plastic Pollution, Power of Film, Uncategorized, Vaquita, WCFF, WCFF Education Outreach, Whales, wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Wildlife Documentary

North Atlantic Right Whale Population is Crashing

March 27, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

The North Atlantic Right Whale is one of the most endangered of all the large cetaceans. Fewer than 450 remain and this year18 deaths have been recorded off the coasts of USA & Canada by ship strikes. There could be more we are not aware. To make matters worse, no calves have been sighted in 2018 where they and their mothers are found off the coast of southern Georgia and northern Florida. At this current rate of death and lack of newborns, the species will be extinct by 2040.

We will lose the Vaquita this year and have recently lost the Yangtze river Dolphin. When will the world wake up from ignorance.

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.

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

Africa, Animal Rights, Biodiversity, Botswana, China, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Dehorning, Documentary Films, Endangered Species, environment, Extinction, Film Festival, Hunting, Illegal Wildlife Trade, Kenya, Mammals, Nature Documentary, Nature Films, Poaching, Poaching, Power of Film, Rhino, Rhino horn, Rhinos, Rwanda, South Africa, Uncategorized, Vietnam, WCFF, WCFF Education Outreach, White Rhinocerous, wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Wildlife Crime, Wildlife Documentary, Wildlife Films, Zimbabwe

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.

Oceanic Whitetip Shark receives protection

February 21, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

Several weeks back, the Trump administration announced the oceanic whitetip shark will be listed as “threatened” under the Endangered Species Act, the first shark species to receive these protections in Atlantic continental U.S. waters. Historically considered one of the most abundant shark species, the oceanic whitetip has suffered 80% population decline, mostly due to being caught as bycatch in longline fisheries and the victim of global shark fin trade. Shark finning is illegal in U.S. waters, however fins continue to be bought and sold throughout the United States and often come from unsustainable foreign fisheries in countries that have ineffective or no shark finning bans.

https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/california/articles/2018-01-30/declining-species-of-shark-added-to-endangered-species-list

wric.com/2018/01/30/declining-species-of-shark-added-to-endangered-species-list/

Oceanic Whitetip First Shark Listed as “Threatened” in the Continental U.S. Atlantic

Learn more about protecting sharks and other marine life. The WCFF informs, engages and inspires wildlife conservation and global biodiversity 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 events, virtual reality programs and more. The WCFF is the ONLY documentary film festival in NewYork, NY and worldwide dedicated to wildlife conservation.

Photo credit: Paul Spielvogel

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

Animal Intelligence, Bat Colonies, Bats, Biodiversity, Canada, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Endangered Species, environment, Extinction, Mammals, North America, U.S. Department of Agriculture, U.S. Forest Service, Uncategorized, University of New Hampshire, WCFF, White-nose syndrome, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival

Cure for White-Nose Syndrome?

January 16, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

White-nose syndrome, a disease that affects insect-eating bats, is one of the most devastating wildlife diseases on record. But there may be a relatively simple way to stop it, according to new research: UV light.

A new study from a team of scientists from U.S. Forest Service, U.S. Department of Agriculture and the University of New Hampshire has found that the fungus is highly sensitive to UV light. Only a few seconds of exposure to ultraviolet light destroys the fungus that causes white-nose syndrome, Pseudogymnoascus destructans.

P. destructans can only infect bats during hibernation because it has a strict temperature growth range of about 39-68 degrees Fahrenheit. However, treating bats for the disease during hibernation is challenging, so any weakness of the fungus may be good news to managers trying to develop treatment strategies.

Some estimates have over 7 million bats from multiple species to have been killed by this fungus. Some bat colonies have been totally destroyed and have not recovered.

https://www.whitenosesyndrome.org/

https://sciencebulletin.org/archives/18996.html

White-nose syndrome: P. destructans fungus is highly sensitive to UV light

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

Animal Cruelty, Animal Rights, Antarctica, Antartctic Ocean, Biodiversity, Cetaceans, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Endangered Species, environment, Extinction, Humpback Whales, Hunting, International Court of Justice, Japan, Japan Whale hunting, Marine Mammals, Megafauna, Minke Whales, Ocean, Oceans, Pilot Whales, Southern Ocean, Uncategorized, Water, WCFF, Whales, wildlife, Wildlife Activists, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Wildlife Crime

Japan’s “Scientific Whale Hunt”

January 9, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

The Japanese whaling fleet is currently hunting minke whales in the Antarctic Ocean. This is in violation of a ruling by the International Court of Justice on March 31, 2014 that ordered Japan to stop this practice immediately. The waters around Antarctica are a designated whale sanctuary. Despite this ruling and the protected area, this does not stop Japan’s whalers who kill in the name of “scientific research.” Really? Who actually believes this?

in 2016 the Japanese Whaling Fleet returned home with a reported 333 minke whale carcasses, some where pregnant females. Japan has said it conducts this “scientific whaling” strictly for research; however, the meat is sold commercially and government agencies say the ultimate goal is the resumption of commercial whaling.

Learn more through the power of film and what you can do to stop this. Come to the eight year anniversary of the WCFF this fall. Ten days of film screenings, receptions, panel discussions, field trips, networking, VR & more. Join us October 18-28, 2018. To advertise with, sponsor the film festival, submit a film, or join the planning committee, contact: info@wcff.org

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

Africa, Animal Rights, Big Cats, Biodiversity, Botswana, China, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Deforestation, Democratic Republic of Congo, Documentary Films, DRC, Elephants, Endangered Species, environment, Extinction, habitat destruction, Hunting, Illegal Wildlife Trade, Ivory, Mammals, Megafauna, Poaching, Poaching, Population, President Xi Jinping, Uncategorized, Urban Development, WCFF, wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival, Wildlife Corridor

China’s New Ban on Ivory

January 2, 2018 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

On Sunday, January 31 a total ban on Ivory in China was put into place. President Xi Jinping declared the import and export of elephant ivory to be illegal in the nation that has the world’s largest importer of elephant tusks for decades.

This ban will greatly reduce the number of elephants killed by poachers in Africa, which at one point was nearly 100 animals a day, over 30,000 annually. The partial ivory ban declared by China in 2017 helped reduce the number of elephants killed by nearly 40%. Now that a total ban is in place in China, conservationists hope this number will be reduced much further. The African Elephant population was near 10 million animals in 1900 and reduced to 1.2 million by the mid 1980’s. Today as few as 300,000 remain on the continent.

Poaching for ivory has been the biggest threat to the survival of the two species of Elephants in Africa, the Savannah and Forest Elephants. Loss of habitat and increased human population is another concern as urban development continues with the expansion of cities and roadways. The human population will soon reach 1 billion on the continent alone and this means less space for wildlife.

The establishment of wildlife corridors, connecting national parks and protected areas from one country to the next is the only hope for elephants, big cats, giraffes and of Africa’s wildlife both large and small.

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

Africa, Biodiversity, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Deforestation, Endangered Species, environment, habitat destruction, Habitat Restoration, Illegal Wildlife Trade, Nigeria, Poaching, Population, Rainforest, Uncategorized, Urban Development, WCFF, wildlife, Wildlife Corridor

Nigeria to restore nearly 10 million acres

December 26, 2017 christopherjgervais Leave a comment

Nigeria has announced plans to restore nearly 10 million acres, of degraded lands within its borders.

The West African nation is now one of 26 countries across the continent that have committed to restoring more than 84 million hectares (over 200 million acres) of degraded lands as part of the African Forest Landscape Restoration Initiative (AFR100), an effort that aims to bring 100 million hectares of land under restoration by 2030. These commitments also support the targets of the Bonn Challenge, a global initiative to restore 150 million hectares by 2020 and 350 million hectares by 2030.

Nigeria’s economy is the largest in Africa, but deforestation has become widespread amidst the country’s rapid pace of urban development and population growth.

To read more visit: https://news.mongabay.com/2017/12/nigeria-pledges-to-restore-nearly-10-million-acres-of-degraded-land/?n3wsletter&utm_source=Mongabay+Newsletter&utm_campaign=7658972b22-newsletter_2017_12_7&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_940652e1f4-7658972b22-67230511

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

Animal Rights, Biodiversity, Breeding in captivity, Christopher J. Gervais, conservation, Deforestation, Endangered Species, environment, Extinction, habitat destruction, Hunting, Illegal Wildlife Trade, In vitro fertilization, Indonesia, International Rhino foundation, Malaysia, Nat Geo WILD, Pleistocene, Poaching, Poaching, Rainforest, Rhino, Sumatran Rhino, Uncategorized, WCFF, White Rhinocerous, wildlife, Wildlife Conservation, Wildlife Crime

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