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Past Presentation | In Racing Extinction, a team of artists and activists exposes the hidden world of extinction with never­before­seen images that will change the way we see the planet. Two worlds drive extinction across the globe, potentially resulting in the loss of half of all species. The international wildlife trade creates bogus markets at the expense of creatures that have survived on this planet for millions of years. And the other surrounds us, hiding in plain sight — a world that the oil and gas companies don’t want the rest of us to see. Using covert tactics and state­of­the­art technology, the Racing Extinction team exposes these two worlds in an inspiring affirmation to preserve life as we know it. From the Academy Award® Winning Filmmakers of "The Cove."

Past Presentation | This film dives into remote underwater locations to reveal the catastrophic effects humanity has had on the oceans. Illegal overfishing of sharks across the planet has deeper consequences that puts the Earth’s most important ecosystem in danger of collapsing, which threatens all life in, and above, the ocean. Stewart dedicated his life to conservation, saying: “Conservation is the preservation of human life. And, that, above all else is worth fighting for.” He taught the world to love the oceans and their creatures and not fear sharks through his iconic images of hugging and free diving with sharks and mantas.

Alliance says there’s not enough ambition in proposed laws to prevent extinctions, as promised by the environment ministerGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government is backing away from a promise to substantially transform how nature is protected in Australia and is planning some changes that would make things worse, according to eight of the country’s top environment groups.The conservation organisations said they were concerned the government planned to break up promised legislation for new environmental laws and defer some difficult reforms until after the next election, if it wins a second term.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundupInclude a “call-in” power that allowed the minister to take over a decision from a proposed environment protection agency (EPA) “at any time and for any reason”.Allow developers to make payments to a new “restoration contributions” fund to compensate for damage their projects caused to the environment. This would remove a requirement that environmental offsets provide a “like-for-like” replacement for ecosystems or species affected by a development.Fail to give the new EPA the “teeth” it needed to be an independent and effective environmental regulator. Continue reading...

A new study from the University of Cambridge suggests that interspecies competition significantly influenced the evolutionary trajectory of hominins, resulting in a “bizarre” evolutionary pattern...

Past Presentation | This film reveals the compelling story of the unlikely extinction of the passenger pigeon and explores the pigeon’s striking relevance to conservation issues today, such as the alarming depletion of shark species worldwide. For centuries, the sleek long-distance flier was the most abundant bird in North America and perhaps the world. On September 1, 1914, Martha, the last passenger pigeon in captivity, died in the Cincinnati Zoo, marking the end of the species, and the upcoming centenary of the extinction event.

Past Presentation | Planet Ocean Blues a personal take on the devastating impact of Traditional Chinese Medicine on marine species & Ocean ecosystems -- narrated by Mermaid Maribella, with original music by Nick Wyke Storyline This is a short film about a vast subject: the Ocean. Or more precisely, about the potential extinction of certain marine species in the Ocean Or even more precisely, about the potential extinction of marine species due to superstitious beliefs promoted by bogus practitioners of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM). Stories about the extinction of marine species due to TCM is the theme. Stories--because readers may not remember facts, but they do remember stories. The short film has strong elements of mockumentary satire, with Mermaid narrator and imagined characters. Three customised music tracks were composed and sung by Nick Wyke. The documentary narrative is based on two digital photobooks by Michael Buckley: ‘Planet Ocean Blues’ + ‘Xtinction Blues.’ Planet Ocean Blues is a groundbreaking documentary, being the first to investigate the wider spectrum of the impact of TCM on marine species -- the senseless plundering of sharks, manta rays, seahorses, Totoaba croakers, seals and sea-cucumbers -- under the guise of bogus traditional medicine cures.

Past Presentation | The Far Eastern, or Amur, leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis) is one of the rarest subspecies of the cat family. Today the Far Eastern leopard is on the brink of extinction. With the example of Far Eastern leopard our film is discussing what is going on with biodiversity in the world, what are the key challenges humankind is facing today in this sphere. Are we facing sixth extinction? And what are the key features of humankind which can help to avoid that?

An international team of researchers led by the University of Potsdam has generated and analyzed the first high-coverage nuclear genome of the extinct blue antelope...

Tanya Plibersek says two new agencies will be established but a commitment to rewrite national environment laws has been pushed backGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastThe Albanese government has further delayed a commitment to rewrite Australia’s failing national environment laws.The environment minister, Tanya Plibersek, said the government would introduce legislation in coming weeks to create two previously announced bodies – an environment protection agency and a second organisation called Environment Information Australia, which will provide public data on ecosystems, plants and animals.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Now Playing | A short movie explaining how sea lice coming from fish farms in British Columbia are harming wild salmon to the brink of extinction.

Now Playing | Bats are struggling to survive, specifically in North America, where white nose syndrome is causing a sharp decline of certain species. Pertinent issues: climate change, habitat destruction, what can humans must do to prevent extinction.

Past Presentation | Gone and nearly forgotten in extinction, the Labrador Duck, the Great Auk, the Heath Hen, the Carolina Parakeet, and the Passenger Pigeon leave holes not just in the North American landscape but in our collective memories. Moved by their stories, sculptor Todd McGrain set out to create memorials to the lost birds—to bring their vanished forms back into the world. The Lost Bird Project follows the road-trip that McGrain and his brother-in-law, Andy Stern, take as they search for the locations where the birds were last seen in the wild and negotiate for permission to install McGrain’s large bronze sculptures there.

Now Playing | This film reveals how diverse environmental problems, from climate change to species extinction to ruined ecosystems, are all ultimately rooted in the “growth at all costs” attitude that pervades modern industrial society. Through beautiful and disturbing images and interviews with ecological scholars, spiritual leaders and activists, The Wisdom to Survive argues that the survival of humanity and most living beings on the planet will not come from technology, but from a profound raising of consciousness and deep spiritual transformation of humans who finally realize that we must live differently on planet earth.

Past Presentation | Conversations about planetary destruction, global pandemics and the extinction of so many species, are never easy to start. The fact is, we are all complicit, simply because we have been born into a time of consumerism, avarice and blind searching. And the only way we are going to make it through this terrifying time as a species is if we work together in harmony with the planet rather than in opposition to it. The Ghastly Fowl takes a look at where we are now and where we could go from here, focusing on responsibility rather than blame. A stark, beautifully animated short story that peels away the layers of the human psyche in a countdown towards the end, which could also be the beginning.

Past Presentation | Elephant Keeper is the story of an elder indigenous mahout who is adjusting to a new job in ecotourism in the remote jungles of Sainyabuli Province, Laos. Senior mahout, Mr. Tong, arrives at the Elephant Conservation Center (ECC) in search of work to support his family, and is paired with Mae Dok, the Center’s sweet and stubborn 60-year-old elephant matriarch. As he adapts to a new routine away from home, Mr. Tong finds a confidant in his elephant charge. The immersive contemplative nature of the cinematography allows the audience to feel present within the action and story in a complex narrative rich with visual metaphor and symbolism, exploring themes of Extinction & Conservation, Industrialization & Globalization, and Culture & Identity.

An end to extinctions. An environmental cop on the beat. Labor promised a great deal on the environment. But yesterday, they backed away from the main challenge.

Now Playing | Exists the ideal space-time with appropriate conditions for each organism fulfills its life cycle. Exists places to be fully habitats: The Eryngium Proteiflorum is an endangered endemic flower of the Mexican Transverse Volcanic Axis. Every being has its own space and time and the reflection on the human right to alter it takes relevance in a historical moment where protecting biodiversity can be a deadly battle, where the lives of those who fight for prevention are being taken, every human has its own metaphorical Eryngium. It is not just about a flower, it is about the idea that we can posses anything we want without considering its destruction. This film honors those who have no voice and whose future is plunging into extinction.

Now Playing | Planet Earth - a brief history - depicting the evolution of the planet from the Hadean period to the Anthropocene period. An evolutionary history of life on Earth. The Earth has undergone constant change in its 4.54 Billion year history with life evolving in response to those changes - in particular to the changing atmospheric compositions of carbon dioxide and oxygen. Species extinction has been a natural part of the evolutionary process of the planet however there are now thought to have been at least 8 mass extinction events in the history of the Earth - each of major consequence to life on the planet and of import to our modern understandings of climate change. This 6 minute animation has been created by paleoartist Bruce Currie and has been commissioned by the Australian Fossil and Mineral Museum – Bathurst.

Retracing Darwin’s journey through South America, I had an ominous premonition about environmental crisis

Now Playing | Yes, trees can talk. They communicate through their roots. Please listen to what they have to say in this short film.

Scientists have discovered a virus that infects a deadly amphibian fungus, offering hope for combating a disease that has led to significant declines in frog...

Past Presentation | Many know its name; few have seen it. Once present throughout Europe, the angel shark is now critically endangered. As unique as extraordinary, it reveals to us several secrets… little by little, and to those who take the time to listen

Past Presentation | Coral bleaching from rising sea temperatures has grown from isolated, regional events to a global threat. Duane began documenting increasing degradation of the ocean and he brought the issue to a larger audience with the hope that science and governments could save coral reefs, like a team of scientists working in Hawaii.

Another campaigner says state environment minister ‘refuses to do anything’ ahead of koala protection summit in SydneyGet our morning and afternoon news emails, free app or daily news podcastLongtime forest advocates have expressed disgust at the ongoing logging of koala habitat in northern New South Wales despite promises the state government would protect the species, with one seasoned campaigner calling the destruction a “profound tragedy”.In September last year, the Minns government ordered a halt to logging operations in certain high value koala habitat – known as “koala hubs” – in the proposed Great Koala national park.Sign up for Guardian Australia’s free morning and afternoon email newsletters for your daily news roundup Continue reading...

Past Presentation | Water shortages, hunger, peak oil, species extinction, and even increasing depression are all symptoms of a deeper problem – addiction to unending growth in a world that has limits. This film goes way beyond prescribing a bandaid to slow the bleeding and examines the cultural barriers that prevent us from reacting rationally to the evidence that current levels of population and consumption are unsustainable.

Now Playing | Becoming Fossil invites viewers to become time travelers through kaleidoscopic sensations of touch and elemental change. Join in and travel backward and forward in time around our small precious planet. Ride the waves of climate emergencies, and experience both extinction and resiliency in human and more-than-human touches.

Now Playing | Noah is so worried about climate change he can't sleep at night. His wife Hali is confident it's all going to be just fine. Should they even have kids?! Should they sell their CA house and move to a colder Alaska? How does one plan for the end of the world...?

Now Playing | Nestled in India’s northeastern Assam district, Kaziranga National Park contains the world’s highest density of the endangered Asian one horned rhino. Long plagued by civil unrest, this park is also ground zero for poaching and illegal trade of rhhorn. The film focuses on the efforts of journalist Uttam Saikia, who begins to serve as a mediator between the park and local poachers.

Past Presentation | This story is told in the Ainu language, which has been deemed a critically endangered language by the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO). Higashiyama, the home of the foxes, has become an illegal dumping ground. This has resulted in the decline of small animals, which the mother fox relied on as prey to feed her children. The fox comes down for the mountains in search of food to feed her children, and comes upon a human village.

Past Presentation | Filmed in a fly-on-the-wall style, this raw and inspiring documentary follows 26-year-old Manoj Gautam, a modern day, third world hero on a passionate quest to protect animals and wildlife from cruelty and extinction. Inspired by the work of his mentor, Dr. Jane Goodall, and with minimal resources and no formal training, Gautam is creating a network of allies across the country, busting animal smugglers, protecting fragile ecosystems, rescuing abused animals, and galvanizing an environmental movement.

Now Playing | Sockeye, a species of wild salmon, is born in Kamchatkan waters and spends its entire life in the Pacific Ocean. Only once does it return to fresh waters - to give offspring, start the circle of life, and die. It is an inexhaustible resource that feeds billions of people on the planet, restored every year! But soon, we may find ourselves facing the unimaginable: humans will exhaust the inexhaustible!

Past Presentation | An animation short that informs and educates about the urgent issues that are threatening the future of wildlife and communities on the island of Madagascar. As an island nation of spectacular and unique biodiversity, Madagascar has over 80% of its animals and plants that are found nowhere else on Earth. Madagascar's Scars attempts to inform the viewer of the environmental crisis involving illegal logging, deforestation and hunting of the critically endangered lemur which threatens the future of the island, as well as offer hopeful solutions to protect the biodiversity and improve the lives of the Malagasy.

Past Presentation | Almost entirely self funded, this film is the director’s gift to the world. The award-winning filmmaker and producer also spent 4 years as a one­ woman ­crew exploring why and how we have inadvertently put our planet in peril. The film examines how our economic and production systems connect to climate change, species extinction, depletion of critical natural resources, and industrial control of food production. Solutions that could be implemented immediately are illustrated, from practical everyday fixes to rethinking the overarching myths of our time. While this film is intended to challenge viewers on many levels, it most of all offers hope.

Now Playing | It is often said that we must tolerate wildlife, but what happens if we learn to thrive with them instead? What can this mean for the wildlife? What can it mean for the people of Florida? And what can it mean for the endangered Florida panther? Wildlife in Our Backyard shows us some of the problems facing the wildlife as well as the hope of a brighter future as we learn to share the landscape with them.

Past Presentation | For thousands of years, songbirds were regarded as messengers from the gods. Today, these creatures – woven inextricably into the fabric of our environment – are vanishing at an alarming rate. Under threat from climate change, pesticides and more, populations of hundreds of species have dipped dramatically. As scientists, activists, and bird enthusiasts investigate, amazing secrets of the bird world come to light for the first time in this acclaimed and visually thrilling documentary. Find out what’s killing our songbirds and what can be done about it. As in ancient times, songbirds may once again be carrying a message to humans – one that we ignore at our own peril.

Now Playing | Highlighting one of the coolest and most ambitious projects in the history of rare species conservation, this short film takes us to Kaua'i, Hawai'i, where a group of passionate plant people are working to save some of the rarest plants on the archipelago -- and tell us why we need a new generation of biodiversity lovers to help battle the extinction crisis.

Now Playing | Joe shares rare archival footage of the 2008 Basin Complex fire that burned most of the Big Sur wilderness. We see Ventana Wildlife Society biologists climb a burned redwood tree to save baby condor, Phoenix. Later, we meet Iniko, who captured the world’s heart during the Dolan Fire in 2020. We learn the stories of the condors and their incredible resiliency in the face of huge adversity. Kelly Sorenson shares his vision for the future.

Past Presentation | A Mirror of the Cosmos is a sci-fi experimental documentary which explores the first ecosystem in Europe to gain legal rights: the Mar Menor lagoon. Opening with a conversation between the moon and the sea about environmental violence, the film explores how the unlikely relationships between paradise, invasive blue crabs, nitrates, and mining deposits in Mar Menor deeply intertwine to tell the larger story of capitalism’s extractive, cumulative effects on the environment over time, combined with record-setting temperatures and monsoon-like storms. The lagoon is a microcosm of the so-called Anthropocene, or ‘the Age of Man’. Ultimately, it asks what kinds of futures are possible, and can we adapt? A film by Isabelle Carbonell www.amirrorofthecosmos.com

Now Playing | Through experiencing the work of Ventana Wildlife Society, Ross comes to understand the greatest threat to condors is lead ammunition. Ross meets Mike Stake, Non-Lead Ammunition Program Manager, who takes him to meet with a rancher in a key condor area to better understand these complex issues. Through responsible gun use, California condor recovery is achievable. We thank hunters and ranchers who switched to using non-lead ammunition.

New Zealand’s plants and animals are globally unique and underpin primary production and tourism. The government’s fast-tracking proposal threatens to erode the natural capital the economy relies on.

Now Playing | As a child, Julian and his mother, Sylvie, could spend hours out in nature admiring the soundtrack of the plentiful insects. One day, a grown Julian is out on a run in those same woods and when he takes off his ear buds, realizes he cannot hear anything at all. A trip to the audiologist assures him there is nothing wrong with his ears, but he is still left shaken. Back in the forest, he comes to the realization that the insects themselves have gone silent in a mass die off. Also known as the "Windshield Phenomenon" that documents how bugs no longer splatter on windshields as we drive as insect populations are down more than 45% over the last 4 decades.

Now Playing | Go behind the scenes with Wilderness Documentarian Ross Thomas as he learns the amazing and inspiring stories of the critically endangered California condor. Ross meets the Ventana Wildlife Society experts who have been working since 1997 to restore these majestic giants to the wild Big Sur coast. Ross’s epic journey begins with a once-in-a-lifetime visit with Senior Wildlife Biologist and California Condor Recovery Program Manager, Joe Burnett, to a wild condor’s nest deep in the Big Sur wilderness. Ross witnesses the intimate interaction between a condor parent and its new chick in the crown of a giant redwood tree. Ross then travels with Joe to see the Condor’s Big Sur sanctuary, which was destroyed by the Dolan Fire in 2020.

Past Presentation | In Franklin, West Virginia, something magical is happening in the local streams! A native trout species pushed to the brink of extinction is making a remarkable comeback. Working with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service's Partners for Fish & Wildlife, local farmers, ranchers and the community at large are uniting behind this incredible restoration effort. The short film "Little Stream, Big Magic'' captures the beauty of West Virginia's famous fly-fishing rivers in stunning detail and delivers a heartwarming story of people's resilience and dedication to conservation. Produced by the award-winning film team Tandem Stills + Motion, Inc. in cooperation with the Partners for Fish and Wildlife Program (PFW) and Trout Unlimited (TU), the film provides an important perspective to further engage with private landowners in the community on the benefits of restoring trout habitat. This beautiful and uplifting film shows audiences what's possible for grassroots conservation nationally.

Even with the best intentions, policies from different government departments can clash.

A new species of fossil ray, Aellopobatis bavarica, has been discovered in Bavarica, Germany, dating back to the Late Jurassic period. In a new study...

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This story was originally published by Grist and is reproduced here as part of the Climate Desk collaboration. It’s almost that magical time of year that the Humane Society of America likens to a “natural disaster.” Kitten season. “The level of emotions for months on end is so draining,” said Ann Dunn, director of Oakland Animal Services, a city-run shelter […]

Two more black- footed ferrets, one of North America’s rarest mammals, have been cloned, federal officials announced Wednesday.

The trend is bad news for shelters and wildlife alike.

Past Presentation | Advancements in the fishing industry have led to devastating consequences, not just for sea life being hunted to extinction, but for communities around the world who depend on the ocean’s bounty to survive. CHANGE MAKERS brings together scientists, fishermen, activists and more to chronicle how our relationship with sea life turned from one of harvesting resources to engaging in exploitative and dangerous practices. It highlights how the fishing industry has left vulnerable communities displaced and starving. It shows how people remain ignorant of the destruction of aquatic ecosystems through marketing manipulation. And it explains how subsidies provided to Big Fishing have allowed the industry to continue making a profit off what should be unprofitable, unsustainable practices. But most importantly, CHANGE MAKERS educates the viewer on an exciting opportunity to set these wrongs right through a historic agreement by The World Trade Organization that would curb these subsidies, protect the environment, and create an incentive to alter the current state of the fishing industry. If 109 nations can come together and sign the agreement in 2024, we could begin to undo the damage industrial fishing has been causing for over a century. However, at the moment, not enough countries have signed, leaving our future in a precarious position, balancing between the continuation of environmental catastrophe or the implementation of healing progress. To achieve success, we cannot just depend on the change makers featured in the film. Everyone needs to embrace their ability to be a change maker and call on their representatives to push through the agreement. Together, we can rewrite the pattern of history and make a better future. CHANGE MAKERS is more than a film. It is a plea for help. It is a call to action.

The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) published a proposal on Thursday to prioritize the conservation of greater sage-grouse on public lands — aiming to reverse habitat loss for an iconic bird of the U.S. West and restore the health of surrounding ecosystems. The proposal, a draft environmental impact statement, analyzes several alternatives for managing the greater...

Past Presentation | The last indigenous people of Mentawai, a small archipelago south-west of Sumatra, are fighting with creative resistance to preserve their ancient culture and rainforest. A culture on the verge of extinction - with the latest geopolitical developments, the destruction of their habitat reaches the point of no return. Smashing the hopes of thirty years of democratization in Indonesia, Jakarta in relapse to authoritarian rule is enforcing deforestation in Mentawai. In collaboration with investigative journalist Febrianti and indigenous foundations, our film portrays indigenous culture, history and resistance up to the most recent developments in geopolitical of Indonesia's growing environmental degradation. Connect with all your heart and senses: see, feel, touch, smell life in the jungle. The cinematic and compassionate camera conveys an intimate and sensual experience of the indigenous life on Mentawai with its beauty and vulnerability. Three shamans are the main characters in the film, hunter-gatherers in a culture predating even traditions of weaving or pottery, archaic traditions with their own complexity. The film portrays daily life of the indigenous tribe, their spiritual cosmos and their commitment to preserving their own culture and natural habitat. Logging companies threaten the fragile eco-system of the islands. Rare historic footage and archive materials tell the story of decades of oppression of the indigenous culture – but also of the resilience of our main characters and the last tribes living in the jungle. The main character, Father Laulau had been a leader in this struggle for decades, meeting the governor on Sumatra in a key point of history. The latter part of the film explores the geopolitical context and shows a new generation joining our main characters in the fight for the preservation of both their environment and culture – as part of a larger movement in Indonesia. The project started by indigenous initiative: Martison Siritoitet from Indigenous foundation Suku Mentawai (http:/sukumentawai.org) invited director Joo Peter to Mentawai and a long-term collaboration started including also Mentawai Indigenous Education Program (http://IEFprograms.org) The film is one of a planned series of films celebrating the diversity and richness of the Indonesian indigenous culture.

We can still stop some environmental damage before it gets worse and slowly reverse the trend of global heating

Environmental groups are urging water managers to scale back pumping until juvenile salmon and steelhead have finished migrating through the delta and into San Francisco Bay.

Microscopic shards of glass that rained down from an ancient eruption are revealing how early modern humans adapted to the dramatic changes in climate.

German’s appointment to head Convention on Biological Diversity follows global failure to meet any targets on protecting ecosystemsThe next UN biodiversity chief will be Astrid Schomaker, an EU civil servant who will be entrusted with helping the world confront the ongoing catastrophic loss of nature.Schomaker has been a career official with the EU commission for 30 years. A surprise appointment, she will be tasked with corralling governments to make good on their commitments to protect life on Earth – something they have not done in more than 30 years since the UN biodiversity convention was created.Find more age of extinction coverage here, and follow biodiversity reporters Phoebe Weston and Patrick Greenfield on X for all the latest news and features Continue reading...

Human influence on the environment is undeniable, but is it enough to merit its own epoch?

Bulldozed tracks and informal byways in tropical forests and palm-oil plantations ‘almost always’ an indicator of future deforestation, say researchersA vast network of undocumented “ghost roads” is pushing into the world’s untouched rainforests and driving their destruction in the Asia-Pacific region, a new study has found.By using Google Earth to map tropical forests on Borneo, Sumatra and New Guinea islands, researchers from James Cook University in Australia documented 1.37 m kilometres (850,000 miles) of roads across 1.4m sq kilometres of rainforest on the islands – between three and seven times what is officially recorded on road databases. Continue reading...

Solar farms seeded with wildflowers can boost pollinator populations

Researchers applaud move away from fossil fuels but say more must be done to mitigate effects on endangered speciesUp to a third of Africa’s great apes are threatened by a boom in mining projects for minerals required for the renewable energy transition, new research shows.An estimated 180,000 gorillas, bonobos and chimpanzees are at risk due to an increase in demand for critical minerals such as copper, lithium, nickel and cobalt, a study has found. Many of those minerals are required for clean energy technologies such as wind turbines and electric cars. Researchers say the boom in demand is driving destruction of tropical rainforests which are critical habitats for Africa’s great apes. Continue reading...