In The Last Animals filmmaker and conflict reporter Kate Brooks turns her lens to the killing of African elephants and rhinos – in this sweeping expose of this under reported genocide.
As the single -digit population of Northern White Rhinoceros ticks closer to zero, Brooks outlines the factors contributing to the current epidemic of highly effective poaching and trafficking syndicates, drawing startling connections between the illegal wildlife trade and international terrorism and border security.
At the same time Brooks documents the heroic efforts of conservationists, park rangers, and scientists to protect these animals on the verge of extinction in the face of seemingly insurmountable odds.
The result is a potent plea for worldwide attention and action to combat the permanent loss of these majestic creatures.is a story about an extraordinary group of people who go to all lengths to save the planet’s last animals.
The documentary follows the conservationists, scientists and activists battling poachers and criminal networks to protect elephants and rhinos.
From Africa’s front lines to behind the scenes of Asian markets, the film takes an intense look at the global response to this slaughter and the desperate measures to genetically rescue the Northern White rhinos who are on the edge of extinction.
About Kate Brooks
Kate Brooks is a world renowned photographer who has chronicled conflict and human rights issues for nearly two decades. She first began working as photographer in Russia while documenting child abuse in state orphanages. The resulting photographs were published worldwide and used by the Human Rights Watch to campaign for orphans’ rights.
Kate then proceeded to dedicate herself to co
vering the post 9/11 decade through to the beginning of the Arab Spring; she is widely known for her extensive work across the Middle East and in Pakistan and Afghanistan. Kate’s photographs are regularly published in magazines, such as TIME, Newsweek, The New Yorker and Smithsonian. She also exhibits her work in museums and galleries across the globe.
In 2010 Kate was as a contributing cinematographer on the multiple award-winning documentary The Boxing Girls of Kabul. Her introspective collection of essays and photos In the Light of Darkness: A Photographer’s Journey After 9/11 was selected by PDN as one of 2011’s best photography books. Kate was then awarded a 2012-13 Knight-Wallace Fellowship at the University of Michigan. There she began researching wildlife trafficking and the pan African poaching epidemic for the documentary film The Last Animals. Kate’s drive and passion for this project comes from the fundamental belief that time is running out and that we are at a critical moment in natural history.
Here is a toolkit to help you get the word out! Posters, petitions, umbrellas and t-shirts are soon to come!
Vancouver March:
October 3rd – 12:00 to 2:00 pm
Vancouver Public Library – North Plaza – 350 West Georgia Street, Vancouver
Speakers: Dr. Jake Wall – Save the Elephants (African Elephant)
Dr. Hedy Fry – MP Vancouver Centre
Rosemary Conder – BC SPCA – Elephants in Tourism (Asia)
For those of you attending the Vancouver march and who are interested in helping us get the word out here are a few tools:
Global March and Elephant Rhino crisis presented as a private members bill in the BC legislature by Mike Farnworth NDP MLA for Port Coquitlam https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=o-eqW8Algms
12:00 to 12:40 – music, face painting, t-shirt and umbrella sales, sign the petition
12:40 to 12: 45 Opening Remarks
Speeches
12: 45 to 12:55 pm Dr. Hedy Fry
12:55 to 1:10 pm Dr. Jake Wall (Save the Elephants)
1:10 pm to 1:20 pm Rosemary Conder (BC SPCA)
1:20 to 1:40 march
1:40 photo, closing remarks, next steps
ABOUT THE MARCH
This year Vancouver joins 10 other Canadian cities on the weekend of October 3 & 4th. Over 120 cities around the world will also be marching to draw attention to the crisis facing these species (and others) and to call for an end to the ivory and rhino horn trade that is pushing these (and many other species) towards extinction.Our march also aims to raise awareness of the issues facing the Asian elephant. It is estimated that there are less than 30,000 remaining with many living difficult (abusive) lives in the tourist trekking and illegal logging industries. Wherever you are find a march near you.
I am an animal lover and an advocate for species at risk. I have pledged to raise awareness and funds for elephants and rhinos. I advocate on behalf of elephants and rhinos who are poached, elephants who are enslaved in entertainment or in horrific conditions as working animals. (Asian Tourism, circus elephants).
I am also the co-organizer for the second annual Global March for Elephants and Rhinos on October 3rd, 2015. I am grateful for my co-organizers Fran, Andrea, Jake and Christine at Elephanatics who have jumped into the madness with me along with the growing number of incredible volunteers, not the least of whom is Dave who works tirelessly for animals.
Please find a city near you or better yet organize a march in your city! Without our help, without a global effort these two species face extinction.
Last year 137 cities, and over 50,000 people marched. Let’s double it this year. Let’s scream and yell and make our voices heard. Let’s change this outcome for these animals. Come on. Let’s do it.
Last year 35,000 elephants were poached, 100 a day, or 1 every 15 minutes. There is a growing market for ivory from China with the US being the second biggest market for ivory. Political instability and terror groups use ivory to fund their activities. Ivory is now worth more than gold. Poaching is wreaking havoc on elephant populations and on communities.
Less than 100 years ago 5 million elephants roamed Africa. 90 percent of them are now gone. On our watch.
Rhino horn is prized for its “medicinal” properties. This miseducation has left us with only 25,000 rhinos and a rapidly growing market in Vietnam and Asia.
Ivory funds terrorism. Elephants and rhinos cannot fight the war that is being waged against them without our/your help.
You can find out more about the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos right here. Find your city and join the many others who are lending their time and effort to speak up on their behalf.
The Vancouver march will be held at the Vancouver Public Library North Plaza from 12:00 pm to 2:00 om Saturday October 3rd. Join us. These guys need all the help they can get. We’ll have music, speakers, face painters, cool stuff for sale and of course we’ll sign petitions and make as much noise as we can so the world hears and responds to this urgent issue.
I am proud to have been a part of this amazing, grassroots event that took place October 4th in 136 cities around the world where people all marched to end the ivory and rhino horn trades that threaten these species. Here are a few pictures from the Vancouver event:
Please help spread the word and join the march on Oct 4th 2014.#March4ElesandRhinos
On October 4, 2014 Vancouver will be taking part in the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos to draw attention to the crisis facing these two species and to call for an end to the ivory and rhino horn trade that is pushing them rapidly towards extinction.
To date, 127 cities across the globe will be marching on that day – this will be the biggest international event ever held to save our planet’s vanishing wildlife, with the focus on elephants and rhinos.
The poaching of elephants and rhinos has reached unprecedented heights in recent years as the demand for ivory and rhino horn has soared in China and other mainly Asian markets. The ivory trade is also fueling terrorist groups, transnational criminal gangs, and armed militias that are destabilizing African countries as well as posing serious threats to international security.
An elephant is brutally killed every 15 minutes – that’s around 100 every day, and at least 35,000 every year. With so few numbers left (some estimates put the figure as low as 250,000 for the entire continent), and with such a slow reproductive cycle, the outlook is looking tragically bleak for elephants. If we don’t take action now to stop this massacre, it will be too late to save them. They will vanish forever – in about 10 years.
A rhino is poached every 11 hours with an estimated 24,000 left in the world. Over 1,000 rhinos were poached last year alone, compared to 13 in 2007. If the rate of killing continues to rise, rhinos too face extinction within the decade.
1:00 to 1:30
Opening events
We have drummers, face painters, photographers, a fun quiz, and items for sale! We need volunteers the most during this time (beginning at 12:45) to help people register, take photos and sign our petition. There will be charitable items for sale by donation during this time (cash only).
1:30 to 1:35
Introductions by organizers
1:35 to 1:50
Speaker Jake Wall
Jake wall is a PhD student at UBC and an African elephant researcher with Save the Elephants.
1:50 to 2:05
Speaker Rosemary Conder
Rosemary is the Chief Development Officer of the BCSPCA and an elephant advocate, with a particular interest in ethical tourism.
2:05 to 2:35
March!
March Route: Georgia to Granville Station, Granville Station to Waterfront Station, Waterfront Station to Burrard Station, to Robson Street and Hornby back to the Gallery
2:35 -3:00
Closing remarks, learn “What You Can Do”, and more pictures!
While we will have some signs to hand out we encourage you to make one at home and bring it along. For ours we used:
paint stir sticks as handles
foam core to mount the poster on both sides
glue – to glue it all together
Here is some artwork you can use or you can make your own! More to come!
Face painting – We’re super lucky to have someone volunteer to face paint. Here are some fantastic designs to choose from. Elephant Face Paint Designs
Marchers in Israel and London!
Capturing attention and having fun at the same time is important. Here are some examples of other marchers:
Protest against Canned Lion Hunting in Israel.
Getting the Word Out
Please help us get the word out. The more people who realize the issues facing these animals, the more of an impact we are able to make on October 4th, the more signatures and MP’s we contact the better the outcome for elephants and rhinos. Let’s make NOISE.
If you have local media, please send them this release:
Please use this poster to publicize the march. Send it to friends and family, post it at your local library coffee shops.
Finalposter – please print or email to your networks.
These smaller promo pieces can be used to hand out to your networks.
Petitions are the life blood of the march. This is how we really make noise. Getting signatures is important. If you can print a copy of this and get signatures and bring it to the march to hand in to organizers that would be amazing and we’ll love you forever.
Tell people about what you know. (See media below and share)
Take what you know and let your government rep know.
Support people working the front lines.You can do this by “liking” these groups on facebook and social media, sharing stories and news, supporting them by supporting their fundraisers – buy t-shirts, adopt orphans as gifts, or fundraise for them. Do NOT support animals in tourism. Elephant rides and treks are all a part of a system of terrible animal abuse. Tell people. Excellent organizations to support are:
“”As the dominant species on this planet it is our moral duty to protect and preserve all forms of life. For species such as Elephants and Rhinos to be fighting for their existence due to human exploitation and interference is unacceptable and we must do everything within our power to turn this dire situation around. We are responsible for the problem and we must be held responsible for the solution. It will indeed be a very sad indictment on our species if Rhinos and Elephants are no more, and that day will come sooner than we think if we do not take action.”
Canada AM – August 2014 Greg Gubitz – Big Life Foundation – Why Elephant Poaching Is On the Rise – “We don’t stand a chance unless we drive down demand”
Don’t let anyone discourage you from social action. Protest, pushing government and organizations to change works but we need to work together, have fun while getting some serious things done. If we don’t do this, these animals can’t save themselves.
The Global March for Elephants and Rhinos October 4th, 2014 has the support of the following NGO’s
ElephantVoices, The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, Amboseli Trust for Elephants, Elephants Without Borders, Performing Animal Welfare Society – PAWS, the Jane Goodall Institute, Born Free Foundation, Born Free USA, Animal Defenders International, In Defense of Animals, David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation, The Rhino Orphanage, United for Wildlife, IAPF – International Anti Poaching Foundation – www.iapf.org
Mrs Helen Clark, head of United Nations Development Program for your support and inspiration in a call to action for support of the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos!!!!
Hello Vancouver Marchers! Let’s spread the word far and wide about the upcoming Global March for Elephants and Rhinos in Vancouver! Below are PDF’s of a poster and postcards that you can use to email friends, family, vets, local pet stores, SPCA’s , humane societies, schools, MLA’s, MP’s etc…to get the word out. You can also print the pdf’s and post them at cafe’s, libraries, vet offices etc… They should be printed on 11 x 17 paper.
There are also postcard size files available as well. These can be printed double-sided on 8.5 x 11 paper and cut into postcard sizes – easy to carry with you and hand out.
There are 117 marches to date in cities all over the world. Find one near you and add your voice to help elephants and rhinos at this critical time.
One rhino is killed every 9-11 hours for rhino horn. Please join the Global March for Elephants and Rhinos on Oct 4th to call for an end to the killing and a worldwide ban on ivory and rhino horn before it’s too late. Extinction is forever!
Condofire 