Wildlife-film.com - the international news and information resource for wildlife film makers worldwide with news and directories of producers, festivals, location managers, stock footage, training and freelance personnel.
homenewsCompaniesfreelancersfilmsshopcontact
         

Wildlife Film News (latest Natural History Film news from our acclaimed newsletter)

European Wildlife Film Awards – Call for Entries

See the latest Newsletter Here!!
(Opens in a new window)

The Book of Being Chimp


Pridelands Wildlife Film Festival (PWFF)

Become a member today... For a Freelancer join here, for an Organisation join here! :)

Wildlife Winners and Losers - Brock Initiative

National Film and Television School Directing and Producing Science and Natural History MA - NFTS

See our 'Features' and 'Interviews' pages for stories from around the wildlife, natural history, conservation, environmental and Vegan film-making world! Got Kit to sell? Add your items here! (NB. Members post for free!) Looking for work or got something to offer... Visit our Jobs Page.

Amphibious Soul: Finding the wild in a tame worldby Craig Foster

Snake

News image

Abbeville´s Festival de l'Oiseau et de la Nature 2027 is OPEN FOR ENTRIES!

Since 1991, the Bay of Somme has been celebrating the return of spring and birds through the Bird and Nature Festival every year.

Whether you are a professional or an amateur filmmaker, share your latest wildlife documentaries, focusing on birds, of course, but also on any other wildlife species or addressing environmental issues with our audience, revealing both the wonders of the natural world and the threats facing it.

Selected films will be shown in public screenings by the Jury in April 2027 durring the event.

The winners will be revealed on the Awards Night on Saturday, April, 24th, 2027.

All selected filmmakers will be invited to join us in Abbeville.

A total of 12,000€ will be shared by the winners.

Closes on October 30th, 2026

Fees:

2 € / film via Filmfreeway.com/AbbevilleBirdandNatureFestival

Free via the website: festival-oiseau-nature.com/concours/en/film-competition

Snake

News image

News image

What's causing the unprecedented wildfires in Europe?

Wildfires are ravaging many parts of western and southern Europe, with France and Spain among the hardest hit.

The World Health Organization has warned that climate change is contributing to the frequency and intensity of these fires. That's clear in the record temperatures and successive heatwaves seen across the continent since May.

France and Spain have deployed thousands of firefighters, and neighbouring countries have sent assistance. Authorities say the situation is unprecedented.

So, what will it take to extinguish the flames?

What's causing the unprecedented wildfires in Europe? | Inside Story

Spain is expected to surpass its record-high temperature of 47.3 degrees Celsius - set in July last year.

Three people have already died in the soaring heat. The threat of wildfires is an additional concern as the country dries out.

Allowing livestock to roam extensively while grazing creates firebreaks, but herding the animals is a tough job and fewer young people are becoming shepherds - as Al Jazeera's Karl Penhaul discovers in Belmez.

How Spain's traditional grazing methods prevent wildfires | Al Jazeera English

Snake

News image

British Council hosts Green Oscar winner Ashwika Kapur for a conversation on wildlife filmmaking

Recently, the British Council, in partnership with the Indo-British Scholars’ Association, hosted a conversation with environmental and wildlife filmmaker Ashwika Kapur at the British Council Calcutta library.

Held in June, the month that marks World Environment Day, the session celebrated environmental responsibility and eco-consciousness. It also paid tribute to legendary wildlife broadcaster, natural historian and writer Sir David Attenborough, who recently turned 100, and with whom Ashwika has collaborated on acclaimed wildlife documentaries such as Attenborough and the Giant Elephant and Attenborough’s Life in Colour..

During the conversation, Ashwika offered a fascinating glimpse into the world of wildlife filmmaking, sharing stories from her travels behind the camera and her experiences documenting some of the planet’s most captivating landscapes. The Green Oscar-winning filmmaker also refl ected on Sir David Attenborough’s enduring influence in shaping global perspectives on the natural world, while revealing little-known stories from her collaborations with the celebrated broadcaster. t2 caught up with Ashwika for an exclusive chat on her environmental calling, filmmaking travels and the role of the youth in shaping an environmentally responsible future.

What drew you to wildlife as a subject to focus on?

I’ve always had an instinctive connection with animals, and a love of stories has run alongside it. When it was time to pick a career, I simply fused the two and decided to become a wildlife filmmaker. There was no wildlife film industry in India to apprentice into, no obvious door to knock on, so the path had to be built rather than found. The Green Oscar early on was a thrilling vote of confidence, but the real apprenticeship was everything after it: years in the field that led to directing for the BBC Natural History Unit, National Geographic, Netflix, Discovery, Disney, and alongside those, the smaller, fiercely personal ones closer to home, like Catapults to Cameras in the forests of Bengal.

Read more here: t2online.in/events/events-1/british-council-hosts-green-oscar-winner-ashwika-kapur-for-a-conversation-on-wildlife-filmmaking/2006135

Snake

News image

News image

News image

 

Nat Geo’s Bertie Gregory on filmmaking in the streaming era

Emmy- and BAFTA-winning National Geographic cinematographer Bertie Gregory is reshaping wildlife filmmaking with immersive storytelling.

Whether he’s swimming alongside sharks or capturing never-before-seen moments via drones in some of the world’s wildest places, Bertie Gregory has built a reputation for making nature storytelling feel deeply immersive. Through his work with National Geographic, the Emmy- and BAFTA-winning cinematographer has helped reshape wildlife storytelling by bringing audiences behind the scenes and into the heart of the adventure.

His latest special, “Hammerhead Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory,” continues that approach. Premiering as part of National Geographic’s SHARKFEST, the film follows Gregory alongside scientists and conservationists as they study one of the ocean’s most recognizable predators while uncovering encouraging signs for conservation.

In our conversation, Gregory shares insight into how streaming has changed the way wildlife stories are told, the technology transforming modern filmmaking, what leadership looks like when working alongside scientists and local communities around the world and why protecting our oceans offers a hopeful blueprint for the future.

The way audiences consume nature storytelling has changed with streaming. How has that shifted the way you approach building an immersive story?

Bertie Gregory: Traditional nature documentaries are very animal-focused. Then, over the last 15 to 20 years, documentaries like Planet Earth on the BBC with Sir David Attenborough started showing the last 10 minutes behind the scenes, revealing how they made the film.

I noticed that so many people who watch on streaming platforms weren’t necessarily interested in nature, but had all the questions about that part. That got me thinking: if that’s the part people connect with, maybe that should be the whole show.

That’s really the storytelling approach behind “Hammerhead Sharks Up Close” and the whole “Up Close” series. We take viewers behind the scenes and want them to feel like they’re part of the team, so we can shine a light not only on the really cool animals, but also on the really cool people we get to work with.

Read more: smartbrief.com/original/exclusive-nat-geos-bertie-gregory-on-filmmaking-in-the-streaming-era

How Underwater Filmmaking Can Help Save Hammerhead Sharks Before It’s Too Late

National Geographic kicked off its annual summer Sharkfest event in a huge way with a brand-new, jaw-dropping special, Hammerhead Sharks Up Close With Bertie Gregory. These eye-catching, iconic sharks are wildly misunderstood, unfairly feared, and face an existential threat. Gregory spoke to PetaPixel about his new special on hammerhead sharks and what people can do to protect marine life.

Bertie Gregory’s name should be familiar to anyone who enjoys nature and wildlife documentaries. Gregory, an award-winning cinematographer, filmmaker, and environmentalist, is perhaps best known for his Up Close series of nature documentaries, including Cheetahs Up Close and Dolphins Up Close. Gregory also worked on the acclaimed television mini series, Seven Worlds One Planet and A Perfect Planet.

Hammerhead Sharks Up Close with Bertie Gregory | Official Trailer | National Geographic

Gregory is one of the premier names in wildlife filmmaking today. He is extremely committed to his craft and bringing science to the masses in a way that’s digestible, accessible, and entertaining.

“A picture paints a thousand words, right?” Gregory tells PetaPixel. “I don’t know the last time you read a scientific paper — you know, I studied zoology, I know how to read science, work with lots of scientists — science is not written for entertainment. Science is written for science… it’s often very dry, very boring.”

Read more: petapixel.com/2026/07/06/how-underwater-filmmaking-can-help-save-hammerhead-sharks-before-its-too-late

Snake

News image

News image

News image

“Wild Africa” Launches As Africa’s First Weekly Wildlife Television Magazine Series

Wild Africa” is set to debut across Africa as a first-of-its-kind weekly wildlife television magazine series.

The 13-episode series shares inspiring stories from the frontlines of wildlife conservation across the continent in an engaging magazine-style format designed to both educate and entertain.

Presenters Rumbie Takawira, Dr Mark Ofua and Zandile Ndhlovu explore on-the-ground initiatives and the dedicated conservationists behind them. Along the way prominent African wildlife ambassadors, including Black Panther stars Danai Gurira and Oscar-winner Lupita Nyong’o, actor Djimon Hounsou, musician Focalistic, comedian Josh2Funny and gospel singer Amani encounter Africa’s most charismatic animals. We also meet some of Africa’s most remarkable wildlife, from forest elephants in Nigeria and slender-snouted crocodiles in Ghana to Temminck’s ground pangolins in Namibia and black rhinos in South Africa.

“Wild Africa” Launches as Africa's First Weekly Wildlife Television Magazine Series

Created specifically for African audiences, it aims to help raise awareness of the urgent need to protect the continent’s wildlife and wild spaces. Over the past 50 years, Africa’s monitored wildlife populations have declined by 76%, and every year the continent loses an estimated 3.9 million hectares of forest.

Lupita Nyong'o Explains the Value of Protecting Elephants in Kenya | Wild Africa

More here: africa.com/lifestyle/wild-africa-launches-as-africas-first-weekly-wildlife-television-magazine-series

Snake

News image

Inescapable: Facing Up to Forever Chemicals
by F. Marina Schauffler

Insidious PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) chemicals now drift on global air currents, fall in rain, accumulate in soils and food webs, and can persist in ecosystems for generations. Inescapable reveals how ordinary people are tackling the toxic impacts from this sprawling class of industrial compounds—long used and still widely produced in consumer products, building supplies, and firefighting foam.

Journalist Marina Schauffler recounts how PFAS contamination in Maine—a state known for its bountiful farms, woods, and waters—has upended lives and livelihoods, endangered public health, and cost taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars. Stories from homeowners, firefighters, farmers, tribal members, researchers, and elected officials reveal the staggering implications of the federal government's failure to regulate synthetic chemicals that manufacturers have known for decades were toxic. Maine is among states at the forefront of PFAS testing and regulation, but no region is immune from this chemical threat.

The poignant accounts in this book illuminate the challenge of reckoning with the far-reaching effects of PFAS and addressing the ongoing burden borne by highly affected individuals. Countless communities across the nation and world could face similar struggles as the ubiquity of PFAS contamination becomes clear. Inescapable offers a roadmap for tackling this chemical Hydra.

Available from: Amazon.co.uk

¨I thought I knew about PFAS, until I read this. Schauffler lays out, horrifying detail by horrifying detail, how widespread and truly inescapable toxic PFAS are today, making the unassailable case that this is a crisis we need to come together to solve. Fortunately, there are brave, inspirational people lighting the path forward. A must-read for anyone who cares about their health—and the health of their neighbors.¨ — Alden Wicker, author or To Dye For: How Toxic Fashion Is Making Us Sick–and How We Can Fight Back

Published – 12th May 2026

Snake

News image

News image

 

 

 

 

 

News image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News image

Elliot Page Learned “The Obvious Truth” From His New Doc: Nature Is Queer

The transgender creative discusses his new documentary, Second Nature, which shows how gay penguins and sex-changing fish are part of the animal kingdom's diversity.

For generations, many Americans have been taught that biology is simple: male and female, dominant and submissive, heterosexual and reproductive. Nature, in this telling, follows rules. Men compete. Women nurture. Anything outside that framework is unnatural.

Elliot Page wants viewers to reconsider it all.

In Second Nature, a visually lush and unexpectedly funny new documentary narrated and executive-produced by the transgender actor, queerness is not presented as an anomaly or an ideological invention, but as a recurring feature of life on Earth itself. Penguins form same-sex parenting pairs. Clownfish change sex. Bonobos use sex to resolve conflict. Seahorse fathers carry pregnancies. In some primate societies, females dominate social hierarchies. Across species, the film argues, the rigid binaries humans insist upon begin to dissolve.

The documentary arrives at a moment when “biology” has become one of the most weaponized words in American politics.

More here: them.us/story/news/culture/second-nature-elliot-page-documentary

Second Nature - Official Trailer

Elliot Page Hopes Doc Exploring Same-Sex Relationships in the Animal World Helps Queer Kids Feel Less Alone

The actor, who narrates the film, and director Drew Denny want 'Second Nature' to help challenge long-held myths about what’s 'natural'

A new documentary narrated and co-produced by Elliot Page explores the prevalence of same-sex relationships and gender fluidity in the animal world.

The film, Second Nature, directed by Drew Denny, profiles scientists who have spent their lives researching the over 1,500 animal species that engage in same-sex sexual behavior and parenting, change sex, and form matriarchies in the wild.

The film also delves into the fact that these occurrences are widely underreported — or often not reported at all — in mainstream science and research.

Read more: people.com/elliot-page-second-nature-documentary-queerness-in-the-animal-world-exclusive-11955498

Visit: secondnaturedoc.com

Snake

News image

Why San Diego filmmaker Elliott Kennerson co-directed a film about lesbian seagulls

San Diego filmmaker Elliott Kennerson has a long history with nature filmmaking, and his latest project — “Love Birds,” about lesbian seagulls — takes him down a familiar path. But with this one, he saw an opportunity he just couldn’t pass up.

“Natural history films have an unfortunate addiction, in my opinion, to storytelling that naturalizes human — stick with me — heteronormativity,” he said. “The stories tend to be about Papa Bear, Mama Bear and Baby Bear. You see a lot of Noah’s Ark, two-by-two, a lot of dating and romance and family. If you watch nature shows, you know what I mean.”

“I’m OK with anthropomorphism, but so often it’s bigotry masked as metaphor,” said Kennerson, who attended Del Mar Hills Academy and The Bishop’s School before pursuing a bachelor’s degree in archaeology from Yale and master’s in natural history filmmaking from Montana University. “Scientists are confirming more and more that what most people call normal in terms of gender and sexuality is not at all the norm in nature. In my opinion, it’s patently obvious that the sexually monogamous straight couple and the nuclear family are the actual unnatural state for our species. So yes, I saw the opportunity to tell a different story.”

The 27-minute documentary “Love Birds,” which he co-directed with now-Sweden-based filmmaker Angel Morris, explores the work of married couple and University of California Irvine researchers George Hunt and Molly Warner, who in 1972 made an unprecedented discovery while studying seagulls on Channel Islands off the California coast: about 14% of the gull pairs were comprised of two females. Their study, which pointed to widespread same-sex pairing in nature, sparked a cultural debate across the country when it was published in Science magazine in 1977.

Love Birds Official Trailer

Read more: sandiegouniontribune.com/2026/07/12/why-san-diego-filmmaker-elliott-kennerson-co-directed-a-film-about-lesbian-seagulls

Snake

News image

Meet the Aussie Photographer Saving Wildlife and Sending Fans’ Hearts Racing

Far North Queensland photographer Mitchell Burns has attracted millions of views with breathtaking landscapes, daring animal rescues and a physique that has left social media followers ready to risk the Australian wilderness.

Mitchell Burns spends his days travelling through some of Australia’s wildest landscapes, searching for extraordinary scenery and memorable encounters with native animals. For many of his social media followers, however, the scenery is only part of the attraction. The 32-year-old Far North Queensland photographer has built a sizeable online audience by combining his striking images and wildlife knowledge with an adventurous personality — and a set of impressively maintained biceps. Burns has even been compared with fellow Australian wildlife pin-up Robert Irwin, although he is quick to dismiss any suggestion that the pair occupy the same territory. “Yeah, it’s been brought up a few times, but the Irwin family are in a league of their own and I’m certainly not trying to be them,” Burns told news.com.au. “I’m just a regular bloke who cares about wildlife.” He does concede that they share a powerful enthusiasm for Australia’s natural world. “If there’s one similarity, it’s probably the passion!” he said. “They have an incredible passion for Australia’s wildlife, and I have that same dedication to showcasing Australia’s wild places, landscapes and animals through photography.”

Read more: gayexpress.co.nz/2026/07/meet-the-aussie-photographer-saving-wildlife-and-sending-fans-hearts-racing

Follow him: instagram.com/mitchellburns_

Snake

News image

News image

Waddell Media sets Kyle Thomas YouTube channel

Wildlife creator, Kyle Thomas, who has amassed more than 34-million followers on TikTok, is launching a new YouTube channel, Kyle’s Wildlife Heroes, in partnership with production company Waddell Media.

The launch also marks Waddell Media’s first dedicated YouTube channel and the next step in the company’s digital strategy, expanding its reach with original long-form content created specifically for online audiences.

Premiering at 4pm on Thursday 30 July, Kyle’s Wildlife Heroes sees Kyle travel the globe alongside the conservationists to save some of the world’s most endangered wildlife.

From rescuing trafficked pangolins to coming face-to-face with deadly snakes, orphaned rhinos and rescued primates, every episode reveals the extraordinary stories behind the people fighting to protect the planet’s most vulnerable species.

“It’s thrilling and inspiring to meet people who have dedicated their lives to protecting animals,” says Kyle Thomas. “These conservationists are true heroes, and I can’t wait for people to see the incredible work they’re doing.

Filming began in South Africa, where Kyle visited a specialist pangolin rescue and rehabilitation centre Umoya Khulula.  Pangolins are among the world’s most illegally trafficked mammals. He also spent time at Care For Wild, the world’s largest rhino orphanage and rehabilitation centre, and The Vervet Monkey Foundation

Each 15 to 20-minute episode combines “breathtaking wildlife encounters with powerful stories of hope, courage and conservation.”

Jannine Waddell, Managing Director of Waddell Media, says: “We’re incredibly excited to launch Waddell Media’s first dedicated YouTube channel with Kyle. The footage we’ve captured is simply extraordinary. We already have enough premium content for at least a year’s worth of weekly films, each one packed with incredible wildlife, unforgettable characters and breathtaking locations. Kyle’s warmth, curiosity and genuine passion for animals make him the perfect person to tell these stories.”

From: televisual.com/news/waddell-media-sets-kyle-thomas-youtube-channel

Kyle's Wildlife Heroes | OFFICIAL TRAILER | Kyle Thomas

Follow him: instagram.com/kylethomas

Snake

News image

SAVE THE DATE: Nov 9–10 – Join Jackson Wild in LA

Jackson Wild is heading to LA for their summit this year ...  a joint industry gathering with Hollywood Climate Summit!

Two days of programming, conversation, and collaboration at the intersection of climate, storytelling, and impact — brought to a close with a joint awards ceremony honoring the best of both the Jackson Wild Media Awards and the Hollywood Climate Summit Awards.

Stay tuned for more details as we get closer to the fall.

More here: jacksonwild.org/2026-la

Snake

News image

Mark Your Calendars For DCEFF 2027

The dates are set for DCEFF´s 35th Anniversary Environmental Film Festival!

We're a little over 10 months away, but planning has already begun for April 8-17, 2027.

Stay tuned for more news about what we're planning for this milestone year. We can't wait to celebrate 35 years of DCEFF with you, to revisit all the good we've done together, and to explore all that this community can still accomplish through the power of environmental storytelling.

We hope you will consider making a contribution today to support our work in the months ahead.

Visit: dceff.org

Snake

News image

News image

Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam Announces 2026 Dates Following Record Attendance

Following a record-breaking 11th edition with over 30,000 visitors, the Wildlife Film Festival Rotterdam (WFFR) has announced its 12th edition will take place from 2–8 November 2026, with online and local programs running from October to December.

The festival has opened registration for school screenings and is currently curating a new selection of international nature films.

Registration for school screenings is now open, offering specialized screenings for primary and secondary students.

For more details on the 2026 program and to register for the school screenings, visit: wffr.nl

Snake

News image

News image

News image

Nat Geo scores most Panda Awards nominations

Wildscreen has revealed the 70 nominees for the Panda Awards 2026 for natural world storytelling.

National Geographic tops the list, receiving 15 nominations spanning 11 of the 18 awards categories, across both National Geographic and National Geographic Documentary Films.

National Geographic’s Secrets of the Bees, produced by Silverback Films, uses groundbreaking filming technology to reveal the extraordinary world of bees. Executive Produced by James Cameron and hosted by National Geographic Explorer, Bertie Gregory, the show is recognised across Behaviour, Children’s, Cinematography and Editing.

National Geographic Documentary Films’, Time and Water is nominated across Cinematography, Editing, Music and Scripted Narrative. Directed by the Academy Award-nominated Sara Dosa (Fire of Love), the documentary is a poetic love letter to glaciers. Tasked to write the eulogy for Okjökull, the first glacier to be declared dead due to climate change, Icelandic writer Andri Snær Magnason reflects on how glaciers create an archive of deep time within their ice over millions of years. Time and Water is produced by Signpost Pictures in association with Compass Films.

Also recognised across four categories, Chameleon Corridors, tells the story of Tanzania’s Eastern Arc Mountains, narrated through the eyes of an endemic chameleon. Produced by AFRISOS, a fully Tanzanian production team, the film bends the genres between character-driven documentary and natural history storytelling and is nominated for Emerging Talent (Jigar Ganatra), Impact, Children’s and Short.

The BBC received 11 nominations across the longlist, the second most nominations for a broadcaster/platform, including commissions made to mark Sir David Attenborough’s 100th birthday earlier in the year – Wild London (Passion Pictures) and Secret Garden (Plimsoll Studios).

The BBC’s Tiger Island secured a total of three nods, alongside National Geographic’s Pole to Pole. Tiger Island, produced by BBC Studios Natural History Unit and nominated for Behaviour, Sound and On-screen talent, follows a ground-breaking team of wildlife filmmakers and big cat experts as they reveal the secret lives of tigers thriving on an extraordinary, forested island in Nepal.

National Geographic’s Pole to Pole, produced by Nutopia, Westbrook Studios and Protozoa, follows Will Smith across all seven continents, where he faces extreme challenges, explores world-first science and reveals deep human connections to nature. It is nominated across Series, Cinematography and On-Screen Talent.

This year’s awards also sees the introduction of the Digital-First Category to recognise the importance of digital-first storytelling in diversifying the stories of nature being told, the storytellers and the audiences being reached. The inaugural nominees are: Bloomin’ Octopus, Conservation Entangled on Mongabay, Filming Madagascar’s Rarest Animals and Nature Ain’t A Luxury.

The winners will be announced at the Panda Awards ceremony which will takes place on 22 October 2026 at the Apex Hotel in Bath, UK, the closing event of the Wildscreen Festival. The charity previously announced that the 2026 edition will move to the historic city of Bath from Bristol after 44 years, to ensure the Festival remains affordable for both the charity and its attendees.

More: televisual.com/news/nat-geo-scores-most-panda-awards-nominations

Visit: wildscreen.org/panda-awards-2026

Snake

News image

News image

News image

‘Super Nature’ Trailer: Ed Sayers Documentary Captures Nature In Fresh Way With Vintage Cameras

Super Nature, a new documentary about the natural world directed by Ed Sayers, is truly a vintage piece of filmmaking. Sayers and his collaborators – 40 filmmakers across the globe – shot the feature entirely on Super 8, “the original home movie format.”

The “home” in this case is planet Earth and its multitudinous lifeforms large and small — leaf cutter ants and African bush elephants, Indo-Pacific Bottlenose Dolphins, and soaring barnacle geese.

“The film features a beguiling array of over 120 different animal species from around the world,” notes a release. “From the rarest of species: the last two remaining Northern White Rhino, to the humble and often overlooked Garden Snail, all living creatures are lovingly observed and celebrated.”

Super Nature, which held its world premiere at the BFI London Film Festival last year, will be released in cinemas in the UK and Ireland by BFI Distribution on September 4. It has also been picked up by Madman for Australia/New Zealand, Wanted Cinema (Italy), SVT (Sweden), and TVP (Poland). Autlook Filmsales is handling international sales.

Super Nature | Official UK Trailer | In cinemas 4 September

More here: deadline.com/2026/07/super-nature-trailer-exclusive-1236974501

Snake

News image

They kill lambs, don’t they?

The truth is out there. But in a complex world, where facts are endlessly contested and simplified narratives abound, we all face a battle to see beyond our familiar echo chambers – to discern what’s true and what’s not. So why do we believe what we do? How much does anyone really know? And can we get closer to identifying the truth?

Part of our ‘The Big Picture In Focus’ series, providing a deep dive into the stories that impact Scotland’s road to nature recovery.

History is a notoriously unreliable chronicler. But if history is to be believed, a running battle between cattle rustlers and local clansmen in 1602 – or possibly 1606 – spread violence across the slopes below the Cairnwell Pass in Glenshee, ending with the death of dozens of ‘Cateran’ raiders at the hands of a renowned local archer, Cam Ruadh.

The Caterans were infamous cattle thieves who preyed upon Strathardle, Glenshee and Glen Isla throughout the Middle Ages and beyond. Today, the raiders are long gone, but the Cateran Trail remains, meandering between the Perthshire and Angus glens, and passing my front door along the way. Following the trail north, it climbs out of Enochdhu and snakes out over open moorland to pass between the rounded peaks of Ben Earb and Meall Uaine, before descending to the Spittal of Glenshee.

Like the Caterans themselves, many of the cattle once fiercely fought over have disappeared from this landscape, replaced by sheep. But signs of the past remain, from old shielings to standing stones, and there’s still some wildlife to be found. On a recent walk to the Spittal, I spotted numerous small groups of fallow deer grazing in the sheep fields of Strathardle, several larger parcels of red deer on the high moor, two roe deer and one red squirrel (raiding a bird feeder). I also counted two meadow pipits, ten black cock, two red grouse, an oystercatcher, half a dozen curlews, several buzzards, lots of ravens and a red kite. Crossing the high saddle between Starthardle and Glenshee, I saw the tracks of a single fox etched in the snow.

Which truth should we recognise: is Scotland nature-depleted, or is it still home to lots of wildlife?

Some might point to this tally as evidence that Scotland still supports plenty of wildlife. Others might list the notable absentees, the lost animals once found here: the extirpated wolves, bears and lynx, the elk and wild boar, or the wildcat now stuffed and confined to a glass cabinet at the Dalmunzie Hotel, its fusty face frozen in a grimace of faded feline fury. Even mountain hares were noticeably absent from my hike along the Cateran Trail, despite locals remembering these same hills hopping with their white forms not long ago. So, which truth should we recognise: is Scotland nature-depleted, or is it still home to lots of wildlife?

Read more: scotlandbigpicture.com/rewilding-stories/they-kill-lambs-don-t-they-?

Snake

Welcome to our newest Full members!

News image

News image

Nico Baumgärtel – a wildlife filmmaker and camera operator based in Berlin, Germany, with a passion for capturing authentic animal behaviour in remote and challenging environments.

He says ¨My work focuses on wildlife cinematography using long lenses, camera traps, thermal imaging, and drone operations. I enjoy spending extended periods in the field, whether working from hides, remote camps, or isolated wilderness locations, always aiming to document natural behaviour with patience and respect for the subject.

My background includes military training, advanced first aid, survival, and wildlife tracking, providing me with the skills and mindset required for demanding productions in remote areas. I am particularly comfortable in situations that require endurance, self-reliance, careful planning, and the ability to remain calm under pressure.

I have experience working with RED, ARRI, Sony, and DJI systems, as well as remote camera setups designed to capture natural behaviour with minimal disturbance. My approach to wildlife filmmaking has been strongly influenced by my mentor Oliver Goetzl, whose philosophy of patient observation and behavioural anticipation continues to shape my work today. I have also gained valuable experience through productions with GULO FILM.

Above all, I am passionate about telling authentic wildlife stories and collaborating with people who share a deep respect for nature, conservation, and high-quality natural history filmmaking.¨

Profile Page: Wildlife-film.com/-/NicoBaumgartel.htm

Website: www.vavo-nature.de

News image

News image

News image

News image

WildEarth – a 24/7 LIVE TV channel

WildEarth is a 24/7 LIVE TV channel reaching 7 million people globally every month, offering immersive nature experiences that benefit your well-being.

The WildEarth Channel

Profile Page: Wildlife-film.com/-/WildEarth.htm

Website: www.wildearth.tv

Snake

Join them, become a member of Wildlife-film.com:
News image

As a full member of the site, you get a listing in all appropriate sections, a profile page, access to our members' private Facebook Group and priority on your news across the site, this newsletter and our social media accounts.

To become a full member ... email me (Jason!) membership@wildlife-film.com for an application form.

For more info, visit:

Wildlife-film.com/freelancers (currently just £30/year!) or Wildlife-film.com/companies (only £100/year!) ... these fees need to go up soon!

Membership fees help to keep the site going too ... Your support is much needed and appreciated!

Snake

News image

Dhritiman Mukherjee: The Visionary Lens Redefining Wildlife, Conservation & Our Planet's Future

Dhritiman Mukherjee does a unique brand of wildlife photography and filmmaking. Speaking with t2oS, he talks about his relationship with his subjects, trying to close information gaps for conservation, and his outlook on visual communication and how he has evolved.

What are the conservation issues that you’re working on?

A lot actually. So it is not like conservation issues. It is more related to conservation issues. So, whatever I do, it is in some way or other related to conservation. For example, I am going to the Sundarbans. I’m doing a film on the forest guards. It’s a parallel story of the struggle of the species. It’s like because it’s a difficult habitat, the Sundarbans. Any animal living there, they have a different way of dealing with the habitat because it’s an intertidal ecosystem where the crabs and the crustaceans are the heroes, not the tiger.

Anyway, so it’s a story of the struggle of the guards who are actually protecting the forest and nobody talks about them. They are protecting it in a place like Sundarbans, which is such a difficult area. And why is it important? Because it’s our home. And they are protecting our home. So it’s a parallel story. I am talking about the guards so that they will be inspired and that story will inspire other forest people also.

I’m doing work in Andaman, for example. So, Andaman is a fragile habitat where there are a lot of issues. It’s an isolated island. It’s a land of endemism. The maximum number of bird species, reptiles, amphibians, whatever species are there, they are all surviving only there. So if we lose the habitat, we will lose all these endemic species forever from the planet. Not only from the Andamans. They will vanish from the planet. Now, a lot of projects are happening in Nicobar. I made five films in Nicobar when I heard that Nicobar project is happening. Just to say, “Look, this habitat has so many life forms that are only surviving in this place.”

More here: t2online.in/goodlife/people/dhritiman-mukherjee--the-visionary-lens-redefining-wildlife--conservation---our-planet-s-future/2006214

Snake

News image

News image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News image

 

Into the spider’s lair: how an Australian film-maker made an impossible documentary with AI

Jodie Heenan says her award-winning short film, Guardians of the Burrow, ‘looks and feels’ real

Scene: a dimly lit underground burrow. A giant Amazonian tarantula and a tiny dotted humming frog share the space, an unlikely duo captured in extraordinary detail.

Except, they haven’t been. Guardians of the Burrow, a short “wildlife documentary” by the Australian digital content designer Jodie Heenan, is entirely AI generated. At the weekend it won a prize in the Omni international AI film festival, adjudicated by a panel led by The Crow and Dark City director – and AI advocate – Alex Proyas.

The documentary doesn’t hide its origins: it says exactly how it was created on its YouTube page.

Guardians of the Burrow | AI-Generated Wildlife Documentary in 4K

But AI is a controversial tool for creatives right now: the films use technology reportedly trained on stolen content. Last week musicians, authors and others roamed the halls of Australia’s parliament campaigning to protect their copyright, and communities across the country are mobilising against sprawling and power-hungry datacentres.

Read more: theguardian.com/film/2026/jul/07/ai-spider-documentary-guardians-of-the-burrow-australia-artificial-intelligence

While the above viral film "Guardians of the Burrow" used Kling AI to beautifully simulate what this looks like underground, and the filmmaker has been quoted as saying, “Nobody’s actually managed to capture [the spider and frog] on film in the wild, to my knowledge, so I thought that was a really great reason to use AI specifically,” world-class crews like Silverback Films have actually captured this mind-blowing partnership on camera before using incredible, specialized macro-studio sets.

Check out the real-life footage from PBS Nature:

Unlikely Roommates: Frog Dad & Tiger Tarantula

Snake

News image

News image

News image

News image

News image

Chris Packham transports viewers back billions of years in new series Evolution

Evolution, a new five-part series tells the extraordinary story of how life on Earth has changed over more than four billion years.

Using cutting-edge science and immersive visual effects, Chris Packham explores the pivotal evolutionary breakthroughs that shaped every living thing alive today. Rather than telling a simple chronological history, each episode traces the deep evolutionary journey of one iconic modern animal, revealing how survival, chance, innovation and partnership have driven life’s astonishing diversity. The scientific research underpinning Evolution involved collaborating more than 600 scientists worldwide, contributing expertise to the storytelling, scripts and visual effects, in addition to guidance from Series Academic Consultant Professor Peter Holland FRS and a long-standing collaboration with The Open University. At the heart of the series are the immersive VFX sequences. The production team worked with award winning VFX producer Moonraker to transport the viewer back billions of years to meet the characters that shaped the evolution of life on Earth today. A BBC Studios Science Unit Production with NOVA and GBH for PBS and BBC, made in partnership with the Open University.

Q&A with Chris Packham

Can you tell us what the series Evolution generally is about?

Our series about evolution is an introduction to a concept which to many people is quite impenetrable, because they believe that it happens very slowly over vast periods of time, and they may even think that it's stopped. And we are the be all and end all of it. But it isn't. Evolution is a very dynamic and interesting process. There's a pattern. There's a mechanism, but also it involves chance. And automatically through evolution we've come up with this diverse, beautiful, fascinating collection of life that we've got at the moment. So this is entry level science full of surprising, sparkly facts about evolution, which I hope people will be immediately texting their mates to tell them about because they're going to be so excited about it. And ultimately, I hope we will end up loving life even more than we do now, because we'll realize just how fortunate we are that this mad chain of events has given rise to everything which is currently living.

Read more: bbc.com/mediacentre/mediapacks/evolution-chris-packham

Evolution | Trailer – BBC

Also read: ‘How did the elephant become so big?’ New Chris Packham-fronted BBC TV series uncovers the secrets of evolution - discoverwildlife.com, Evolution review – with this TV miracle, David Attenborough’s successor is well and truly crowned - The Guardian and Chris Packham emulates Sir David Attenborough's Life on Earth for the 21st Century - mirror.co.uk

Watch via: bbcearth.com/shows/evolution

Snake

News image

News image

News image

Watch Gaslit: How factory farming broke the chicken.

So, we´ve been told that British chicken is high welfare, Red Tractor-approved, and responsibly farmed.

Don’t buy it.

Over a billion chickens are slaughtered in the UK every year. Ninety percent of them are Frankenchickens: birds bred to grow so fast their bodies give out before they're six weeks old. Lameness. Heart failure. Broken bones. All before they're old enough to be called adults.

The industry knows. It just doesn't want you to.

The second instalment of our docu-series Gaslit, How factory farming broke the chicken brings together veterinarians, campaigners, industry insiders, and an undercover investigator, alongside naturalist Chris Packham, to show you exactly what's been hidden, and by whom. 

Gaslit: How Factory Farming Broke the Chicken

Watch it. Share it.

Sign the petition to ban Frankenchickens in the UK: action.projectslingshot.com/petition-ban-frankenchickens

And if you want to help Project Slingshot keep blowing the doors off, donate here: projectslingshot.com/donate

Snake

News image

News image

News image

Axel Wild dropped a new release – WILDIFYED!

Wildifyed (stylised from Wildified) is the debut EP by Axel Wild, the artistic alias of Axel Drioli, released on Sounding Wild Records.

This EP features meticulously selected loops created during Axel’s travels through West Africa with his brother, Ario, as part of the Wings Across Continents expedition by Sounding Wild, his immersive production house. Wildifyed captures Axel’s duality—balancing the patience of a birdwatcher, waiting days for a bird to sing, with the unrestrained energy of a 6 a.m. UK Bass dance floor.

The loops were composed during dawn car rides in remote deserts, uninhabited islands, and tropical rainforests, where Axel recorded wildlife sounds. Inspired by the expedition, he began sampling these recordings and transforming them into beats, ranging from lo-fi to house, funk, dubstep, and jungle. After returning from his travels, he selected the most significant samples and crafted them into tracks that tell personal stories. These stories explore themes like Axel Munthe’s legacy—the source of his name—brotherhood’s challenges, using dance to combat melancholy, and the powerful narrative of Gregory Coleman, the creator of the Amen Break, who died homeless and penniless, alongside the plight of endangered animals.

See: soundcloud.com/axelwild/sets/wildifyed-ep

Snake

News image

Shooting scenes for ‘Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age’

Puppet passes, and the art of the nature doco, without animals to film. An excerpt from issue #61 of befores & afters magazine.

Armed with a wealth of planning and previs, those involved in making Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age moved on to capturing plates. During shoots in locations around the world, the visual effects team, in particular, consisted of a supervisor, wrangler and capture TD. They were, describes Framestore visual effects supervisor Gavin McKenzie, “tasked with collaborating with the directors and DOPs to select the optimal spots for shooting the background plates. We began our shots with a ‘puppet pass,’ which was crucial for determining the timing, framing, and focus of the shots. Once we were happy with this, we repeated the shot clean, without the puppet.”

Practic Creations built and performed the puppets and physical interaction reference assets for the various creatures seen in Prehistoric Planet: Ice Age. Puppeteer Brian Fisher explains that “the puppets needed to be dynamic assets which would help to solve a range of complexities. They needed to be lightweight and able to fully break down and fit into suitcases for travel around the world, and be easily assembled in remote locations without special tools. They needed to be made of resilient materials which could withstand temperatures ranging from sub zero glaciers, to full sun reaching nearly 50 degrees on iron sand.”

More here: beforesandafters.com/2026/07/01/shooting-scenes-for-prehistoric-planet-ice-age

Snake

News image

HBO slates “Tiger King” filmmaker’s docuseries on exotic animal smuggling

HBO has slated the five-part documentary series Monsters of God, directed by Emmy-nominated filmmaker Eric Goode (Tiger King, Chimp Crazy), for an August 6 premiere on the cable network and on HBO Max.

The series (pictured) sees Goode once again dive into the underworld of exotic animal smuggling, populated by traffickers, collectors and the law enforcement agents on their trail.

Unfolding over decades, the series touches on a billion-dollar criminal enterprise fueled by extreme obsession over the exotic animals, prompting many to skirt both laws and environmental ethics. The docuseries also traces the evolution of the reptile trade as it grows into a secretive world of backroom deals and fanatical collectors.

The series had its world premiere at SXSW earlier this year, where it won the TV Premiere Audience Award.

Read more: realscreen.com/2026/07/17/hbo-slates-tiger-king-filmmakers-docuseries-on-exotic-animal-smuggling

Snake

News image

News image

"This discovery shows why exploration still matters" – Scientists film alien-esque spookfish in the wild for the first time ever

These videos feature a spookfish so alien that it seems like a sci-fi concoction, as well as thermal vents spewing life-forming materials into the depths of the Atlantic.

A team of scientists has shared mesmerizing footage from a month-long exploration into the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Among the scenes is a transparent-headed fish so alien that it looks like something straight out of a sci-fi movie.

The species in question is the elusive barreleye fish – a type of spookfish that, until now, had never been seen photographed in the wild.

An absolute rarity of nature, it has a completely transparent, fluid-filled dome on its head protecting its eyes, which, to the layman eye, makes it seem like you’re looking at the fish’s brain.

The Doldrums Fracture Zone | 4K ROV Highlights

Read more: digitalcameraworld.com/photography/underwater-photography/this-discovery-shows-why-exploration-still-matters-scientists-film-alien-esque-spookfish-in-the-wild-for-the-first-time-ever

Snake

News image

Off the Fence lands animal-rescue doc with Moby as EP

Distributor Off the Fence (OTF) has acquired the rights to a new feature doc from Slay director Rebecca Loviconi, Crime or Rescue.

The 90-minute documentary is described in a release as a “genre fusion” as well as a “romantic true crime story” and follows radical animal activists in real time as they risk jail time to rescue animals from testing facilities and factory farms — and in this case, unexpectedly fall in love during production.

The doc features exclusive access to the open rescue in March of this year — and the legal battle that followed — when activists raided a Wisconsin beagle-breeding facility, rescuing 22 dogs and triggering 20 arrests. Weeks later, they returned with 2,000 people to free the remaining dogs, with the mass open rescue leading to the permanent closure of the facility. The story was covered in the U.S. by CNN, Wired, The Washington Post and The Guardian.

Read more: realscreen.com/2026/07/06/off-the-fence-lands-animal-rescue-doc-with-moby-as-ep

Snake

News image

 

Why Wildlife Filmmakers Are Forbidden from Intervening in Nature | Wild Memoirs of a Film Crew

In this featured episode of Wild Memoirs of a Film Crew , experience the unedited chaos of life in the field ...

In this episode the film crew and presenters reflect on heart stopping wild encounters as Katy experiences a wild hyena come up and sniff her shoulder, Karina is touched by an elephant on the bonnet of the land rover, while Craig is charged by a huge bull elephant and our stills photographer rolls down a sand bank. Katy shares her devious prank plan by making Craig eat rock rabbit droppings. An elephant lifts Craig's hat, drops it on the ground and proceeds to wee on it! Neil shares his experiences of filming wild dog hunts from his motorbike with steady camera gimbals. Karina and Craig experience a jaw dropping lion charge. The crew share some funny moments of hilarious wildlife guides and presenters of the past. A sad event plays out as Nicola and Craig are charged by an angry elephant mother as she tries to protect her dying baby.

Why Wildlife Filmmakers Are Forbidden from Intervening in Nature | Wild Memoirs of a Film Crew

Documentary: Wild Memoirs of a Film Crew | S1E01 Licensed from Off the Fence. All rights reserved

Watch the series: tv.apple.com/us/show/wild-memoirs-of-a-film-crew

Snake

News image

Call of the wild

Natural-history programmes are kings of the televisual jungle. But are they telling the whole story?

You might say that René Araneda owes his career to a puma cub born without a tail. In 2012 the Chilean film-maker came across the bundle of tawny fluff – with its mother and sibling – in Patagonia’s Torres del Paine national park. In what was his first big commission, Animal Planet, a television channel, charged him with turning the footage into a one-hour special. He calls it “the game changer”.

More than 10 years later, Araneda, an independent film-maker, has directed and produced films, episodes and sequences for clients including Netflix, the BBC and National Geographic. He has navigated the wilds of Chile to capture footage of flamingos, blue whales and guanacos –camelids with long eyelashes that are part of the same family as llamas. And he’s stuck with pumas, filming a family in their den for Netflix’s Night on Earth series, and following several through Torres del Paine for Into the Puma Triangle. “My favourite place on Earth is Torres del Paine,” says Araneda. “It’s the place that opened my eyes and made me fight to be a wildlife film-maker. When I die I want my ashes to be scattered there.” Whether they’re filming feathers, fins or teeth in oceans, rainforests or tundras, such zeal is common among those working in this industry.

Increasingly, that enthusiasm is shared by audiences. No longer the preserve of yawn-inducing Saturday afternoon television, natural-history documentaries are more popular than ever. This shift arguably started in 2016 with the remarkable success of Planet Earth II, a big-budget BBC epic narrated by David Attenborough. Each episode amassed more than 12 million viewers in the UK and almost three million in the US. And the popularity of the genre continued in 2020 when My Octopus Teacher became an unexpected hit.

That these programmes were available to watch on Netflix is no coincidence. The evolution of the natural-history documentary industry owes much to streaming services, with Apple TV, Amazon Prime and Disney+ also releasing an ark’s worth of shows. The fact that “super-duper blue-chip” wildlife productions are in the mix of Netflix offerings rather than confined to nature broadcast and cable channels means that they are “bolted onto the zeitgeist,” says Peter Hamilton, editor and publisher of the Documentary Business newsletter. As well as opening up the genre to a younger audience, he says, the heavy promotion of premium wildlife shows by the streaming platforms means that there is generally “more awareness of natural history”. Today these shows can inspire the sort of fervour associated more with Spiderman than spiders.

Read more: monocle.com/culture/natural-history-documentaries-streaming-success

Snake

News image

News image

The South African trailblazers seeking to change how wildlife documentaries are made

National Geographic explorers create dive lab after finding too few black film-makers telling African wildlife stories

When Pragna Parsotam-Kok and Noel Kok made a wildlife series for South African TV in 2015, they were struck by how challenging it was to access animals to film and how few other African wildlife documentary makers there were.

Their response was to set up the not-for-profit Nature Environment and Wildlife Conservation Trust (NEWF) and to host a conference for African wildlife film-makers, the first taking place in 2017.

But the following year the couple were unable to find any African underwater film-makers to speak on a panel about oceans. While searching, they also realised how many marine biologists on the continent could not swim, let alone scuba dive.

The couple organised NEWF’s first dive “lab” for film-makers and scientists in 2019. The 10 attenders were the first fellows in a now nearly 400-strong cohort, from 37 African countries and 13 more in the global south, as the Koks seek to change how wildlife documentaries are made.

“I like to joke that black African nature, environment and wildlife film-makers were rarer than most of the species scientists and conservationists were trying to protect on the continent,” said Noel Kok.

“The fact that we were excluded from telling the stories of Africa’s wildlife, for me, it just felt like they were just not authentic,” he said. “The stories were not complete.”

Read more: theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/2026/jul/12/south-africa-documentaries-nature-environment-wildlife-conservation-trust-national-geographic

Snake

News image

Armand Denis and His Obsessions

He would be the first to admit that as a young boy growing up in Antwerp, he had some very strong obsessions. From an early age he was infatuated with the natural world of animals and travel and later in life with film, photography and cultural anthropology. His passions would go a long way into how we view animal welfare, conservation and the environment today. Meet Armand Denis …

Armand Denis (1896-1971) was born in Brussels into a family of Flemish stock. Soon after his birth the family moved to Antwerp where his father was a judge. Armand would describe his father as “something of a puritan and a disciplinarian with a strong sense of individuality.” His mother, well aware of her son’s fascination with the natural world and travel, was very encouraging. Armand would label his childhood as “stable and happy.”

At age 3 yrs, Armand was known to breed flies and insects in a matchbox. By age 5, his collection of lizards was quite prolific. By age 7 and 8 yrs. he would travel on his own by railroad around Belgium noting wildlife, their environments and acquiring basic skills in photography. At age 17 he enrolled at Oxford as a “refugee student” (more about that later) where he studied chemistry and engineering. After World War I he took on a number of engineering jobs in France ,Belgium and the United States. As an engineer Armand invented a feedback circuit system called Automatic Volume Control (AVC) that changed the world of radio—an industry that was in its heyday. The substantial royalties he received for his AVC invention and patent transformed his life. Armand now had the financial independence to abandon his career in engineering and pursue his passions which were never far from the surface — namely the study of animals, their habitats, and their well-being through documentary filmmaking.

First stop? The island of Bali in Southeast Asia. With second -hand cameras and used equipment, he set out for the Dutch East Indies island of Bali. Originally intending to film a documentary about the Bali’s animal life, his adventure took on a life of its own. Rather than a “standard” documentary, Armand became infatuated with Balinese culture. The resulting film titled Goona Goona, used an all native cast in capturing the magic of the religious temples, ceremonies, intricate dances and inter-social customs (read: the sex life) in Balinese daily life. Goona Goona soon became an international sensation as it romanticized island life to the western world— kickstarting Bali’s first major wave of tourism.

Read more: brusselsmorning.com/armand-denis-wildlife-filmmaker/101067

Snake

News image

News image

New film on Nunavut megaproject raises concerns about caribou and the people who hunt them

While industry and government push for Grays Bay road and port, Kugluktuk hunters plead to be heard

While the federal government is considering whether to list the Grays Bay road and port as a project of national interest to be fast-tracked, some hunters close to it remain strongly against it.

A new film called Kugluktuk Harvesters on the Grays Bay Road and Port was released this week by the Kugluktuk Angoniatit Association, a hunters and trappers organization responsible for managing wildlife near where the road will be built.

The film explores how elders and hunters closest to the project feel — one of the main concerns is the effect on caribou populations and the hunters who harvest them.

The proposed road would cut through the habitat of the Dolphin and Union caribou herd.

“It’s home, it hits my heart. And if my family or generations after us lose that animal, it’s a loss, and I’m sorry we didn’t do enough sooner,” said Allen Niptanatiak, the chair of the association.

Film Premiere | Kugluktuk Harvesters on the Grays Bay Road and Port

Read more: cbc.ca/news/canada/north/new-film-on-nunavut-megaproject-raises-concerns-about-caribou-and-the-people-who-hunt-them-9.7265941

Snake

News image

BBC orders Hamza Yassin special from Silverback

BBC Specialist Factual has commissioned Hamza’s African Birds of Prey, a one-hour special from Silverback Films.

Wildlife cameraman and presenter Hamza Yassin journeys across Kenya in search of some of Africa’s most spectacular- and most threatened – birds of prey.

Jack Bootle, Head of Commissioning, Specialist Factual, said: “Hamza has a gift for getting people excited about the natural world. His film Strictly Birds of Prey, in which he introduced us to his favourite British raptors, was a huge hit in 2023 – enthralling over seven million viewers to date. In this follow-up programme, his mission to make us fall in love with birds of prey continues – this time in Kenya.”

Yassin said: “This African Birds of Prey film was an absolute dream for me. I’ve always been passionate about birds of prey and to be able to capture these incredible animals in Kenya was a privilege and an honour. The team at Silverback were incredible and I hope everyone enjoys watching the film as much as I enjoyed making it.”

Read more: televisual.com/news/bbc-orders-hamza-yassin-special-from-silverback


Wildlife-film.com sponsors The Bough Breaks

Snake

News image

New films highlight sustainable harvesting success stories

Nature's pharmacy often hides in plain sight. From ingredients used in traditional medicines, cosmetics and religious practices to fragrances, teas and health products found on store shelves around the world, medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs) are woven into everyday life.

These botanical resources support global healthcare, traditional knowledge and cultural heritage, while providing essential income for the rural communities that steward them. Through collaboration among harvesters, local authorities, national authorities, scientists, and other stakeholders, MAPs can be harvested and traded legally, sustainably, and traceably, ensuring their conservation and long-term survival in the wild.

On 20 July, the Secretariat of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (CITES) premiered two short films on sustainable trade in medicinal and aromatic plants (MAPs), filmed and produced by TRAFFIC in partnership with CITES, at an event held at the 28th meeting of the CITES Plants Committee (PC28) in Geneva, Switzerland.

CITES and Livelihoods: Sustainable Trade of Jatamansi in Nepal

CITES and Livelihoods Sustainable Trade of Candelilla in Mexico

Read more: traffic.org/news/new-films-highlight-sustainable-harvesting-success-stories

Snake

News image

News image

News image

News image

Kevin Bacon Wants You To Swap Meat For Beans One Day Per Week

Award-winning actor Kevin Bacon is backing Humane World for Animals' new meat-free "Beansday"

Kevin Bacon has suggested swapping meat for beans on a Wednesday to improve your health, harm fewer animals, and protect the planet.

In a playful PSA for Humane World for Animals, the actor joked about changing his name to “Kevin Bean” in recognition of “Beansday.”

Humane World for Animals launched Beansday earlier this week as a Meat Free Monday-style way for people to reduce their consumption of animal products.

“You know me as Kevin Bacon, but on Wednesdays I’m Kevin Bean. Because Wednesday is Beansday, the day we swap meat for beans. They’re packed with protein and fibre, they keep you full longer, you save money and animals; they’re just beans until you realise how many animals they spare,” Bacon said in the PSA. “Observing Beans Day is a small step that makes a big difference. Take it from me, Kevin Bean.”

Kevin Bacon changed his name to Kevin Bean (and here’s why)

Read more: plantbasednews.org/news/celebrities/kevin-bacon-swap-meat-for-beans


Brock Initiative

Snake

News image

News image

News image

I’m Trying – The Legacy of Regan Russell

A deeply moving documentary honoring an animal rights pioneer is coming to your screen. Vegan FTA reports that I’m Trying, directed by Toronto-based filmmaker Ray Cruzzola, captures the profound legacy of Canadian activist Regan Russell.

Regan was tragically killed in 2020 while peacefully bearing witness outside an Ontario pig slaughterhouse.

Following its highly anticipated release, the film has deeply resonated across the advocacy community. I'm Trying explores themes of grief, love, and resilience. It features intimate interviews with Regan's parents and closest friends. Crucially, the film highlights how her spirit endures as fellow activists carry on her vital mission through the global Plant-Based Treaty campaign.

I'm Trying: A film about Regan Russell and her animal rights legacy | Official Trailer

"If you were in the truck, we’d be here for you too.’ Please help us continue Regan’s legacy and be there for the animals and the planet who still desperately need our advocacy." - Regan Russell

Please join Animal Save Movement and get involved: thesavemovement.org/volunteer

Also watch:

There Was a Killing (Documentary) | Animal Save Movement

Visit: therewasakilling.com

British Wildlife Photography Awards

Snake

News image

News image

News image

Award-Winning ‘More Like Paul’ Documentary Is Now Streaming On YouTube

An award-winning documentary about an 87-year-old vegan ultra runner has just arrived on YouTube

The award-winning documentary More Like Paul is now available to stream on the Plant Based News (PBN) YouTube channel.

The film follows Paul Youd, an 87-year-old vegan runner, as he attempts to complete 100 ultramarathons before his 100th birthday.

The film, titled What Do You Really Know About Dairy?, will bring together undercover investigations, expert interviews and scientific evidence to examine what Viva! describes as the hidden reality of modern dairy farming – and the decades of marketing that have shielded it from public scrutiny.

An ultramarathon is any race longer than the traditional marathon, which is 26.2 miles (42.2 kilometers). Ultramarathons are typically at least 31 miles (50 kilometers) long.

You´d will need to complete an average of six “ultras” per year to meet his target of 100, and he has now completed more than 27. He is simultaneously challenging himself to do one million press-ups before he turns 90 next year, and is currently on track for both milestones.

More Like Paul [MUST SEE Documentary]

Read more: plantbasednews.org/culture/film/more-like-paul-documentary-streaming-youtube

The Green Hub Project

Snake

News image

News image

Hogwood horror pig farm is closing forever!

Exciting news from Viva! - Hogwood Farm is FINALLY closing.

Planning documents reveal that Hogwood’s intensive pig operation will shut down for good in September 2026, with the farm’s own planning statement explicitly citing Viva!’s investigations and relentless public pressure as a core reason the business became unviable.

The owner tried to sell to three major industry suppliers, including Cranswick. None of them would touch it. And with that, the countdown to the closure begins.

HOGWOOD FARM IS CLOSING

Vist/support the work of Viva! here: viva.org.uk/animals/campaigns/hogwood

Snake

News image

News image

News image

Viva! Marks World Milk Day by Announcing Major Dairy Documentary

Vegan campaigning charity Viva! kicks off a major crowdfunding campaign to fund What Do You Really Know About Dairy?, the UK’s first documentary challenging decades of dairy industry spin.

Leading vegan campaigning organisation Viva! has today launched a major crowdfunding campaign aiming to raise £25,000 from the public and will soon be unlocking a further £25,000 in match funding to produce what it says will be the UK’s first documentary dedicated entirely to exposing the dairy industry.

The campaign launches on World Milk Day to challenge the narrative promoted by the dairy lobby on one of its most prominent dates in the calendar.

The film, titled What Do You Really Know About Dairy?, will bring together undercover investigations, expert interviews and scientific evidence to examine what Viva! describes as the hidden reality of modern dairy farming – and the decades of marketing that have shielded it from public scrutiny.

For generations, consumers have been told that dairy is natural, healthy and necessary. These messages are reinforced through advertising, school curricula, government guidance and the industry itself. Viva! contends that this carefully constructed image conceals a far more troubling reality: cows repeatedly impregnated to sustain milk production, calves separated from their mothers shortly after birth and health claims that are, the charity argues, increasingly at odds with the scientific evidence.

A Film to Change Minds ... Read more: viva.org.uk/media-centre/viva-marks-world-milk-day-by-announcing-major-dairy-documentary

Watch:

Juliet Gellatley: Help Us Expose the Truth About Dairy

Give: viva.org.uk/appeals/what-do-you-really-know-about-dairy

Snake

News image

News image

Support Viva!'s What Do You Really Know About Dairy?

The cameras are rolling. Will you help us keep going?

Filming has now begun on What Do You Really Know About Dairy? – Viva!'s groundbreaking documentary exposing the myths, marketing and misinformation surrounding one of Britain's most heavily promoted industries.

The cameras are rolling. Interviews are underway. But we still need your help to keep the project moving forward. For decades, the dairy industry has spent millions promoting a carefully crafted image of dairy. Yet when we surveyed the public, we found that 59 per cent of people believe cows produce milk simply because they eat grass. That's the power of dairy propaganda. This documentary will challenge the stories we've been told about dairy and reveal the truth behind the industry's carefully managed image. A generous supporter has pledged to match donations up to £25,000 – but we can only unlock that funding if people like you donate. That means your gift today has double the impact. Please donate today to help us continue filming, complete the documentary and ensure this vital story reaches as many people as possible.

Visit: viva.org.uk/appeals/what-do-you-really-know-about-dairy
Donate: join.viva.org.uk/what-do-you-really-know-about-dairy

Conservation Film-making - How to make films that make a difference


Snake

News image

News image

News image

Project Slingshot Has Launched!

A provocative campaign by Project Slingshot has launched on the London Underground in the UK, aiming to bring to light the secretive practice of slaughtering pigs in gas chambers.

Supported by comedians Diane Morgan, Jen Brister and Shabaz Ali, TV’s Dr Amir Khan, and TV personality and athlete Mathew Pritchard, the ads challenge the industry’s claims that CO2 gassing qualifies as “humane slaughter”

In England and Wales, 90% of pigs are slaughtered inside CO2 gas chambers, which according to a 2025 report by a government advisory body, causes severe pain, fear, anxiety, and respiratory distress.

More than 750 ads will appear in 206 London Underground stations, and there are 2,200 more inside tube carriages, for two months from today. The stations include Euston, Charing Cross, Liverpool Street, Embankment, and Kings Cross St Pancras.

Take Action - Join the Movement here.

We're Not Buying It

Visit: projectslingshot.com/campaign/gas-chambers

Snake

News image

News image

Does The King Know About This? – Project Slingshot

Project Slingshot has officially taken the truth to the streets of London.

Backed by Green Party Leader Zack Polanski, the campaign projected hard-hitting footage onto major landmarks—including Buckingham Palace, Parliament, Defra, and the Tate Modern—to reveal what 10 million pigs go through annually inside CO2 gas chambers.

During the demonstration, comedian Diane Morgan pointedly asked: “Does the king know about this?”

Well, he does now.

Does The King Know About This?

It's time to end the silence surrounding industrial factory farming. See the powerful footage for yourself and join the movement to demand change. Visit: projectslingshot.com

Want more Vegan Film News?

Snake Welcome to our Newest Full Members!

News image

News image

Pablo Behrens – Film director and producer.

Pablo Behrens is a London-based film director and producer. His latest film ¨London´s Last Wilderness¨ is about the ecology of a fantastic region close to London.

London’s Last Wilderness is the visual experience of an explorer landing on an undiscovered planet.

Every shot in the film was captured using truthful documentary techniques—no retakes, no setups. What you see happened once, and only once.

Like the first Europeans in the Amazon or astronauts orbiting the moon, there was no time for rehearsals or scripted reflections. The camera moved with the explorer—fast, focused, in the moment.

A mere 30 miles crow's flight from Piccadilly Circus lies a place London largely ignores: the Greater Thames Estuary. It's an ecological and cosmological force hiding in plain sight.

One of its secrets is scale. The estuary rivals London in size. To truly cover it, you need years — exploring north and south banks. From land, sea and sky.

Beyond the coast lies a maze of creeks and shifting islands, shaped by rivers and tides that change everything, twice a day. Half the terrain vanishes and reappears with the North Sea. No two days are the same. No tide repeats.

To be honest with this place, you have to film it all. Across four seasons, in all weather, under every tidal condition. Nothing could be skipped. Nothing faked. The film has no presenters. This is not exactly a human story.

Check it out here: londonslastwilderness.com

Instagram: @londonslastwilderness

Profile Page: Wildlife-film.com/-/PabloBehrens.htm 

News image

News image

Karen Nguyen – a California-based Photographer, Editor and Videographer

Karen is an aspiring freelance wildlife conservation photographer/videographer.

Motion Graphic Designer to advocate for environmental issues, concepts, and ideas.

what makes you happy? | a short film

Profile Page: Wildlife-film.com/-/KarenNguyen.htm

Website: www.itskarenproductions.com

News image

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

News image

Lazarus Training – First aid, medical & safety training based in Essex & London.

Lazarus Training specialises in delivering realistic, scenario-based first aid and safety training designed for the unique challenges of the media and production industry. We offer tailor-made courses to meet your specific operational needs, whether on location or in a studio setting. Training can be arranged in country or on location.

Our training uses professional casualty actors and real-life scenarios to create immersive,true-to-life experiences, preparing your team to respond effectively in high-pressure situations.

With a highly experienced training team drawn from medical, armed forces, and emergency services backgrounds, we bring unrivalled expertise, practicality, and realism to every session—ensuring your crew is ready for anything.

Participant feedback from recent "First Aid in Remote Locations" course run by Lazarus Training.

First Aid on Remote Locations is designed for production teams working away from the office or studio. Whether filming or recording, this course is aimed at groups who will experience a delay in accessing medical care for a colleague injured or taken ill.

Specialist Medical Training for Media Production Teams When Your Crew is Hours from Help, Preparation is Everything

Filming overseas? Working in remote deserts, dense jungles, icy mountains, or distant villages?

When you’re out of range of immediate medical support, knowing how to respond in the first minutes after an injury can save lives — and save your production.

Lazarus Training’s First Aid in Remote Locations course is explicitly designed for media production companies operating in areas with limited access to hospitals or rescue services. This isn’t generic first aid — it’s tailored by professionals, for professionals who face real risk in remote environments.

Find out more and book here: lazarustraining.co.uk/first-aid-in-remote-locations-2

Profile Page: Wildlife-film.com/-/Lazarus-Training.htm

Website: www.lazarustraining.co.uk

Snake Join them, become our next newest Full Member!
News image

As a full member of the site, you get a listing in all appropriate sections, a profile page and priority on your news across the site, this newsletter and our social media accounts.

Membership fees help to keep the site going too ... Your support is much-needed! Hoping to relaunch the site this year ... Updated for the new decade ... Will be looking for help from all over the world!!

To become a full member ... email membership@wildlife-film.com for an application form. Thanks!

Visit: Wildlife-film.com/freelancers (currently just £30/year!) or Wildlife-film.com/companies (£100/year!)

POODUNNIT? – A Wildlife Detective Story

How to Argue With a Meat Eater (And Win Every Time)

Sign The Plant Based Treaty

NaturVision Call For Entries 2022

SCOTLAND: The Big Picture

Sixty Harvests Left: How to Reach a Nature-Friendly Future

British Wildlife Photography Awards

The Vegan Cook & Gardener

Environmental Investigation Agency

Production Gear

See 'Kit For Sale' for items from members/subscribers!

Wildeye

Wildlife-film.com - Wildlife, Natural History, Environmental, Conservation & Vegan Film News and Information

Welcome to Wildlife-film.com

Since the late 1990s Wildlife-film.com has been the leading source of information for the wildlife filmmaking industry worldwide. For over twenty five years the site has been Google's number one ranking site for 'wildlife film' and related searches. Our site is viewed in over 195 countries. Our newsletter, Wildlife Film News, is read every month by thousands of people involved in wildlife filmmaking - from broadcasters and producers, to cameramen - we encourage readers to submit their news. We also serve as an online resource for industry professionals and services. Find producers, editors, presenters and more in our Freelancer section, and find out about festivals, training and conservation in Organisations. We encourage amateur and professional freelancers to join our network and welcome all wildlife-film related organisations to join our team.


 
 


Wildlife Film News is available every month straight to your Inbox!  Subscribe here:

*
indicates required

Email Format


search engine by freefind advanced