Video: Fry's Blue Whale Sighting Scream

Check out the moment where Stephen Fry sees a Blue Whale for the first time. BBC News has the video clip.

Stephen Fry can hardly contain his excitement when he catches sight of the mighty blue whale - the biggest creature known to have lived on earth - off Mexico's Baja peninsula.

The blue whale is almost as long as a Boeing 737 and needs so much food that, in terms of weight, it could eat a fully-grown African elephant every day.

Sirocco The Kakapo - Baby Pictures

As Sirocco and Mark's mating video surges past the 1 million views on YouTube, here's an album with some pictures of Sirocco when he just a chick.

According to TVNZ, Sirocco now has 4,000 Facebook friends and more than 2,000 followers on Twitter.

The Department of Conservation (DOC) spokeswoman Nic Vallance says it is great to know that people all over the world are interested in New Zealand's precious wildlife.

More than $3,000 has been donated towards the Kakapo Recovery Programme in the past week alone, thanks in large to Sirocco.

Donations can now be made using PayPal.

* $100 buys disease screening for one bird
* $250 buys a radio tracking aerial
* $1000 buys a portable incubator
* $1600 buys a radio-telemetry receiver

In TV news, TBIVision.com reports that the series has been sold to a number of broadcasters worldwide, so keep an eye on your local listings.

Last Chance to See has been acquired by ABC (Australia), Sky (New Zealand), NRK (Norway) and UKTV (UK)

Once more for fun...

Fry Makes Plea to Save Water Vole

Stephen Fry is backing a new plea by the Gloucestershire Wildlife Trust to save the Cotswold water vole from extinction. BBC News has the story.

"We're particularly worried about the plight of the..enchanting water vole," said Mr Fry and Mark Carwardine, from wildlife programme Last Chance to See.
[...]
"We've just spent six months travelling the world in search of high profile endangered species, from kakapo to Komodo dragons," said Mr Fry and Mr Carwardine.

"But it's all too easy to forget that we have endangered species in our own country that need just as much help."

The Extinction of the Baiji: China's White Dolphin

This Epoch Times article discusses the extinction of the Baiji, the Yangtze River Dolphin. It is desperately sad that since Douglas Adams and Mark Carwardine tried to find the Baiji for the original radio series episode "Gone Fishing!", this beautiful creature has been declared extinct.

In 1998 there was an estimated total of only seven dolphins left. When the filling of the Three Gorges reservoir began in 2003, it seemed that the white dolphin was no more. While there were a few rare sightings at this time, the evidence was questionable.

When an expedition in search of living Yangtze dolphins began in November 2007, the results looked very grim. For seven months the Yangtze River was tracked with sophisticated equipment, including cameras and underwater microphones. But the once cheerful sounds of the talking dolphin were never heard. Nothing. The white dolphin had already left the world forever.

As it seemed pointless to return to China to try and find the Baiji, the new TV series instead turned its attention to the Blue Whale and visited the Sea of Cortez in Mexico for this Sunday's final episode.

However, in the first episode "Amazon Manatee", Mark and Stephen were able to spend time with the Amazon Pink River Dolphin or "Boto", and got some marvellous footage and photographs.

Blue Whales In Pictures

BBC News has this In Pictures feature on the Blue Whales, stars of the final episode of the Last Chance To See TV series, broadcast Sunday October 18th on BBC2.

What's Your Favourite New Zealand Bird?

Cast your vote at the annual Forest and Bird "Bird of the Year" poll. The Kakapo won in 2008, but this year's poll appears to feature many more birds.

Don't forget the Chatham Island Robin, which Don Merton saved from extinction during the early 1980s, with the population only included a single female.

Kakapo and Carwardine Mating Video Nears 1 Million Hits

The video of Mark Carwardine being shagged by Sirocco the Kakapo is rapidly becoming a YouTube sensation, as it nears one million views. It has been uploaded to YouTube by the BBC, so I'm able to embed it below. Radio New Zealand reports that the Department of Conservation is delighted with the attention, as donations to the Kakapo Recovery Programme have gone through the roof, especially as donations can now be made using PayPal.

The Clan of the Kakapo

#Kakapo Parrot documentary maker Scott Mouat, who has been filming their lives for many years, features in this 3News story. Jendy Harper presents the video report from last month.

[Scott's] been there for the big occasions, the new arrivals and the intimate moments.
[...]
Their life story would make a great reality show but Mouat has instead produced a stunning documentary like no other.

Scott's website about the production "Code of the Kakapo" doesn't have much detail at the moment, but we've previously posted the documentary trailer video. Here it is again.

Last Chance To See Event: Last Chance for Tickets

This month's Save The Rhino newsletter reminded us that there's only a few tickets left for this special event at the Royal Geographical Society in London on Tuesday October 27th. Presented by Save The Rhino, join Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine as they update us on their adventures filming and the experience of tracking species on the edge of extinction for the Last Chance To See TV series. The event starts at 7.30pm, and doors open at 6.30pm.

Fry finds 'funniest ever' mating ritual

The BBC News site features a short video clip from the Kakapo episode of the TV series, with Mark Carwardine being royally rogered by Sirocco the Kakapo. Stephen Fry describes it as "one of the funniest things I've ever seen". I have to agree. Cigarette Mark?