Last Chance to See - Netflix USA

A reminder that the wonderful Last Chance To See TV series sequel to the original radio series is currently available on Netflix in the USA. For now it's just the original 6 episode series from 2009, and not the follow up "Return of the Rhino" episode.  It's a great series, presented by Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine, and well worth checking out if you've never seen it before.

Sudan, the world’s last male Northern White Rhino is dead

Very sad news this morning as we learn of the death of Sudan, the very last male Northern White Rhino. Stephen Fry was among many to Tweet this terrible news. Here's the NBC News article.

The world's last male northern white rhino, Sudan, has died after "age-related complications," researchers announced Tuesday, saying he "stole the heart of many with his dignity and strength." A statement from the Ol Pejeta Conservancy in Kenya said the 45-year-old rhino was euthanized on Monday after his condition "worsened significantly" and he was no longer able to stand. His muscles and bones had degenerated and his skin had extensive wounds, with a deep infection on his back right leg.

Last Chance To See TV Series Now Available on Netflix in USA

Very happy to report that Netflix in the USA now carries the Last Chance To See TV series for streaming. For now it's just the original 6 episode series from 2009, and not the follow up "Return of the Rhino" episode.

Stephen Fry jokes about New Zealand bird names

Meet The Lonely Dodo

Here's a new animation short produced by Aardman Animation for the Durrell Wildlife Conservation Trust and their www.thelonelydodo.com site, with voices by Stephen Fry and Alister McGowan.

'Last Chance to See' star killed by poachers

Yesterday I was very sad to read Mark Carwardine and Stephen Fry's Tweets that Max, the friendly white rhino that featured on the 'Last Chance to See' TV episode, has been killed by poachers in Kenya for his horn. Here is Wanderlust's report.

Max was a television star on the BBC’s Last Chance to See programme, after Stephen Fry was tricked into believing the hand-reared animal was incredibly dangerous.
[...]
Mark tweeted, “Very sad news. Max – friendly white rhino in Last Chance to See – just killed by poachers. No rhino is safe.”

Stephen Fry then replied by tweeting, “The organised scale of rhino poaching awful. Grieving at terrible news of the slaughter of Max, whom @markcarwardine and I knew and loved.”

This news comes as a double blow because in June we also lost captive Northern White Rhino Nesari from the zoo in the Czech Republic. Scientific Amercican had a lengthy article on that equally sad news.

Nesari, a 39-year-old female who had been deemed too old and weak to return to Africa in 2009, has finally passed away of old age. As zoo spokeswoman Jana Myslive ková told the Czech newspaper, Mladá fronta Dnes, "At the time of the transport, veterinarians predicted she would live for no longer than six months. It was actually a miracle that she lived until this spring."

Her death leaves the world with just seven northern white rhinoceros and a ticking clock counting down toward the species's eventual extinction. Even if a calf or two are born in Kenya, it won't be enough to save these animals. This is undoubtedly a species that will disappear within our lifetimes.

With Nesari now gone as well, it appears we are down to a mere SEVEN Northern White Rhinos in the world. And counting.

Kakapos Flying Far and Wide

Here's a nice tongue-in-cheek article from the Sunday Star Times about the Kakapo superstar Sirocco.

Sirocco the kakapo shot to fame in 2009 when he was filmed by comedian Stephen Fry engaging in mating behaviour on the head of BBC presenter and environmentalist Mark Cawardine.

The clip that went viral on You Tube is just one of the many ways Sirocco is helping New Zealand conservation.

He has Twitter address ((@Spokesbird), a Facebook page (Sirocco Kakapo), a website, and an official role as spokesbird for conservation. He is the new face of the Department of Conservation which until now, it admits, appealed predominantly to the grey-haired among us, said spokesman Rory Newsam.

And in other terrific news from Stuff, seven young kakapo chicks have been returned to Codfish Island after being hand-reared on the New Zealand mainland. The hatchings this year bring the total number of Kakapo up to 131.

Kakapo Recovery Programme leader Deidre Vercoe Scott said the seven chicks had all reached a healthy weight, between 1.3kg and 1.8kg.

"They've all done fantastic. Some initially had minor illnesses which is very normal, but they got over those very quickly."

AUDIO: Mark Carwardine: Last Chance to Save the Rhino

On Wednesday 12 January 2011, Mark Carwardine provided an "entertaining and thought-provoking rhino evening" for Save the Rhino at The Royal Geographical Society. Save The Rhino have now provided downloadable audio from the event on their website.

Mark described some of his most memorable encounters with rhinos in Africa and Asia – from stalking the last surviving northern white rhinos in war-torn Zaire, nearly 25 years ago, to his most recent trip to photograph Sumatran rhinos in Indonesia. He revealed what went on behind the scenes while filming a Last Chance to See Special called Rhino Rescue, with Stephen Fry, and talked frankly about his hopes and fears for some of the most endearing and endangered mammals on Earth.

Video: Stephen Fry LIVE at Sydney Opera House

Here's a nice diversion for the weekend. Watch the full recording of Stephen Fry's recent performance at the Sydney Opera House. Enjoy. NOTE: Douglas Adams does get a mention right at the end of the performance/interview.

Stephen Fry and the Great American Oil Spill

Thanks to Dave Haddock for this top tip. "Stephen Fry and the Great American Oil Spill" will air on Sunday, 7th November 2010, 8pm on BBC Two. Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine visit Louisiana to witness the impact of BP's Deepwater Horizon oil spill.

Stephen Fry loves Louisiana. Four months after the BP oil spill, dubbed the worst ecological disaster in the history of America, Fry returns to the Deep South together with the zoologist Mark Carwardine, to see what the impact has been on the people, the vast wetlands and the species that live there. What they find both surprises and divides the travelling duo.

TV Alert: Last Chance to See - Return of the Rhino

The brand new episode of Last Chance To See featuring the translocation of Northern White Rhino will air at 8pm on Sunday 31st October on BBC2. As well as the aforementioned "Complete Collection DVD set" which includes this episode, it is also being released separately as Last Chance To See - Return of the Rhino

TV Series - DVD with new episode

"Last Chance To See - The Complete Collection" will be released on the 15th of November, and is a special edition DVD featuring a new unseen episode called Last Chance To See - Return of The Rhino. The Return of the Rhino covers Stephen and Mark's adventure when they follow the return of Northern White Rhinos to Kenya from captivity in the Czech Republic.

ALERT!! - TV Series on USA TV - HDNet?

Thanks to Dave Haddock for this tip. Check your cable listings, because according to this page, HDNet's InFocus is going to be showing the TV series beginning tonight, 10am ET. I'm not seeing it on my cable lineup, but you may be more lucky than I.

Also, Mark Carwardine narrated this BBC documentary this evening - When Britain Went Wild.

Stephen Fry on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson

On February 23rd, Stephen Fry appeared with Craig Ferguson on a special edition of the Late Late Show, one-on-one, with no studio audience. Towards the end of the interview he discusses his participation in the recent trans-location of the Northern White Rhinos from a Czech Zoo back to Africa. It was a very enjoyable show I thought.

Last Chance To See: Special Confirmed!

BBC TV's "Last Chance To See" producer Tim Green recently left a comment on my New Year post confirming that they did indeed film Stephen Fry and Mark Carwardine following the translocation of four potentially fertile Northern White Rhino from the Czech Republic to Kenya. Here's a BBC News article about the rhino move.

Stephen Fry had been tweeting during the trip, before he took a sabbatical from Twitter to write the follow up to his fabulous "Moab is My Washpot" autobiography. The tweets raised the hope that they were filming a special episode of "Last Chance To See", and I was very happy to learn that they were.

No word on an air date for the Special yet, but the previous Northern White Rhino episode does get a repeat airing this week on BBC HD, Wednesday 00:30.

Many thanks to Tim Green for the update.

Stephen Fry on Operation Rhino

On December 19th, four Northern White Rhino's were flown to Kenya. RedOrbit has one of the news items.

Dana Holeckova, director of the Dvur-Kralove zoo in central Czech Republic said, "We must offer them this last chance, in their natural environment in Africa."

There's only eight remaining Northern White rhinos in existence all living in captivity, six at Dvur-Kralove and two more at San Diego Zoo in the United States.
[...]
The four being returned, two males and two females, will be transferred by air on December 19th.

Stephen Fry has been travelling with them and has been Tweeting again...

Jambo! Just landed in Nairobi. Warm and sunny. More follows....

An hour away from rhinos arriving from Nairobi. Great excitement here at Ol Pejeta. Phone reception still dodgy tho.

Finally in land of signal. Rhino translocation went flawlessly, fantastically. So happy for Ol Pejeta, @FaunaFloraInt, Czech Rep zoo.

Landed. Despite the chill and damp of the old metrop it's good to be back. Operation Rhino fabulous success. Now let Christmas begin.

It seems Stephen has been down in Kenya following the relocation of the Czech Republic Northern White Rhinos.

Whether or not they've been filming a Last Chance To See special I haven't figured out yet. Too busy to check right now, what with all the snow we've been having. 23 inches in 24 hours this weekend...

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.

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."

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?