Once released, BEARTREK the movie is expected to raise at least $1 million – possibly much more – for worldwide bear projects like those in the film. All profits from box office and DVD sales and TV-series revenue will be pumped right back into conservation.
But bears – and other wildlife that share their home – can’t wait. That’s why we’re funding conservation projects leading up to BEARTREK’s theatrical release. So far, we’ve distributed over $40,000 in cash, equipment, and in-kind services to bear conservation projects.
Here’s a sampling of how Wildlife Media is already making a big difference for wildlife and the local communities who live nearby.
Borneo – Home of the sun bear
- Gave thousands of dollars in direct funding to sun bear conservation
- Created a fundraising video from Borneo BEARTREK footage, which helped raise several thousand more for conservation
Peru – Home of the Andean (spectacled) bear
- Sent two, donated, high-tech satellite radio collars to track bears from a researcher’s laptop. The collars obtained movement patterns for two bears, and that data was used to create boundaries for an upcoming National Park!
- Paid 8-month salaries of two local villagers to track the movement and activities of local bears. This effort has helped develop a more accurate population count of the elusive Andean bear.
- Provided a small, high-definition video camera so that these villagers can capture spontaneous moments among the bears. Their work has already paid off through rare footage they got.
- Helped buy remote, motion-sensored cameras to film these bears when the project team is not around
- During a BEARTREK reconnaissance trip in Peru, Wildlife Media took ground-breaking footage of a study bear and her newborn cub!
- Produced two fundraising videos from Wildlife Media footage, which helped raise several thousand more for conservation
Canada - Home of the polar bear
- Facilitated $20,000 in direct funding to research the impacts of climate change on polar bears in Hudson Bay
Other results of Wildlife Media's work
- The 20-min. BEARTREK demo reel (footage from Alaska and Borneo) led to Wildlife Media’s Chris Morgan and Joe Pontecorvo being asked to produce and host a 2-hour TV special about bears of Alaska for PBS and National Geographic. The TV program will bring greater awareness of the state’s three bear species.
- Both National Geographic and Discovery Channel have expressed interest in a BEARTREK TV series following the theatrical release of the film
It’s worth noting that nearly all of the projects we fund are in developing countries. Which means even small donations go a long way; every dollar donated has a big impact on wildlife conservation and local communities. Please help us continue supporting projects in Borneo, Peru, and elsewhere, and bring the stories of the world’s bears and the people working to protect them to a global audience. Support Wildlife Media today.
