Wildlife caught on film II, the return

This week, Conservation Northwest hosted two showings of the film Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators. Supporters in Spokane and Twisp packed the house to address the following: "Top predators hold a key to life itself. Can people and predators coexist? Can we afford not to?"

Guest blogger, author, and tracker Linda Jo Hunter gives us her take on the film:

I just bought a copy of the film, Lords of Nature: Life in a Land of Great Predators. Why? Well, first of all the photography is excellent and I want to watch it multiple times. Second I want to support this film because unlike most nature films featured on TV, this is a real film.

Many nature films are simply a Hollywood script written by people who want to appeal to a large audience, and then the camera people go in the field and take film of animals that fit the script. Often they cheat a little here and there, and the narrative describes something quite different than what they saw and filmed. This is one of the reasons our public knowledge about wildlife is so poor. So called facts about animals are re-uttered in films over and over until we believe them.

Lords of Nature is a refreshing look at what is being discovered now. According to the film's biologists, we have almost wiped out predators across the Western United States, and now we are discovering that “hey we need those teeth, claws and fangs”.

The film follows two scientists from Oregon on their discovery that Aldo Leopold was right in his recommendations for saving and reintroducing predators. In their studies of Yellowstone, for instance, they discovered that aspen, cottonwood and willow were not reproducing, and the land was becoming hot and dry with no habitat for fish, insects, and birds. When wolves are reintroduced, suddenly the health of the ecosystem starts to recover.

Lords of Nature is filled with historical and current information and should be seen by anyone who is interested in conservation. This is particularly appropriate if you live in Washington State, because we are now host to at least two wolf packs and things will be changing in our landscape, hopefully for the better.

Take action for WA wolves today (Please act today even if you have on earlier alerts)
Can wolves restore an ecosystem? Seattle Times article 1/09
Learn more about the film (trailers & screening dates)

Editor's note: You can read more bear and tracking stories in Linda's book Lonesome for Bears, A Woman's Journey in the Tracks of the Wilderness, Lyons Press. Linda Jo lives in southern Washington and travels the forests tracking, painting and taking care of her well being. Her website is http://www.strumminbear.com