CNN’s Patagonia documentary is a must watch
David Attenborough’s Planet Earth alerted us to the millions of tons of plastic threatening our oceans and marine life. CNN's latest production is just as fascinating as the BBC's offering. Education is our biggest asset, ignorance is our biggest failure.
Recently I was alerted to CNN’s Patagonia documentary. It amazes to learn how much work is being undertaken by professionals and volunteers to preserve and sustain Patagonia's beautiful landscape and wildlife.
Shared by Chile and Argentina, Patagonia covers an area of approximately 1.07 million kilometres square. To the west features grassland and desert, and in the east, the landscape features glaciers and fjords. The Comau Fjord in Chile is 25 miles long and over 100 feet deep.
https://unsplash.com/photos/H3oXiq7 - Image by Snowscat
In episode one, the production team introduce you to Tompkins Conservation, an organisation responsible for global rewilding projects. Kristine Tompkins and her team are responsible for the rewilding of Chile and Argentina. Tompkins Conservation has created or expanded over 15 parks.
We’ve protected primeval forests as national parks. We’ve helped missing species come home. We’ve campaigned to keep threatened rivers wild and free.
We know that damaged landscapes and seascapes can rebound and human communities can flourish as a consequence of conservation.
We have seen it.
We have lived it. Tompkins Conservation
Per the WWF, Argentina’s Perito Moreno Glacier, which contains the world's third largest reserve of fresh water, is one of just two glaciers in all of South America that is growing. This phenomena baffles scientists, as most of the world’s glaciers are shrinking because of climate change.
The diversity of wildlife across Patagonia is incredible, but there are a few existential problems that need addressing urgently. Whales, the largest mammals on the planet often collide with tankers, sailing through shipping lanes. Even the largest of sea creatures stand no chance of surviving a 'hull-strike' from the steel giants.
This sad story was repeated across many of the 89 species of whales, dolphins, and porpoises, collectively known as cetaceans. The true death toll of commercial whaling remains unknown, but recent estimates indicate close to 3 million cetaceans were killed between 1900 and 1999. This may be the largest animal cull in our history in terms of total biomass. bluesci
Global overfishing is a problem. Armadas of fishing vessels can be found pillaging the waters for squid, for consumers in Europe and Asia. Coast guards are on hand to enforce exclusion zones, unidentifiable to marine life. The situation is grim. Education might be the only hope of mitigating overfishing.
There are a lot of exciting backstories in each episode of the series. I'd highly recommend watching CNN's production and learning about the incredible work driven by sustainability professionals.
*I am not affiliated or associated with any of the brands in this article.
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