NEWS WILD Endangered species TV show UK

[Guest guest]

The Times, London October 25, 2006

 

Now you can vote to save just one of these animals

By Lewis Smith, Environment reporter

 

Having voted off Big Brother contestants and

decided which crumbling ancient buildings should

be restored, television viewers are now being

asked to choose which animal to save from

extinction.

 

Eight of the world's most endangered animals are

to feature in a Restoration-style programme

hosted by Sir Trevor McDonald and Zoë Ball.

 

Tigers will vie with pandas and polar bears to

determine which should get the lion's share of

the profits from telephone voting by viewers.

 

Just as in Reconstruction, which championed the

causes of buildings in need of a spot of tender

loving care, celebrities will pitch for their

favourite creature to be saved.

 

The programme, Extinct, will be broadcast by ITV shortly before Christmas.

 

The animals featured in the programme are the

Bengal tiger, mountain gorilla, giant panda,

Asian elephant, polar bear, orang-utan,

leatherback turtle and hyacinth macaw.

 

Programme-makers have teamed up with the WWF,

which is already involved with projects to save

seven of the eight endangered animals selected

for small screen salvation.

 

Suggestions that there was an element of sick

purience to the show were shrugged off amid

promises that all the animals would gain from the

broadcasts and not just the winning species.

 

Charlie Gardner of Endemol, which is making the

show for ITV, said: " The programme is putting

popular spin on a serious topic. It's not

something to be ashamed of.

 

" We are raising awareness for each of these

animals. We are calling on viewers for vote for

where the money raised goes to.

 

" But it's not the case all the money goes to one

species and the others get nothing. The winner

gets 50 per cent and the rest is shared between

the other seven. "

 

David Suchet, who is championing the giant panda

and has just returned from filming in China,

said: " They're unique, extraordinary animals and

the world would be the poorer without them.

 

WWF published a report yesterday detailing the

extent of mankind's impact on the natural world

and showing that animal populations have declined

by 30 per cent since 1970 around the globe.

 

In an effort to ensure that Extinct is " carbon

neutral " , ITV has committed funds towards carbon

reduction schemes to offset the effects of carbon

dioxide emitted during production.

 

Six of the celebrity animal champions were

announced yesterday. Two more will be unveiled

once the final details of contracts have been

agreed.

 

Michael Portillo will champion the hyacinth macaw

in Brazil, Graeme Le Saux the mountain gorilla in

Rwanda, Pauline Collins the Bengal tiger in

Nepal, Anneka Rice the polar bear in Svalbard,

and Sue Johnston the Asian elephant in India.

 

---

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent

newspaper providing original investigative

coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded

in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes

the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal

protection organizations. We have no alignment

or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]