Steve Irwin

The man known around the world as The Crocodile Hunter died today. He was filming sequence with a Sting Ray for television.

It seems uncouth to write about it in a blog, but I was really struck and saddened by the news of his death. He always seemed like a good man, enthusiastic and entertaining. After seeing him in so many dangerous situations, it doesn't seem possible that he is gone.

He died doing what he loved, but he was only 44 and had a wife and kids.

Steve Irwin, you will be missed.

Getting My Goats

Thanks to Alastair's contacts at the Auckland Regional Council, I talked to the man who manages the Sentinel Goat Program at The Hunua Ranges Regional Park (Sentinel is the newer name for the Judas Goat Technique, being non-denominational and all). He seems really into the idea of a documentary on the program. Three times a year they close down the park and bring in the Sentinel Conservation Team. If everything works out the documentarians would be considered part of the team and given full access. I'm really stoked. There are other places in New Zealand that also do Sentinel Technique work that are closer to Dunedin (The Hunuas are up near Auckland on the North Island), but look how gorgeous this range is:

The Hunuas

But, even if the Hunuas program doesn't work out, there are other options yet to be explored and everywhere in New Zealand has fantastic scenery.

I'm seeing the potential for this film grow and grow. It gets me energized and excited, and I think it will do the same for others.

Please leave me some comments on whether or not you think this story would make a good film. I think there is a lot of potential for a action-conservation movie with a sting operation aspect to it and hopefully great characters.

In It For The Wild Life

So by now, most of the other classmates have blogged about our trip to Victory Beach to film Sea Lions and Yellow-Eyed Penguins. It was a really good day, even though there was just 1 sea lion, 1 very ill leopard seal. But there were a bunch of penguins, which was really cool because I've never seen wild penguins before (as is often the case when you spend most of your life in the Northern Hemisphere).
Be sure to check out Kat and Sarah's blogs(Update: check Alastair's too), they have great pictures.