OTTAWA, July 25, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- The American Eel and Round-leaved Sundew are the focus of the newest Hinterland Who’s Who (HWW) public awareness campaigns. The HWW program is also celebrating the success of last year’s Grassland series as the 2022 videos on the Long-billed Curlew secured the top prize (Gold) in an international competition for Public Service Announcements (PSA).
“We’re very proud of this accomplishment, especially given 764 entries from 33 nations were in official competition this year,” said Rick Bates, CEO of the Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF). “The international recognition is well-deserved and helps to shine a spotlight on the critical issues facing wildlife and habitat in Canada.”
The award was presented by the WorldMediaFestivals, Television & Corporate Media Awards based in Hamburg, Germany. For 23 years, these awards have been honoring media excellence on a global level.
“Congratulations to the Canadian Wildlife Federation for winning the top prize for Public Service Announcements at the WorldMediaFestivals, in the Television & Corporate Media Awards category. The “Hinterland Who’s Who” vignettes, like the winning 2022 grassland series video on the Long-Billed Curlew, highlight the need to protect endangered ecosystems and contribute to the recovery of species at risk. Through partnerships like this, we can bring awareness to the need to safeguard the world’s nature, halt and reverse biodiversity loss by 2030, and put nature on a path to recovery by 2050,” said the Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change.
Annie Langlois, HWW co-ordinator, said the Long-billed Curlew video was filmed in Saskatchewan Grasslands to showcase the little-known migratory species, which is the continent’s largest shorebird. Habitat loss and a disproportionate increase in predators are contributing to a decline in the Long-billed Curlew’s population so it is now considered a species of Special Concern in Canada.
“Bringing important Canadian stories to the screen is at the heart of what we do, and we are proud to work alongside and support the Canadian Wildlife Federation in the production of national PSAs,” said Amanda Barakat, Producer and Director at SandBay Entertainment. “Congratulations and thanks to our production teams and on-camera talent who year-after-year continue to reach new heights in creating exceptional Canadian content.”
The newest videos from HWW feature the American Eel and the Round-leaved Sundew. The American Eel is born in the salt waters of the Sargasso Sea near Bermuda and migrates to freshwaters of North America to grow and mature before returning to the Sargasso Sea to spawn and die. The Round-leaved Sundew is one of Canada’s carnivorous plants. It’s usually found in and around peatlands and wet meadows. The sundew has adapted to live in this nutrient-poor environment by consuming tiny creatures to supplement its diet.
The Canadian Wildlife Federation (CWF) encourages broadcasters, educators and members of the public to visit HWW.ca to access the videos and download fact sheets and other resources. This summer, HWW will be filming in northern Manitoba, continuing its legacy of showcasing Canada’s amazing wildlife and habitats.
For more information: media@cwf-fcf.org
or
Annie Langlois, Hinterland Who’s Who Co-ordinator, AnnieL@cwf-fcf.org
Backgrounder
American Eel
A fascinating migratory fish, the American Eel can live as long as 50 years, but is facing multiple threats both inland and in coastal Canada.
Did You Know?
- American Eel can grow longer than one metre in length and 7.5 kilograms in weight. Males tend to be smaller than females, reaching a size of about 0.4 m.
- With its small pectoral fins right behind its gills, absence of pelvic fins, long dorsal and ventral fins and the thin coat of mucus on its tiny scales, the adult eel slightly resembles a slimy snake but are in fact true fish.
- Adult eels vary in coloration, from olive green and brown to greenish-yellow, with a light gray or white belly. Females are lighter in colour than males. Large females turn dark grey or silver when they mature. The eel in Ontario are all females.
- Dams and turbines are especially problematic for eels. These structures become major barriers to their migration in the St. Lawrence and the Ottawa rivers, for example. In some areas, as much as 98.8 per cent of the historic population has vanished. Populations that live closer to the ocean tend to fare better as there are fewer obstacles to their migration.
Round-leaved Sundew
Found in bogs and wet meadows, the Round-leaved Sundew is an incredible wildflower which thrives in nutrient-poor environments by consuming small invertebrates it attracts using a sweet secretion on its leaves.
Did You Know?
- The Round-leaved sundew is one of Canada’s many species of carnivorous plants.
- It is found throughout Canada except in the Prairies and the tundra.
- It is observed in low nitrogen environments, like peatlands.
- It supplements its diet by consuming small invertebrates which are attracted to a sticky sweet secretion on its leaves. The small critter gets caught and is digested by the plant.
- More than third of the world’s peatlands are in Canada, and they cover about 14 per cent of Canada’s territory.
About Hinterland Who's Who
First created in 1963, HWW made bold use of a relatively new medium — black and white television — to reach the Canadian general public. The new Hinterland Who's Who, launched in 2003, serves to rebuild the connection thousands of viewers made with wildlife through the original series and ensure that wildlife remains part of what it means to be Canadian. HWW is a joint program of the Canadian Wildlife Federation and Environment and Climate Change Canada.
About the Canadian Wildlife Federation:
The Canadian Wildlife Federation is a national, not-for-profit charitable organization dedicated to fostering awareness and appreciation of our natural world. By spreading knowledge of human impacts on the environment, carrying out research, developing and delivering education programs, promoting the sustainable use of natural resources, recommending changes to policy and co-operating with like-minded partners, CWF encourages a future in which Canadians can live in harmony with nature. For more information, visit CanadianWildlifeFederation.ca.
Photos accompanying this announcement are available at
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/754923c2-63ec-4aeb-a3e1-d2a4c822df2f
https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/023ea8ca-56f6-4216-ac3b-43a6da788932
