Hi Rick,
Mary Wiesbrock contacted you about a month ago regarding funding that I'm trying to raise for a documentary film. A film that I've been working on with biologists from the National Park Service for the better part of two years now, and that is nearly complete!
I don't know if you heard about the 15 month old lion (P18) that was hit and killed by a vehicle along the 405 freeway last Tuesday. P18 had just left the care of his mother to strike out on his own to find and claim his own territory... very sad.
It is really important to be able to go out follow up on this and other recent events. I've managed to raise 4k for a 10day shoot I have planned to start this Friday. But need to raise an additional $1,300 (tax deductible) to pull this off. I have attached a project summary and budget for the shoot.
So, I'm reaching out for some last minute donations to support this great cause. Any amount great or small will help. Please don't hesitate to contact me with any questions you may have... Thank you very much for your time!
Best regards,
Michael Harris
818-731-2142
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Documentary film: The "Ghost Cats" of The Santa Monica Mountains
Project Summary
I've been working with biologists from the National Park Service for the last two years, documenting the mountain lion study they have been conducting since 02,' in order to tell the compelling story about the last remaining lions in the Santa Monica Mountains and their struggle to survive in this isolated and fragmented landscape.
"It's something we noticed her doing several times…
…trapped in her shrinking territory by new housing developments and the concrete monolith of the 101 freeway, her whereabouts known only to biologists tracking her by GPS. Known as P2 (puma 2) she has been monitored walking repeatedly to a ridge above an off-ramp to gaze across the freeway at thousand of undeveloped acres as if she was seeing the promised land." –excerpt from Los Angeles Times article
The story of these lions, which represents a microcosm of events happening across the country (urban encroachment, habitat fragmentation), transcends the Santa Monica Mountains… As similar events play out we see an escalation in human wildlife encounters, and witness more and more wildlife wandering lost into suburban neighborhoods.
Rather than the drumbeat of doom, the goal of the film will be to entertain, educate, and bring awareness to this increasing problem; it attempts to explain why this is happening and, backed by scientific research, offers viable ideas and solutions. For example, wildlife crossings like the proposed Liberty Canyon wildlife crossing in the Santa Monica Mountains.
The Liberty Canyon wildlife crossing will be a landmark conservation project and a case study. Designed to run under the 101 freeway and connect the Santa Monica Mountains with the Santa Susanna Mountains, the crossing will create an unbroken corridor that will link three mountain ranges; it will give these beautiful and mysterious creatures a safe passage around man-made-barriers and the ability to find new mates, and new genetic material critical for their survival. Without this crossing, the mountain lions in the Santa Monica Mountains will continue to inbreed which will lead to them dying off.
As critical as the issue of shrinking habitat is, the film will also address the presence of rodenticide (rat poison) being found in wildlife. Scientist have been discovering this anti-coagulant poison in the food web, killing mountain lions, bobcats, coyotes, owls, hawks and other predators. In the Santa Monica Mountains alone, three adult mountain lions and a lion cub have succumbed to this secondary poisoning, dying a horrific death.
This is not just a local issue, but a world issue. This film will help people understand the vital role all wildlife play in their particular ecosystems and the challenges they face today. While promoting ways we can balance the needs of nature and people, it will stress the vital need to conserve and protect our natural world. By Michael Harris
The "Ghost Cats" of the Santa Monica Mountains
BUDGET
10-day shoot to complete filming.
Rental of Camera Package $3,448.00
(Sony HDWF 900/3 HDCAM)
Director of Photography 1,200.00
(3 days to shoot additional interviews)
Purchase Film and Development 400.00
Production Insurance 606.00
(1 million general liability)
Miscellaneous- Gas, Camping fees, Expendables 846.00
Total Budget $6,500
The Felidae Conservation Fund a 501c3 is the project fiscal sponsor and your donation will be tax deductible.
Felidae Conservation Fund
Building 1062, Ft. Cronkhite, Sausalito
CA, 94965
Zara McDonald Executive Director
415-229-9356
Michael Harris Producer/Writer/Director
3727 w.Magnolia Blvd. #744
Burbank, CA 91505
818-731-2142
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