Extinctions

One day, in the not too distant future (sooner than we might think) various animals including the cheetah, the Asian elephant, the jaguar, the orang- utan, the polar bear and the tiger are destined to disappear from the face of the Earth in what scientists call “The Sixth Extinction”. An unprecedented phenomenon of mass extinction of living species since the demise of the dinosaurs.

“Extinctions” runs like a documentary thriller, recounting the last year in the lives of each one of these highly emblematic creatures. The question is, what succession of circumstances or tragedies could possibly wipe them out? The list is manifold: genetic weakening, habitat fragmentation or destruction, global warming, poaching, illegal trade in protected species, and deforestation, to name a few. Each episode describes a particular mechanism that could lead to the eradication of various species.

“Extinctions” offers us six hours of outstanding tales, sprinkled with images that have never been shot before, such as the ultimate refuge of the Asian elephant, the forgotten cheetahs of the Iranian plateaus, the necropsy of the last tiger of Bali, etc.. More broadly, by allowing us to witness the destinies of these animals through their eyes, the series raises awareness with regard to what is still doable to prevent the mass extinction process threatening our planet.