Bristol, UK — It has been a busy few weeks for conservationists and filmmakers Dereck and Beverly Joubert. Yesterday, the couple’s 2011 feature film “The Last Lions,” produced in association with National Geographic, won the Wildscreen Golden Panda Award for Music. The wildlife television and film competition includes over 550 delegates from 40 countries.
After the awards ceremony, Dereck Joubert shared his thoughts: “Working with Alex Wurman [conductor] and J.B. Arthur [vocal arrangements] on this film was a pleasure. We were able to mold a score with them that was emotive and culturally appropriate, but one that carefully worked in unison with Jeremy Iron’s voice and the images. Sometimes it all comes together, and the Wildscreen judges said just that last night.”
While the Jouberts have won almost every major film making award during their careers, it is the message their films convey to global audiences that fuels their boundless energy and mission of wildlife conservation. “To bring a film to the big screen and show Botswana and its cats in this light is a privilege,” said Dereck Joubert. “It gives us a bigger platform to discuss the plight of big cats and to talk about the Big Cats Initiative, which we launched with National Geographic to help stop the decline of big cats in the wild.” Help “Cause an Uproar” to save big cats by visiting causeanuproar.org
The Jouberts’ commitment to conservation also led them to create Great Plains Conservation, which generates much needed revenue for local communities, helps them care for their natural and wildlife resources and protects large swaths of land for Africa’s dwindling wildlife populations.
Great Plains Conservation is a conservation company that uses tourism as a major component to help make conservation financially viable through what we call “Conservation Tourism.” Our projects in Botswana and Kenya are rooted in this passion to make the environment whole again. It focuses on providing a meaningful experience, something special for people but by doing so with a strong commitment to the lowest impact, high value, and safari experiences. Ensuring that areas in which we operate are environmentally sustainable and financially working enterprises for conservation and for communities is what we consider responsible tourism and business. Great Plains Conservation is continually recognized by leading travel publications and organizations for its role in creating the ultimate in responsible tourism areas which not only incorporate local land owners and communities but provide havens for Africa wildlife and the ultimate in guest experience. We are the recipients of the World Responsible Tourism Award and our camps continually feature in leading publications such as Condé Nast, Travel + Leisure, National Geographic Traveler and the annual Good Safari Guide Awards.