|
|
Wildlife Commission’s New Bear Documentary Makes Television Debut RALEIGH, N.C. (Oct. 8, 2004) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s new documentary on black bears in North Carolina will make its television debut on cable-access channel WRPX (PAX 47) on Oct. 17 at 5 p.m.
The 30-minute documentary, The Bear Facts, The Story of a North Carolina Treasure, features bear footage from the mountains and the coastal plain. Mark Jones, the Wildlife Commission’s black bear biologist, wrote and directed the documentary, which features five segments: history and biology of black bears, research and monitoring, co-existing with bears, hunting traditions, and the future of black bears in North Carolina. “We also included information to clear up some myths about this North Carolina treasure,” Jones said. “I’ve met citizens from urban areas who believe black bears are endangered like grizzlies or polar bears, and I think it’s important to get the word out about North Carolina’s healthy black bear populations. “On the other extreme, some North Carolinians who live in bear country must deal with bear-human conflicts, and this documentary teaches people how to co-exist with bears peacefully.” The black bear documentary took three years to produce. It will be available by February 2005 on VHS and DVD through the Wildlife Commission’s WILD Store. The documentary complements a bear brochure that Jones updates annually and distributes to the public through Wildlife Commission staff. PAX 47 covers markets in parts of 22 counties in central North Carolina from Raleigh to Roanoke Rapids and Wilson to Chapel Hill. Jones said the Wildlife Commission is negotiating with other networks to broadcast the documentary. “We’ll post updates on our Web site as we negotiate additional TV coverage in the future and in other parts of North Carolina,” Jones said. “We’re also seeking a corporate partnership to defray production cost and allow us to sell copies of the documentary at a reduced price.” See
information on times when the documentary will air or to purchase
the bear documentary. |
