Remembering Wildlife is a successful fundraising photo book series that has had various titles memory of cheetahs (opens in new tab) and Remembering African Wild Dogs (opens in new tab). It will be the seventh book in the critically acclaimed series remember bears (opens in new tab)published on October 10, 2022.
Remembering Wildlife’s mission is simple – the world’s leading photographers donate their photographs to a species, and those images are then transformed into a beautifully bound photo book, the sale of which supports conservation efforts around the world. Images have been donated in previous books by prolific wildlife photographers including Steve Winter, Art Wolfe, Frans Lanting, Brent Stirton, Tim Laman, and Jonathan and Angela Scott.
Remembering Bears introduces all eight bear species from around the world: American black bear, Andean bear, Asiatic black bear, brown bear, giant panda, polar bear, sloth bear and sun bear – with the aim of raising awareness of their plight and also to raise funds to protect them.
A successful Kickstarter campaign (opens in new tab) In early 2022 he secured funding for the book with a pledge of £145,998 out of a total target of £20,000.
Each series of Remembering Wildlife has helped species most in need of protection around the world. So why bears this year? According to Remembering Wildlife, six of the eight bear species are listed as Vulnerable or Vulnerable by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) due to pressures ranging from climate change to human-animal conflict.
Remembering Wildlife founder Margot Raggett says: “People have had a special bond with bears for a long time – we hugged them at night as children and love to see them in storybooks and on screen. However, in the real world, they are not always viewed with the same affection and can be seen as a nuisance or a threat.
“Through pictures and words, this book spotlights their diversity, beauty and resilience, raises awareness of their plight, and raises funds for organizations passionate about the future of bears.”
The book’s foreword is by wildlife filmmaker, presenter and speaker Gordon Buchanan MBE, who describes his “enviable and unforgettable experience” with bears. Other contributors include Jill Robinson MBE, Founder and CEO of Animals Asia, who works to raise awareness of the bear bile trade. She says the book “honors the world’s most notable bear species.”
Actor, comedian, writer and animal rights activist Ricky Gervais wrote the acknowledgment on the back, warning that we must fight for bears or lose them forever. He describes Remembering Bears as “a wonderful book that shows how beautiful bears are and what we lose if we don’t stand up for them now.” You deserve better.”
Participate in the Remembering Bears launch event
Get your copy of Remembering Bears.
Remembering Bears will cost £45 (about US$50), with all profits from sales going to charity to help protect bears. Order your copy now (opens in new tab).
A Remembering Bears launch event will take place on Thursday 13 October at the Royal Geographical Society in London, where you will be able to meet some of the key photographers who have been part of the project. Gordon Buchanan will speak alongside Margot Raggett at the official launch event. Also on the RGS stage will be Thomas D. Mangelsen, the acclaimed photographer and BBC Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
Tickets are now available here (opens in new tab) for the launch event, but they can also be viewed live online. To learn more, visit the Remembering Bears page (opens in new tab).
If you are interested in wildlife, check them out Best camera for wildlife photography (opens in new tab)and the best trail cameras (opens in new tab) – which helps you spot shy animals. These are the best lenses for bird photography and wildlife (opens in new tab).
