In early 2009 a collaboration of UK and Dominican partners received a Darwin Initiative grant from the UK Government to run a three-year project based in the Dominican Republic to study the hutia and the solenodon, two very rare mammals.
This animals are the last survivors of a long list of endemic mammals which populated the Caribbean, and were already there when the dinosaurs got extinct.
Scientists don’t know much about its ecology and behaviour and the local people rarely see them, as they live in the forest and go out at night.
As part of the environmental education campaign we are producing -jointly with the researchers and the local community- four short videos about these species.
Each film is intend to reach different audiences and everybody is participating in the production. Funk Productions is providing training and production skills, while researchers and locals are filming and organising activities.
We already started the post-production to put it all together in a professional format. The videos will be available early 2011 and will contribute to create environmental awareness for the protection of these very special animals.
