New Release

Reviews

Dr.Gary Fitt. President. Queensland Finch Society - Australia

" It's fantastic. Very well put together, informative and persuasive."

Neville Brickell. Author, Avicultural Researcher and photographer - South Africa

"An outstanding work that will appeal to ornithologists and aviculturists alike "

Peter Borchert : Founder Africa Geographic (Pty) ltd - South Africa

"Congrats to you and the whole Shelley's team - your work (including the DVD) on behalf of this tiny bird is to be admired and ,I hope,appreciated by all who have an interest in the knowledge gathering and conservation of Africa's birds ".

David Dennison : Publisher and Editor of Avizandum magazine

What you will see in the documentary :

The Shelley’s Crimsonwing (Cryptospiza shelleyi) is one of the rarest finches in Africa. It inhabits the same dense Albertine Rift highland forest as the threatened Mountain Gorillas of Uganda, Rwanda and DRC of central Africa.

Today, thanks to the early pioneering work done by Dian Fossey in Rwanda in the late 1960’s and the classic movie Gorillas in the Mist, more is known about the estimated 680 remaining Mountain Gorillas than is known about the elusive Shelley’s Crimsonwing finch. Both keystone species act as ambassadors for the diminishing tropical forests of the world.

This bird is categorized by Birdlife International in the IUCN Red Data list as Vulnerable (likely population 2,500 to 9,999) but lack of data prohibits a more accurate classification. Extensive field research already conducted by the Rare Finch Conservation Group (RFCG), which is made up of a group of highly dedicated finch enthusiasts, suggests that the finch is in dire straights and needs urgent attention.

This DVD shows the remarkable story of how the RFCG, with the support of worldwide donors, is overcoming enormous logistical and financial hurdles to save this bird from probable extinction.