Abstract:

Found nowhere else on earth but the last few pockets of wilderness along East Asia’s rugged coastline, the Black-Faced Spoonbill is the only spoonbill currently regarded as endangered.

Twice a year, this enigmatic bird undertakes a behemoth migration that navigates through the heart of Asia, a part of the world where geopolitical tensions always run high. The route is full of danger from predators, the elements, and the biggest threat of all, the loss of habitat from this rapidly developing region. Its survival or extinction is a clear indicator of the health of this region’s flora and fauna.

For the very first time, this magnificent migration has been captured on full HD. The film documents an epic journey, 2,000 kilometres from its wintering grounds in Taiwan, across coastal China, and the Yellow Sea, to the world’s most dangerous flashpoint ? the demilitarized zone between North and South Korea ? finally reaching the bird’s annual breeding ground.

The film crew crisscrossed East Asia, flying over 16,000 kilometres to capture breathtaking HD images of one of the region’s most loved birds. The Black-Faced Spoonbill symbolizes an angel sending a message of peace and natural benevolence to the areas it migrates across. This story transcends any political, geographic or ethnic borders. We reveal a group of dedicated scientists and conservationists who are divided by these borders but share one common goal ? the conservation and protection of this endangered species and their last remaining habitats.