Editor’s Note: Call to Earth is a CNN editorial series committed to reporting on the environmental challenges facing our planet, as well as the solutions. Rolex’s Perpetual Planet initiative has partnered with CNN to raise awareness and educate on key sustainability issues and to inspire positive action.
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Originally a term used by trophy hunters in Africa, the “Big Five” described the most difficult animals to shoot and kill: the lion, elephant, leopard, rhino and buffalo. Nowadays, it is used more loosely to refer to some of Africa’s largest and most iconic animals.
However, British photographer Graeme Green has reclaimed the narrative, creating a global “New Big Five” for wildlife photography. In 2021, 50,000 people around the world voted for the five animals they would most like to photograph or see photographed in the wild. Five animals were crowned winners: the elephant, polar bear, lion, gorilla and tiger.
This week sees the release of ‘The New Big 5’ photography book, which features images of these and other imperiled wildlife from photography legends such as Ami Vitale, Steve McCurry and Paul Nicklen , as well as essays by famous environmentalists and activists. including as Jane Goodall and Paula Kahumbu.
Green says the book celebrates wildlife and is a global call to action on issues impacting wildlife, including habitat loss, poaching, pollution and climate change.
Green was on a mission in Botswana at least a decade ago when he came up with the idea for a project to encourage people to “shoot with a camera, not a gun,” he says.
“I thought it would be a way to get people to really focus on wildlife, to think about the wildlife that they love, to think about animals that are in danger.”
In total, the book includes the work of 144 world-renowned wildlife photographers, from Ecuador to India. Preserving the images took nearly two years of work, Green said.
“I think these are some of the most beautiful and creative images I’ve seen collected in one book,” says Green. “These are the species we risk losing. »
According to the UN, nature is declining at an unprecedented rate, with around one million of the planet’s animal and plant species at risk of extinction. The “New Big 5,” all of which are threatened, act as ambassadors for what’s happening in the natural world, Green says.
In addition to being a powerful reminder of what we stand to lose, the book also points people toward potential solutions. Featured essays explore the benefits of rewilding and the importance of indigenous communities in conservation.
A chapter on endangered species, from bees to blue whales, illustrates the alarming threat that climate change poses to animals outside the “New Big 5.” “This is just the tip of the iceberg. I could have included thousands of photos because that shows how serious the situation is,” Green said.
Jane Goodall, a prominent environmental advocate who also wrote the book’s afterword, said in a press release that “we have a window of time in which we can begin to undo some of the damage we have inflicted on the natural world, but only if we come together and act now.
“I hope the photos will draw people into the wonderful worlds of these iconic species. So, maybe other people will get involved to help create a world where wildlife can flourish for future generations to enjoy,” she said.
“The New Big 5: A Global Photography Project For Endangered Wildlife”, by Graeme Green, published by Earth Aware Editions, is on sale from April 4, 2023.