South Africa is proposing to fight a war against the ongoing rapid loss of biodiversity and also to preserve an example of every plant and animal in the world.
The pictures look like shining geodesic domes that mimic animal habitats sit alongside the biggest aquarium in the world, set to be filled with all kinds of endangered marine life. The sanctuary started as more of a family interest, taking in orphaned and injured animals and birds, but as they brought in more and more orphans; the sanctuary grew quickly and in 1992 it was decided to open its doors to the public in order to subsidize the immense cost of feeding and caring for the birds and animals daily.
Since then, the sanctuary has continued to grow and improve and is now home to over 250 species of birds and several animals, both indigenous to Africa and also from overseas. While some funding is coming from the CTA, the pair is currently using crowdfunding to raise most of the nearly €5.5 billion needed for the construction of their massive “world-saving solution”.
Not an insignificant challenge under the heat of the South African sun, but one that he says could lead to advancements in space travel. If the project can maintain miniature eco-systems within these Geo-domes successfully, then similar technology could allow us to live on other planets.
Planets whose atmospheres aren’t compatible with human life, or so the theory goes. These kinds of technological obstacles face Noah’s Ark at every turn as the team figure out how to navigate such a unique construction project. Powering such an extensive park is one concern, with the team looking to geothermal solutions and harnessing electricity using solar glass. They are welcoming suggestions from individuals and companies offering innovative solutions to problems like power, transport, and materials, says Richard.
Calling on a global community to bridge the gap between what is currently possible and the project’s ultimate future, he believes that a collective sense of ownership is the way forward. “If we pull together all our of our ideas, we can really make a difference.” Throughout the construction of Noah’s Ark, a film crew will follow everything that Richard, Hein, and the team face whilst building the park.
Described as an “eclectic mix”: part docudrama, part environmental education, the series intends to carry the conservation message outside of the physical project itself and to an audience watching at home. For Richard, it’s just another way to pull together like-minded people, “when we all walk on the same path, we end up in the same place”.
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