Experience an amazing story of survival, perseverance and conservation at the Museum of History’s IMAX® Theatre

May 6, 2014, Gatineau, Quebec — On May 9, the Museum of History’s IMAX^® Theatre will premiere Pandas 3D, giving audiences a unique glimpse into one of the most incredible conservation efforts in human history. A group of scientists in China is working to increase the number of pandas in captivity and, far more ambitiously, to return pandas to their natural home in the wild.

The giant panda is one of the rarest species on our planet. Shy, elusive and gentle creatures, they once ranged in great numbers between Beijing and the Himalayas. But now, after centuries of human expansion and destruction of their habitat, the giant pandas are on the brink of extinction, with fewer than 1,600 remaining. Pandas 3D, a groundbreaking natural-history film, portrays for the first time in 3D the highly endangered giant pandas living in Wolong National Nature Reserve in the People’s Republic of China.

Pandas 3D follows the pandas at a significant milestone in their history. After decades of captive breeding, the Wolong National Nature Reserve has hit its target number of 300 giant pandas and must tackle the challenge of re-introducing breeding populations of the species into the wild.

Filmmakers were given unrivalled access to the Wolong National Nature Reserve with the support of the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association, and the China Conservation and Research Centre for the Giant Panda. Oxford Scientific Films was granted permission to film the rare release of a panda bred in captivity and to follow a group of pandas being prepared for the wild in a mountain habitat, a first for a Western film crew. Alongside the natural breeding program, the film also follows the captive breeding program with footage of new-borns, young pandas playing and methods of encouraging the pandas to mate. With this iconic creature excruciatingly close to extinction, Pandas 3D is an extraordinary portrayal of how pandas live and the astonishing measures that conservationists are taking to ensure their future.

“Pandas 3D will give audiences insight into the extraordinary strides that have been made towards saving the panda in the wild, but will also convey that much work has yet to be done,” said Lisa Truitt, president of National Geographic Cinema Ventures.

Directed by Nicolas Brown and produced by Caroline Hawkins, Pandas 3D is an Oxford Scientific Films production for National Geographic Entertainment and Sky 3D, in association with the Chinese Wildlife Conservation Association, Wolong Panda Conservation Centre, CCTV9 and Nat Geo WILD. The film has been rated G and has a run time of 40 minutes.

For film schedules, please visit our website at www.historymuseum.ca/imax
or call 819-776-7010.

Tickets are now on sale at the Museum Box Office.

-30-

Media contacts

Stéphanie Verner ♦ Media Relations Officer
Telephone: 819-776-7169 ♦ Email: stephanie.verner@historymuseum.ca

 Patricia Lynch ♦ Manager, Media Relations, Partnerships and Special Events
Telephone: 819-776-7167 ♦ Email: patricia.lynch@historymuseum.ca