Join NYC Parks, Wildlife Conservation Film Festival (WCFF), THE Natural Areas Conservancy (NAC) and Nat Geo WILD for the world premiere screening of Mission Critical, a new monthly series devoted to moving our global audience to help preserve the rarest animals and wildest places on earth before it’s too late.

Bring a blanket or chair, food and drink (no alcohol), and a curiosity for our planet’s rarest animals wildest places.

About Panda Babies: Mission Critical
In China, one of the planets best-loved and magical creatures is fighting to survive. With fewer than two thousand giant pandas left in the wild, the race is on to build their numbers up. Deep in the Sichuan Mountains, three of the leading panda centers in the world are doing just that, and we’re uncovering the secrets to their success. Journey behind the scenes to three panda maternity wards to see what it takes to save the world’s cutest animal icon. We’ll be visiting a nursery at Bifengxia, to follow the first stages of baby panda life before heading off to Dujiangyan, where toddlers make friends and build relationships. From there it’s on to Wolong, where some pandas are getting ready for life in the wild. Prepare to see pandas as you’ve never seen them before.
About Operation Sumatran Rhino: Mission Critical
In Borneo, Sumatran rhinos’ numbers are down to just single digits. Conservationists are on a desperate mission to save the country’s last individuals. The only way to ensure the safety and survival of these last rhinos is to capture all remaining in the wild — a dangerous and costly operation. Follow Malaysia’s foremost rhino scientists in their incredible quest to save this critically endangered species.
Join us under the Arch and the stars for a free evening of world premiere films. Bring a blanket or chair, food and drink (no alcohol), and a curiosity for our planet’s rarest animals wildest places.
The world premiere in one of New York City’s most famous parks will also highlight the need for local conservation as a means to increase quality of life in urban areas, which holds more than half the world’s people. NYC Parks and the NAC are dedicated to the long-term sustainability and conservation of its tens of thousands of acres of green spaces that clean the air and water, shade people from increasing temperatures, and provide communities with meaningful connection to local nature.
The 2016 Wildlife Conservation Film Festival will celebrate its six year anniversary October 14-23, ten days of panel discussions, receptions, field trips, biodiversity conference and more. Over 85 documentary films will be screened, many world premieres, representing over 45 nations.