Boomerangst: blending laughter with conservation
A New Eco-Comedy Series Blending Laughter with Conservation
Boomerangst is a one-of-a-kind television series that explores the intersection of comedy, relationships, and environmental conservation through the lens of Indigenous values. Set against the stunning natural backdrop of Kamloops, British Columbia, Boomerangst follows a group of residents entangled in the very real and polarizing conflict caused by open-pit mining. As the series unfolds, the characters navigate the challenges of love, friendship, and life—much like the ensemble cast of FRIENDS—while battling the environmental threats that loom over their land, much like the powerful environmental themes of YELLOWSTONE.
Inspired by Indigenous Wisdom and Cultural Perspectives
At its core, Boomerangst draws from the deep-rooted wisdom of Indigenous values, reminding audiences of our connection to the earth and our responsibility to protect it. Through humor and heartfelt moments, the series aims to bring attention to the conservation of species endangered by human activity. Indigenous characters play a central role, offering guidance on sustainability and traditional ecological knowledge while emphasizing the importance of living in harmony with the land.
Environmental Conservation Through Comedy
The series shines a spotlight on species threatened by encroaching industrial development, particularly open-pit mining in Kamloops. Among the wildlife we focus on are the:
- Great Basin Spadefoot: A tiny amphibian crucial to local ecosystems.
- Burrowing Owl: A rare and charismatic bird facing habitat loss.
- Western Painted Turtle: A striking species whose wetlands are shrinking.
- Big Horn Sheep: Iconic mountain-dwelling animals whose habitats are fragmented.
- Fishers: Elusive mammals that rely on old-growth forests.
- Tiger Salamanders: Sensitive amphibians vulnerable to land disruption.
- Badgers: Fierce yet endangered animals that play a vital ecological role.
Each episode balances heartfelt moments and comedic insights with the urgency of conservation, offering viewers an inspiring and hopeful perspective on how we can all take part in protecting our planet. Whether it's through preserving wetlands, rewilding forests, or advocating for responsible industry practices, Boomerangst encourages audiences to laugh and take action for a more sustainable future.
From Kamloops to the World
Created by Mastermind Studios, Boomerangst is the brainchild of Dr. George M. Johnson, Professor of creative writing at Thompson Rivers University. Currently in development, the series is poised to deliver a compelling message wrapped in laughter and drama, offering a fresh take on how we view conservation and community. By mixing humor with hard-hitting environmental issues, Boomerangst is more than just a show—it's a movement to protect the natural world, one laugh at a time.
the great basin spadefoot
Why is the Great Basin Spadefoot at risk?
The Great Basin Spadefoot is one of a number of wildlife species at risk that live in the grasslands and open woodlands of the Southern Interior of British Columbia. Animals such as the Pigmy Short-horned Lizard, Night Snake, Gray Flycatcher and Pallid Bat, as well as a host of rare insect and plant species, are found nowhere else in Canada. As with other species at risk, the Great Basin Spadefoot is limited by the availability and quality of its required habitat.
The Great Basin spadefoot is an amphibian in the family Scaphiopodidae. It is 3.8 to 6.3 centimetres long and is usually colored gray, olive or brown. The Great Basin spadefoot has adapted to life in dry habitats.
The Great Basin Spadefoot is restricted in Canada to dry grassland valleys in south-central British Columbia, with the Okanagan Valley having the largest population concentration. The low-elevation dry grasslands of the Okanagan are one of Canada’s most endangered ecosystems with less than nine percent of this habitat remaining undisturbed. The region faces tremendous development pressures, both from intensive agriculture and urbanization. The Great Basin Spadefoot needs three quite separate habitats: breeding ponds, foraging areas, and hibernating sites. Dispersal routes between these habitats are also required. Perhaps the most critical variable for an amphibian living in an arid environment is the availability of water for breeding. The Great Basin Spadefoot typically breeds in small ponds that may dry up in July or August. These ponds must last at least six weeks for larval development to take place, usually finished by the end of June. In the last 20 years the water table has dropped significantly at many sites in the Canadian range of the Great Basin Spadefoot. While this drop is partly due to reduced precipitation over that time period, accelerating human development in these areas and the consequent increase in the number of wells that have been dug is undoubtedly also lowering the water table.
The Great Basin Spadefoot is at risk in British Columbia because of its restricted distribution, its dependence on specialized habitats of temporary pools of water in dry regions, and loss of wetland breeding habitat and grassland foraging habitat to urbanization and intensive agriculture. Spadefoots typically breed in small ponds that may dry up by summer. Increased human and agricultural use is presumably responsible for a reduced water table which impacts this specialized toad habitat. While it is protected from capture or killing under the British Columbia Wildlife Act, its habitat remains unprotected. Landowners can help to ensure the continued survival of this amphibian by fencing breeding ponds, stopping stocking of lakes and ponds with game fish, and retaining wetlands and the natural vegetation around them.
- Spadefoots are distinguished from other Anura (frogs, toads and spadefoots) by vertical "cat's eye" pupils.
- Grey or tan with irregular vague stripes and blotches, and small, round, red bumps.
- Wide, flat body and short legs, adults can reach 6 cm in length.
- The hind feet have a single, black, hard, spade-shaped knob on the heel for digging.
- Light tan or grey hatchlings have a broad triangular head, that appears to be distinctly separated from the body.
- Tadpoles can reach 7 cm in length and are dark with gold flecks forming a conspicuous 'Y' across the body.
Great Basin Spadefoot photos provided by Karl W. Larsen (PhD), Professor, Thompson Rivers University