I had the pleasure of watching Wild Tamil Nadu over the weekend. This one hour long documentary takes one on a journey throughout Tamil Nadu from the shola grasslands all the way to brackish coastal estuaries, with the different biomes in between. It was produced under the CSR initiative of the TVS group, produced by Nature in Focus and is presently being played in PVR.
Structure:
The documentary follows the classification found in Sangam texts that divided Tamil nadu between Kurinji( Mountains), Mullai( Forests),Marutham( Croplands),Palai(Arid Zones) and Neithal( Coasts).
In each area along with breathtaking shots of the overall landscape and the different animals that live there, we follow the lives of species, that are not as well known but who play a vital role in maintaining the ecosystems that characterize this part of the country, with many charismatic species while present getting a little lesser focus.
Highlights:
From the majestic hornbill, who for the first time in my recollection have been caught engaging in aerial combat to the egrets that capture insects unsettled by a harvesting of rice paddy to the life and death struggle between ants and the deadly antlion that predates on ants by trying to bury them in a sandpit of its own making to the symbiotic relationship between blind shrimp and guppies.
On the advertisements it promises to show never before seen footage, and it does deliver that.
This documentary is the first to capture the Madras Hedgehog on film as well as capturing the cooperative fishing technique of cormorants that corral fish in one area for all the temporary denizens of Lake Pullicat to feast. For those who have seen the cooperative fishing of underwater creatures and birds on National Geographic you wont be disappointed.
The documentary also managed to capture sperm whales in the gulf of Mannar, as well as get video evidence of Olive ridley turtles nesting on Marina beach of all places.
The film makers undoubtedly succeeded in showing the full panaroma of life within Tamil Nadu, with the time they had.
Criticism:
If there is one criticism of this documentary other than its length which is too short in my opinion, it is that maybe enough focus was not put on the issues facing wildlife in an increasingly urbanizing India, it is good to focus on the symbiotic relationship that some elephants in where they eat weeds that grow in tea plantations on the valparai plateau, during their migration from Annamalai tiger reserve., but focus should be given on the issues that are occurring as habitats are fragmented and animals are forced into areas that they would rather not be in.
Some of the landscapes shown in this documentary were also shown in documentary on the Nilgiris by the Nilekani foundation where human wildlife conflict was front and center, given that this documentary will in all likelihood be shown in zoos, schools and colleges throughout Tamil Nadu, focusing more on effects urbanization is having and not just instances of coexistence, would have been beneficial.
Conclusion:
Overall, aside from this quibble, everything from the direction to the footage captured( like imagine sperm whales being captured so close to Indian coast) , to the lesser known animals who are the stars of this documentary and carry it effectively without their more charismatic peers this is worth a watch and definitely should be supported. I am confident that many people in both Tamil Nadu and elsewhere will feel even more motivated to learn about and preserve our natural heritage after seeing how diverse and resilient it is.
Two hornbills interlocking in aerial combat
There is a thriving population of dugongs in both the Paki Strait and Gulf Of Mannar who sadly did not make an appearance in this documentary.