Wildlife filmmaker Jonathan Keeling tells Asmita Sarkar about his adventures and the impact of documentaries
In the tussle between man and the wild, animals have drawn the short straw. With land encroachments in every part of the world, wildlife population is estimated to decline by two-third till 2020. We have already lost 60 per cent of the wildlife, according to a report.
People are aware of climate change, of plastics’ harmful effects but not enough about wildlife loss, according to Jonathan Keeling, consulting executive producer of BBC’s Planet Earth II. His work has taken him to each of the seven continents and his next, Seven Worlds will show the challenges that wildlife is facing. Most of his shows are on view on Sony BBC Earth in India.
The show is partially shot in Mumbai, which is a city of 20 million people and also has the densest population of leopards anywhere in the world. “It is a unique situation. No jungle, no other place but Mumbai has the most concentrated number of leopards,” said he.
To shoot the sequence, they used cameras that didn’t need lights at night. Technology has advanced enough that miniature cameras, that can be mounted on animals, drones and buggies are used. The storytelling technique has also changed so that it’s emotional and dramatic, with a protagonist and an antagonist, which is what is pulling younger crowds, he believes.
“Last year, when Blue Planet II released, it had the highest viewing numbers in the UK and soon banning plastics was on the agenda for the parliament and companies. People on the streets were talking about how plastic was damaging the marine life,” he said, adding that the younger generation is now interested in watching documentaries as much as sports events or pop reality shows, which he also enjoys watching.
During his travels, he’s closely observed how human encroachment is affecting animals and their behaviour. So, while conservation has become a hot topic in this space so is showing the new species and old with their behaviour.
“How a monkey would behave with you depends on if it’s being fed,” jokes Jonathan. “Some run and hide, some are more relaxed with people. If you go to a temple, there are monkeys but they have seen humans for hundreds of years and their behaviour is calm. There are places where animals encountered people but are much more shy. In Papua New Guinea, my team looked for a new species in a volcanic crater in a jungle, which hasn’t been explored in 60,000 years. Local people haven’t gone there since it is a sacred place. I picked a Tree Kangaroo off a branch and held it and it was just relaxed. We picked up a Cuscus, looked at it and put it back. It wasn’t bothered. We also found the world’s biggest rodent, the Bosavi rat, which was the highlight for me. And, it was super relaxed. It is a complex relationship,” he said.
As more urban centres come up and humans move into animal landscape and dominate that with buildings and roads, it’s hugely transformed which is true for large parts of Europe and Asia. In such situations, wildlife corridors are important which make space for animals is important. “Forty years ago we made the first global wildlife documentary called Life on Earth. Since that time we lost somewhere close to 2/3 of the population of big animals. We are the first generation that has been able to observe the impact through satellites and also on the ground. Previous generations weren’t aware but now we are. It’s time to do something,” he said.
They have also been able to reach a Chinese audience now which translates to around 250 million people and the global scope, age group and sheer numbers have a really big impact.
While politicians debate globally if climate change is real or not and it’s impacts — the North and South Pole are melting. And Jonathan wonders if the penguin population can adapt quickly enough for it to survive through this man made crisis.