BHIGWAN – A Story of Wolves, Flamingos, and Village Individuals is a wildlife documentary that I shot over the course of just about a 12 months. It offers with a topic that’s near my coronary heart: how can people and nature coexist? Curious to listen to extra about my little ardour challenge? Then learn on …Final 12 months, I used to be within the stunning space of Salzburg within the little city referred to as Dienten for a summer time vacation with my household. We had been mountain climbing throughout alpine pastures and sat down at a bit alpine hut for a refreshing drink after we began a dialog with our host about wolves. Only recently, wolves had reappeared on this space and killed two of his sheep.Whereas I instantly expressed my fascination that wolves had been coming again into our forests in stunning Austria, the alpine hut proprietor bought fairly upset and identified that his sheep had been extremely frightened and due to this fact, these “problematic wolves” have to be shot down. He mentioned, he has to cope with monetary loss, and no one wants wolves anyway.That bought me hooked.I used to be considering, in our wealthy and “superior” society, have we misplaced our capacity to cope with the constructive proven fact that biodiversity appears to lastly be growing after many many years of so many species going extinct in Austria, and all around the world? In fact, we’re speaking about wild predators right here. However is it nonetheless that very same previous angle that we people have the ability to determine which animals and species are allowed in nature? So, I used to be discussing this topic with my expensive good friend Parag Aklujkar, an Indian wildlife photographer who could be very well-connected inside the Indian wildlife images neighborhood. He did some analysis, and we settled on doing a documentary on the “Indian means” of coexistence to get a brand new perspective on this subject.The Indian gray wolf. Picture credit score: Parag AklujkarEventually, we selected the world round Bhigwan, which is situated round 100 kilometers from Pune, India. It’s an fascinating place, significantly as a result of the exceptional ecosystem that emerged right here was an unintended consequence of a dam constructed years in the past to safe water provides for main Indian cities. Therefore, it has additionally turn out to be a spot the place nature and wild predators have re-emerged.Bhigwan and the waterbody created by the development of a dam. Picture credit score: Gunther MachuThe space round Bhigwan is dwelling to wetlands and grasslands, providing an actual likelihood to identify wild wolves. There are solely about 3,000 of them left in India—fewer even than the Bengal tiger, which will get all the eye of conservation efforts. However that was not sufficient for me, as I used to be desperate to get the perspective of as many concerned events as attainable. I wished to listen to from shepherds, farmers, and homestay homeowners internet hosting vacationers to listen to what they give thought to coexisting with wild predators.And what they advised me was humbling. Thought-about a “wealthy” European in Indian phrases, my perspective shifted dramatically once I encountered the challenges confronted by Indian shepherds. Sure, whereas I used to be conscious of the occasional wild wolf assault on their goats, the shepherds’ responses to those threats had been actually astonishing.Indian shepherds. Picture credit score: Gunther MachuThe similar was true for village individuals, nurturing their little farmlands. Indian farmers. Picture credit score: Gunther MachuThere aren’t any fences round their properties, so goats, sheep, and water buffalo are overtly uncovered. They talked about that “wolves are our associates—when their ft contact our land, it’s a blessing for us.”One other Indian wolf noticed on farmland. Picture credit score: Gunther MachuIn European phrases, these persons are very poor. Nonetheless, they view themselves, wolves, and different wild predators as integral components of the bigger image and never as separate components. I believe we will all be taught from them. Their instance could be very inspiring to me, and I hope that some European politicians and farmers may also begin seeing it in the same means. A kingfisher catching fish. Picture credit score: Gunther MachuLast however not least, the wetlands round Bhigwan are a haven for chicken fans, and even flamingos have turn out to be resident birds right here. Formally, this space just isn’t protected due to the industrial pursuits that led to the development of the dam.And once more, to my shock, native villagers have understood that this space must be protected and fashioned a gaggle referred to as “Agnipankh”—which means “wings of fireplace.” They perceive that ecotourism can turn out to be an incredible supply of earnings.Flamingos within the night solar. Picture credit score: Gunther MachuA massive “thanks” goes to Panasonic for lending me a LUMIX G9 II, the LUMIX 12-35mm F2.8, and LEICA 100-400mm F5.0 – 6.3 lenses with a 2x teleconverter, which I used together with my very own LUMIX S1 and a Canon EF 100-400mm F4.5-5.6.Let me know what you consider this little ardour challenge of mine. I’m completely satisfied to debate this within the feedback part under.
