An animal lover since childhood, Nigel Marven is one of those fortunate ones who manage to turn their passion into their profession. The renowned television presenter, producer and author has anchored several nature-related shows such as Ten Deadliest Snakes with Nigel series, Untamed China , Wild Colombia and Jaguar Adventure .
He is now back on Animal Planet with Nigel Marven’s Wild Philippines , a three-part series that takes a close look at the flora and fauna of the archipelago. What makes the series special is that some of the species on show have never been captured on camera before.
In an interaction, Nigel talks about the series, importance of conservation and the need to involve local communities in preserving the environment.
Excerpts:
How did the series come into being?
Earlier I had done a programme for Discovery called Ten Deadliest Snakes which was shot in India and Philippines besides other countries. While making this programme, I realised that there were so many extraordinary animals in Philippines, many of which have not been filmed before. So I decided to bring them in this show. We start with the Luzon island, where the capital Manila is located. We explore corals and the endangered Philippine crocodile there. Next is Palawan, located in the west and close to Borneo, and here we see special animals including a giant pitcher plant – a insect eating plant inside which we found a dead rat. Although there are thousands of islands, we took up the seven largest ones.
The show covers from tarantulas to eagles, amazing coral reefs, tarsier, a nocturnal monkey which eats insects, colourful birds, whale sharks, some of which are 10 metres long and feed on the shrimps, among others. We also shot an amazing procession of buffaloes in the town of Pulilan, in which they are of them are painted and walked through the town to pass by a church for farmers to pay their respect to the shrine. The series has several plants and animals never seen before and that is precisely what is exciting about it.
What new species will the global audience get to see in this show?
I have already mentioned about the tarsier. One will see tarantulas which glows blue in the torch light, a number of birds never shown before, including a colourful peacock. Exploring the coral reefs, we watch some unique underwater life. Among the birds we will showcase the world’s largest eagle, the Philippine eagle which the country’s national bird. It is critically endangered and is being bred in captivity. Interestingly, the eagle grows to become so large and powerful that it is able feed on monkeys. I end the show with an eagle on my hand.
Apart from this we get to see the Philippine sailfin lizard which runs on water making those scenes extraordinary. Then there are some amazing snakes, including a cobra in lovely golden colour. Taking to the waters, I dive with the whale sharks, one of the largest fish in the sea, and handle a sea krait. We also shot a seahorse, pink in colour, and it looks fantastic. One last thing I would like to add, which is extraordinary and would be loved by the audience, are the tamaraw or the Mindoro dwarf buffalo, whose habitat is found in high mountains.
Share with us the challenges and dangers faced while shooting the series
The main challenge was that of the budget. We had to be very sure that we are going to find the animals at the right place and time and that required intensive research. Filming thresher sharks which have long tails in deep waters was indeed challenging. That was first time in my life I saw a thresher shark.
As regarding dangers, there weren’t too many. Over the years I have learnt to take calculated risks. Having said that, I would like to add that more people die driving four-wheelers on the road than because of attacks by animals.
Tell us about some of your unforgettable moments while making the show
One was the experience with the thresher shark. I was sitting on the edge when this shark came out of the blues towards me. Another was the buffalo festival in Pulilan in which I saw for the first time water buffaloes in such large numbers in a procession. Besides, these, filming mountain buffaloes will always remain etched in my mind. Last but not the least is the truly amazing experience of Philippines eagle sitting on my hand.
Do you think the series will add to conservation awareness?
I hope it to create awareness both globally and locally amongst people about the rich flora and fauna of the Philippines and how important it is to conserve it. The main issue there is the loss of rain forests since its unchecked destruction will result in loss of their national bird, the eagle. The region is endowed with some of the best coral reefs in the world like the Tubbataha one which we have shown.
It is well patrolled by the rangers who are very strict with enforcing laws. That is the reason why there are so many fishes there. It is one of the best places I have ever dived.
How can we strike a balance between development and conservation?
That is definitely an important issue to be addressed and one hopes that people realise that there is a need to integrate development and conservation. We need to emphasise that protection of ecology is always beneficial for the present generation and the future one. This is where one needs to replicate the Indian example, where a network of national parks have been created to protect environment. It is not just the laws but their strict implementation that is must. In the Philippines there is a move to save the rain forests and it is bound to pay dividends considering that the logging companies are not as powerful as they used to be.
How important is the involvementof local communities in conservation?
That is of vital importance and that is what will sustain the conservation in the long run. Protected areas yield revenue as it attracts wildlife enthusiasts, natural life photographers and international and domestic tourists. This boosts the local economy generating employment and business. The crux is that forest and wildlife protection pays in the long run. Also forests yield a lot in terms of food and fuel that can be used by the local communities.
