“The beautiful Nagarahole National Park is home to some of the most endangered large mammals of India, including tigers, plus the single largest concentration of Asiatic elephants anywhere in the world”

This thought-provoking documentary covers a year in one of India 's finest national parks, from the arrival of the monsoon, when the forest gets rejuvenated, to the hot summer months when the water sources dry up and forest fires threaten survival.

Human interference in forest habitats - illegal encroachments, deliberate forest fires and coffee plantations along elephant migratory paths - all are factors that threaten the survival of the region's wildlife.
Twenty five years of zealous protection has turned this once disturbed and heavily logged forest in Karnataka into a wildlife paradise.

Nagarahole is one of the most important strongholds of the Indian elephant and thanks to high densities of prey species, is packed with predators – notably tigers, leopards and wild dogs.

The film delves not just into the rich natural history of this south India forest, but also the problems that confront it and its inhabitants. Stunning images and a rich sound track capture the changing seasons of the forest and the hidden dramas that go within it.

It shows a complete climatic cycle as experienced by the animals of Nagarahole, and explains how the Kabini reservoir project helps the animals during summer. The film also shows us the man-made damages to the ecosystem, and it is deeply moving to see a mother elephant staying guard for the dead body of her little baby. Shot very sensitively and intelligently, this unique film conveys a strong message.

This DVD is accompanied by a beautifully illustrated 24-page hardback reference book. Watch the close-up wildlife film and at the same time read the book to learn about habitats, diet, life cycle and more. The book is packed with intriguing facts, illustrations, photography and a 'Test your knowledge' quiz.

Produced and filmed by Shekar Dattatri for Discovery Channel (1997).

 To watch a pre-view of this DVD please visit YouTube or watch it at the bottom of this page