(The complete movie:
Tal Chapar: The Indian Savannah. Please remember to comment on how you find this documentary film)
The Tal Chappar Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Rajasthan, India, and is one of the
last refuges of the most graceful antelope in the world: the
Black buck. Once
critically endangered, so much so that it was on the verge of its very extinction, this beautiful animal,
native to the Indian subcontinent, was brought back from the jaws of extinction thanks to the tireless efforts of the
Bishnois of
Rajasthan. The Black buck today is a living testimony to a conservation success story. A few of us might have heard of this magnificent animal, but witnessing its spleandour in the Indian Savanna- the grasslands of the Tal Chapar, is a divine experience.
We had been working on this documentary since the past many months, and finally, have come up with an
epic saga of the Indian grasslands. You would be delighted with
jaw dropping action sequences of
blackbucks jumping several feet high up in the air, leaping across the fresh green grass. We would slow down the action and show you the details, as you've never seen them before. After all, the black buck is one of the fastest land animals!
Then, peep into a herd of these antelopes and learn about their
social organisation and
behavior. Witness the glory of the enchanting
spiral horns of the male blackbucks, which have a major role to play during
courtship display, also shown in the movie. Again, you must appreciate the amazing
territorial behaviour of the males, and as the documentary shows, how they have
fixed sites for defecation! With the sun just about to set, join the little bucks in their
evening party.
And watch out as a
beautiful female buck up close as she comes right near the camera to literally lick the viewers! Don't miss the
migratory birds of these grasslands- particularly the
Harriers- the raptor birds. Look at the mesmerizing colors of the
Indian Roller, Black Drongo and the Little Bee eater. Witness the
rare sight of
three different bird species in a
single frame proximity. And finally, prepare to enter the dark,
hidden underground world as we enter the deep mysterious
burrow of a
desert fox.
Tal Chappar: The Indian Savannah is an epic film you'll remember for a long time. The climax would carry you away right into these heavenly grasslands, and awaken you, dear reader, a lot more. So be a part of this adventure and join the beautiful black bucks as they narrate their unsung story--of the Indian Savanna- of the Tal Chhapar.
LEGEND
Though
I highly recommend watching the whole movie in continuity since none of the shots is worth missing, if you are short of time or only wish to look at the specific information, you may follow he following
time keys [please note that the clicking on the keys would take you to my YouTube Channel in a new window. To go the movie portion specified, look at the corresponding time key (e.g.: 0:00 for Introduction) and move the circular play pointer on video above to that location in time]-
0:00 - Introduction
1:05 - How to reach the Tal Chhappar sanctuary
1:37 -Geographical location and the Thar desert, xerophytic vegetation and the Camel
2:11 - Entry into the Tal Chhapar Sanctuary, overview of the vast grass lands of large herds of blackbucks and their social structure
3:24 -Beautiful spiral horns of the male black bucks and their body structure and behavior
4:10 -Different species of grasses in the sanctuary and the special sweet
Mothiya grass and its seeds which the bucks and birds eat
4:45-The Migratory birds, especially the Harriers. The action packed flight of the
Eurasian Marsh Harrier would leave you mesmerized
5:19- The territorial behavior of the male black bucks and maintenance of
dung pile sites
6:01 -The well camouflaged bucks; the grass used to protect them from their now extinct natural predator, the Asiatic Cheetah.
6:21- The playful little blackbucks showing their
jumping skills. Do not miss the
action packed sequence!
7:02- Beautiful female black buck named
Meneka approaches us for lovely close up shots, almost licking the camera! The camera angle (at
7:22) makes you feel as though she literally licks the viewer! Also seen is the
keen sense of smell of the bucks.
7:32-
Sexual behavior,
courtship displays of males and
mating instincts
7:54- The blackbuck territories and
territory selection,
topographic factors of such selection
8:23-
Male practicing fighting by swaying horns. This is how the deadly furious fighting battles take place.
8:45- Majestic walk of a young male with curl in its tail.
9:02- Fasten your seat belts! The
main action and the
drama begin now. A
rarely seen complete action sequence of the
high leap of a buck in the air. It is critically analyzed again in
slow motion for better insight. These jumps make the black bucks one of the
fastest land animals.
9:52- Witness the grandeur of the
golden fur of the bucks when it glazes in sunshine. An extremely beautiful sight.
10:08-The
grasshoppers. The little almost overlooked insects of the grasslands which play a very vital role in the ecosystem.
10:55-Another heavenly sight. Watch the Indian Roller, Black Drongo and the Little Bee Eater, and a rare scene when they sit in a
close proximity in a single frame (at
11:26)
11:42- The weed
Prosopis Juliflora, which had once taken hold of the grasslands, disturbing the ecosystem.
12:01- The
Blue bull (Nilgai), the biggest Asian antelope.
12:26- Now, enter a
desert fox's burrow, a complex network of deep underground caves. Know about the secretive, dark, unknown world. Let the music and the shots take hold of you, but not for very long!
13:04- Let the grasslands reveal their
rich colors to you in the soft morning light.
13:14-
The climax- beautiful not to be missed
overlapping shots (begin at
13:24) of the
angelic blackbucks, testimonials to their
conservation story, and the role of the
Bishnoi tribe and
local communities in conservation. You will be left wondering and a lot more
awakened by this though provoking climax.
14:04-
Credits and
thanks
(Note: If you would like to obtain the
unwatermarked movie in
Full High Definition (HD), 1920x1080 resolution, 25fps format, please contact me at: divinedevaangjain@yahoo.in or call me at 91-9649694505)
And, do like the video (on YouTube) and
COMMENT! Your views on the documentary, dear reader, are of utmost importance!
Have a great time watching!
Devaang Jain
