This film has been specially made to celebrate a decade since the return of tigers to Panna Tiger Reserve and showcases one of Planet Earth's most iconic conservation stories- the reintroduction of tigers, where in 2009 except for arguably one, the whole population of the mega-carnivores-Bengal Tigers were lost in this stunningly beautiful landscape jungle. It is for the first time that the celebrated story of the return of tigers to Panna Tiger Reserve is being presented at the scale and length of a Blue-chip documentary that is made in 4K UHD.Tucked within the ancient forest lands of Gond Tribes and rulers of CentralIndia lies the mystical Emerald forests with its gorgeous vista of plateaus, rivers and Gorges- Panna Tiger Reserve. As you enter, this stunning Eden slowly unravels its mysteries, springing wildlife surprises almost every second, from roaming Chinkara deer families and Indian leopards descending rocks to Crocodiles crossing the pristine River Ken. Panna Tiger Reserve is a forest with rivulets falling off gorges and vultures nesting off sheer cliffs. A forest which has relics from the past when the Gond tribals ruled, reminding us of a time when man and animals ruled these forests together.
But as stunning as this paradise is, all was not well a decade back. In the years before 2009 Panna Tiger Reserve used to boast of more than 40 Bengal Tigers, but by 2009, except for arguably one tiger, Panna had lost all its Tigers to poaching and other human causes. Alarm bells rang across the tiger forest department and the State of Madhya Pradesh, the echoes of which had begun ringing even across India's Central Ministry corridors.
That is when this story begins. One of the biggest stories of HOPE in the world, especially in these times of species extinction and climate change. An audacious plan was worked on for the reintroduction of Bengal Tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve, so that their roars once again echoed through the gorges, valleys and river fronts.
That was when two tigresses were meticulously introduced in Panna. Then a male tiger T3 was also introduced. In a short time however, the male left Panna Tiger Reserve walking through human dominated areas. This was when the real challenge began for Mr.MURTHY and his team. With sustained and 24 hours search operations were several days, they were finally able to locate and bring the male tiger back, resulting in successful breeding and new cubs for the tiger reserve. During these days Mr.MURTHY and his team spent many nights in the tiger tracking vehicles.
Emerald Forests-Return of the Tigers celebrates 10 years since the birth of the first cubs after the tiger reintroduction and unravels the life and reign of 2 of the daughters of the originally introduced matriarch T3. The real success of MR.SREENIVASA MURTHY was how he retained an already demotivated forest team and inspired them to work hard under his watch and then the historical moments in Panna's new journey began to slowly unfolds. Cubs were born to the introduced tigresses and Panna Tiger Reserve Landscape now boasts of more than 50 tigers.
But the challenge had just begun. How do you keep motivating villagers and nomadic tribes around the park to protect their tigers and other wildlife. That is when the forest department along with organizations like Last Wilderness Foundation began rehabilitating tribes like Pardhis and also educating villagers. Panna Tiger Reserve's current Field Director
SHRI.KRISHAN SINGH BHADUARIA has taken huge steps in educating villagers and actually involving them in the conservation process. He says that if people are sensitized to wildlife and forests then wildlife crimes would not occur. He has also taken up initiatives for water availability for wild animals across Panna Tiger Reserve. Mr.BHADAURIA recently confirmed of increasing tiger populations even in the buffer area of the park.
This Film film is Directed, Cinematographed & Writtenby SUMESH LEKHI, Chartered Accountant & Filmmaker, whose earlierfilm on Asian Elephants "Bastion of the Giants" has been critically acclaimed internationally, winning multiple awards. This film was followed by a film by him on Mumbai's Wetland habitat and the stunning diaspora of species and biodiversity that exists within even in a megacity like Mumbai. the film is titled - 'Wetlands - Miracles in Mumbai'.
The film 'Emerald Forest' has been part of Director- Cinematographer Sumesh Lekhi's vision to celebrate a decade since the successful reintroduction of the Bengal Tiger .