Species 2: monkeying around

TELLY VISION

Kolkata is still reeling under the Durga puja hangover. "Pujo time", as they call it here, has wiped the markets clean, with no new stocks, textiles or goods in sight. Why, my father couldn't manage to even get a toy for his dog.

"Out of stock" is the answer he got when he went to a pet shop and though one eventually managed to pick up a bright blue ball, the recipient wasn't too impressed.

Coming back to the television scene, Bengali religious channels seem to have taken this part of the country by storm, even though some of the astrologers featured on these channels have been sent legal notices by the court to stop the programmes with immediate effect.

The tainted astrologers, obviously a species in their own right, have promptly taken a stay order from the court and continue predicting a great future and doom for the audiences.

While on species, Animal Planet is airing some of its best award-winning programmes. There's Jane Goodall's State of the Great Ape, a film aired last week that examined the calamities facing gorillas, chimpanzees, orangutans and bonobos.

The film suggests that the great apes have just 20 years left in the wild. Filmed on location, it joins dedicated scientists and field workers on the front lines of the ongoing battle to save the animals.

Next in line: The Biggest Nose in Borneo, a film that makes its way into the tropical jungles of Borneo where the proboscis monkeys, a unique species of apes with very large noses, have their homes.

To be aired on Monday, the cameras follow Alastair, the alpha male in this group with his 20 wives and 40 offsprings. Predictably, he spends most of his time mating with any female who get attracted to his long nose. The film follows Alastair as he wins over the hearts of his wives and battles rival males that are always looking to steal a member of his harem.

Some of the other films that will continue to be aired on Animal Planet till December-end include Gorilla Gorilla, which tells the story of the rescue and rehabilitation of young gorillas reared in England in their natural African habitat.

Then there's Temple of the Tigers, a remarkable story of a group of 10 Buddhist monks in Thailand who have taken on the task of protecting 10 wild Bengal tigers by offering them a home within the walls of their temple.

Also tackling the issue of tigers is a brilliantly crafted film called Tiger Zero. The film started its journey in February 2005, when Delhi police raided a warehouse basement and discovered a huge stock of wildlife remains.

The haul included two tiger skins, three kilos of tiger claws, 14 tiger canines, 10 tiger jaw bones, 60 kilos of tiger and leopard paws and what appeared to have been pieces of tiger clavicle bone. Indian tiger expert Valmik Thapar examines the case and also shares his experience about the tigers of the prestigious Ranthambore National Park.

Though I'll definitely give films on bugs, rodents and Australian spiders a miss, I'm keen to check out Sacred Animals of the Pharaohs, a film that looks at the animal kingdom of ancient Egypt, worshipped and exploited by humans.

And you thought telly-land was inhabited only by the unique brand of saas-bahu species seen in Ekta Kapoor's serials!

aojha@business-standard.com