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Adventurer, explorer and scientist Niall McCann has a passion not many people can relate to. He travels through some of the toughest terrains of the world, purposefully seeking out fierce and formidable creatures, some so elusive that they have rarely been photographed. The objective of his quest is to send out a message of conservation and draw attention to the human conflict and destruction of habitat that is threatening the existence of these deadly, but magnificent, creatures. His encounters are the subject of the television series, Biggest and Baddest, of which he is the host. He speaks to Dhruv Munjal about what makes him venture out in the wild, the threats that some of the most beautiful creatures on earth face and what more can be done to save the tiger in India.
You are one of the foremost wildlife explorers in the world. What makes you engage with such deadly creatures?
Animals have always fascinated me. Both my parents are biologists, so animals and wildlife were a major part of my formative years. And my parents weren’t the kind of biologists who would sit in a lab and perform experiments. They were always out in the wild, on the lookout for something new. Venturing out in the jungles and dealing with dangerous creatures is something I inherited from them. The other thing that drives me is curiosity. As children, we’re always exploring, wanting to get our hands on new things. I’m still that young kid. I feel like Peter Pan.
You have encountered some of the most formidable creatures on the planet: giant anacondas in Guyana, huge Asian elephants in Nepal, killer cassowaries in Australia. Which is deadliest encounter you’ve ever had?
As a wildlife explorer, you’ll often find yourself in precarious situations. I’ve dealt with crocodiles and have had tigers charging at me. Luckily, I’ve been able to wriggle my way out of such situations. But the most fearful encounter I’ve ever had is when I was shooting with the Asian elephants in Nepal. I was clamped on the top of a tree and an elephant frantically charged at me. Wild elephants are dangerous and the creature kept staring at me for a good half hour. Nobody in the crew knew what to do. Fortunately, we were able to distract the elephant and I was able to make my way down. For the first time in my life, I felt that I was not going to make out of this alive.
How do shows such as yours help in the conservation of animals?
Conservation of wildlife is all about awareness. When we’re shooting in a particular area of the world, I personally try to pass on my expertise to the locals, telling them ways in which they can take better care of animals around them and help in conservation efforts. Secondly, through our show, we want to make the viewer aware about the dire need to conserve these beautiful creatures. For example, viewers need to understand the importance of electing a government that is environment-friendly. These are some of the things that we try to achieve through our show.
What kind of dangers do these magnificent species face?
When somebody encounters a dangerous animal, the person’s first instinct is to kill it. That has to stop. People need to understand that most animals do not want to hurt humans unless they’re antagonised in any way. Moreover, humans have no moral right to kill any animal. Take snakes, for example. Venomous snakes are dangerous, but they rarely kill people. Only a snake as large as a huge anaconda or python can actually eat a human alive, but such instances are extremely uncommon. So if we let them be, they would not harm us. Extinction of certain species is another major worry. Local governments need to step up efforts to save these species.
According to a latest census, the number of tigers in India has gone up by 30 per cent in the last four years. What more needs to be done to protect the tiger?
If these numbers are true, then a 30 per cent rise in four years is quite a significant jump. However, there is a long way to go. One of the major factors that impacts tiger population is their prey base. For tigers to survive, they need to have a strong prey base. That means there has to be enough for them to feed on. A balanced eco-system is very important. Poaching of tigers in India is another concern. Poaching has been a thriving trade in the country for quite some time and the administration must find a way to put an end to it. The locals also play a key role here. If they sense any suspicious activity in the area, then they must inform the authorities immediately.
In December last year, conservationist Paul Rosolie, in a special documentary, tried being “eaten” by a giant green anaconda in the Amazon rainforest to raise awareness about animal conservation. Should the producers of the documentary gone ahead with such a stunt?
I don’t know who came up with this idea, but I must admit it was very stupid. The whole stunt was only going to harm the snake. If you’ve had a chance to look at the visuals, you can easily see that the snake was in distress the entire time. It wasn’t a very smart decision on the part of the makers of the documentary. It was carried out purely for ratings. If you think that the world is a better place after what Rosolie did, it’s not. If anything, it’s much worse.
“Biggest and Baddest” is broadcast on Animal Planet Monday to Friday at 9 pm
