Our Planet season 1 review: A deteriorating circle of life
Great Hornbill . With their large wings and varied diet , Great Hornbills are the true gardeners of the Western Ghats , flying across large ranges in search of fruit, and depositiing their digested seeds along the way . The resilience fo the forests is dependent on their interactions with the trees of the Western Ghats, India. Photo Credit: Netflix
Episode 1: One Planet
The first episode of Our Planet serves as a broad overview for the rest of the series, starting with a brief history of the earth. David Attenborough gravely informs us how wildlife numbers have declined by 60% as the human population continues to grow, emphasizing on if the planet is to be preserved, action needs to be taken right away.
The episode takes its viewers on a journey, starting with an epic viewing of the birds on the Peruvian coastline and a stunning insight into their hunt for anchovies, along with dolphins. It then moves on to the life on the salt flat wasteland in Africa, transformed to a green space once in a decade, that becomes a lifeline to numerous animal species, particularly the flamingoes, that come here to breed. After a glimpse of the seas and the African salt pan, the series shows us a brief glimpse of the wildebeest and their quest for survival on the plains of Africa, ultimately concluding with the icy northern region of the world.
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Our Planet explores how the animals struggle every day to live, facing trials in the form of drought, famine, and predators, primarily. Interdependency of said animals is also highlighted and makes for a very interesting first episode that proves to be the perfect gateway into the rest of the episodes that closely examine different landscapes and habitats across the earth. This episode is but a glimpse of what is at stake.
IMPORTANT TAKEAWAY: Needless to say, our planet is dying and we need to act. Fast. Despite the Boreal Forest not being the typical “green”, it’s supremely important in conservation efforts as its immense size is responsible for 40% of the oxygen on earth.
FAVORITE MOMENT: The flamingoes in the salt pan of Africa. There’s just something amazingly striking about the contrast of a flat brown and the vivid pink of the flamingo feathers.