Wayanad is one of the last remaining true wildernesses of India, with amazing biodiversity in flora and fauna. However, the region is facing severe duress, following rapid recent change. This short documentary attempts to highlight the problems afflicting the serene forests and hills of Wayanad and suggest solutions for the same.
Wayanad is one of the last remaining true wildernesses of India, with amazing biodiversity in flora and fauna. However, the region is facing severe duress, following rapid recent change. This short documentary attempts to highlight the problems afflicting the serene forests and hills of Wayanad and suggest solutions for the same.
The impact of deforestation, irresponsible tourism, tribal rehabilitation, human-animal conflicts, environmental degradation, etc. on the fragile ecosystem of Wayanad, Kerala, has been immense. This documentary aims to investigate these issues in detail, while exploring the concept of sustainability in Wayanad. This region is part of the Western Ghats, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and one of the eight “hottest hot-spots” of biological diversity in the world.
The inspiration for this documentary came from innumerable trips made to Wayanad and the Western Ghats as a tourist. While interacting with the locals and looking beyond the common tourist activities, it dawned upon us—if all of us do not act soon, this beautiful ecosystem will cease to exist, along with the diverse wildlife and people it supports.
This documentary is an effort to highlight the importance of sustainability for this region. We need to take many more such steps before Wayanad’s delicate ecosystem is restored to its necessary equilibrium.
Rustik Travel, along with the students of the Commits Institute of Journalism, Bengaluru, filmed this documentary on location. Rustik Travel is building a sustainable experiential travel ecosystem for travelers looking to engage with local communities for sustainability.
Learn more about the rich biodiversity and unique ecosystem of Wayanad on the official government website.
Featured Image Source: By Irshadpp (Own work) [CC BY-SA 3.0], via Wikimedia Commons
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