HUBBALLI: In a first, the rich fauna of Koppal district will be showcased in a 12-part series of wildlife documentary named - The Deccan.Shot and produced by senior wildlife photographer and former honorary wildlife warden of Koppal district Indrajeet Ghorpade, the 12 episodes speak about the rare fauna that is found in the district.
The documentary is the outcome of two years of extensive research in these patches of grasslands and rocky outcrop lands, camera trap monitoring and several rounds of discussions with the local community. Ghorpade said the documentary has been under the research project of Deccan Conservation Foundation (DCF) of Koppal and soon, the first series will be released on internet.
“Koppal district has unique flora and fauna that has been long neglected. This is the site where once Asiatic Cheetahs ruled. Today, sighting of wild animals such as wolves, hyenas and some selective birds has become difficult. We could able to film hynena and its habitat in Koppal after so many years. All these animals will be featured in the 12-part documentary,” he said.
Incidentally, Koppal district does not have any sanctuary and protected areas. The Otter Conservation Reserve is spread along Ballari and Koppal districts and local conservationists are demanding to create protected areas through this documentary.
“There is not a single wildlife sanctuary in Koppal district, despite having a good number of rare species such as wolves, sloth bears, leopards, blackbucks and hyenas. The government must think in this direction,” Ghorpade explained.
The documentary has also thrown light on the possible presence of rare fauna in Koppal district. “There are unconfirmed sightings of Great Indian Bustard and caracal, the largest jungle cat of India. We need to confirm these sightings and hopefully we will be able to film these rare species in the coming days,” he added.