Wild Earth

 Subject: Wild Earth



The South African game park television program Wild Earth comes to a close at the end of the month. No more escaping into the Mental tranquillity gained by watching animals in their near natural habitat. drinking at the waterhole, lions stretched out dozing in the midday heat after catching and dining on fresh  kudu. This is the gathering place for the socially inclined elephant or flighty zebra the ever alert deer the pugnacious buffalo, or  the lithe leopard.

The beauty of the program is that it’s not a manufacture game program driven by the need to be dramatic, the shots we see as we wait, with the ranger to observe respectfully how things pan out and become immersed in the natural tableau of life and death. We simply switch off and out of the hurried life we live and connect, with the help of the rangers their simple life of animal husbandry

These rangers have their own idiosyncrasies.  The endearing chuckle of Cedric who seems in constant  mirth with himself, to the sharp inflection of the South African female voice it’s cadence different to the European as  Amy ever oohing and ahhing about the baby elephant as it runs towards the camera whilst Amy soothes  its mom, who isn’t far away keeping a beady eye on proceedings with a relaxed “it’s ok” . There’s something maternal in Amy which is infectious.

Too soon, at the end of the month in fact, the show will close for lack of funds. It’s the usual pursuit of ratings and the incessant draw of advertising revenue. To hell with other values, especially the pleasure we get on of it.