Magnificent Beasts of the Marshes

The Terai is a little-known lowland region of the Indian subcontinent bordering India, Nepal and parts of Bhutan. Tall grasslands, evergreen sal forests, scrub savanna and clay-rich swamps have been home to a sparse human population for millennia, but it’s the resident wildlife that has always been dominant here. Join Expedition Leader Conan Duminel, born and raised in South India, for this fascinating exploration of the wetland expanse at the base of the Himalayas, often overlooked by visitors only intent on mountains. Yet for the wildlife lover, the Terai is replete with intriguing species, including the Asian elephant, one-horned rhino, Bengal tiger gharial (a fish-eating crocodile), water buffalo and swamp deer that thrive in these wild marshlands. Conan will fill us in on the pressures from human expansion, as more encroachment into the jungle lowlands of the Terai poses conservation challenges. He may also share some stories from the expeditions he has guided for Animal Planet and National Geographic documentary crews, helping them reveal and interpret India’s natural landscapes that comprise his arena of expertise as a naturalist.


Originally presented August 28, 2020