by Alex Hartridge

14 November 2006
After coming close to extinction myself on the five hour white knuckle drive from Guwahati airport to Tezpur in Assam, the film crew, their twenty cases of equipment and myself reached our home for the week, the Wild Mahaseer in Addabari. Synonymous with tea, Assam is the gateway to the north-eastern part of India; the mighty Brahmaputra River charts its majestic course through this verdant and vibrant state and the Himalayas straddle the skyline. The film's presenter, British actress Miranda Richardson had arrived earlier that day and I joined her for an introductory and well-needed drink in the sumptuous sitting room of this old colonial bungalow. We chatted about environmental issues and the week ahead before enjoying a late supper and retiring wearily to our respective rooms. Despite seemingly entering the Twilight Zone and retreating back into the Raj, after two days of travel I was cheered by the prospect of proper Assam 'bed tea' in the morning.

15 November - Day one
7am and roused from my sleep by bongo drums and cheery, clapping songs. Incredulous, I peered outside and observed the Wild Mahaseer team in what I soon learnt was their daily morning ritual. Breakfast over, vehicles loaded, my colleague Soumen Dey from WWF-India's North Bank Landscape (NBL) Programme arrived. I knew that the reunion with my colleagues was going to be a heavy mix of emotions as Project Officer, Pankaj Sarmah had died of cerebral malaria in October.

I had experienced driving in India on the 'recce' in August and had learnt never to look ahead, just out of the side window. Miranda was unaccustomed to the art of overtaking whilst an oncoming vehicle is nearly on top you, skimming cyclists, sounding your horn continually whilst dodging the various motley collections of mongrels, cows and goats that casually meandered into our path and miraculously escaped unscathed. I had become so laissez faire about the whole near-death experiences that I even stole a snooze now and then but Miranda's induction to Indian driving scrambled me from my slumbers by her screams.

There are up to 2000 wild elephants in the NBL. The first sequence to be filmed was elephant habitat and the complex issues surrounding their protection, or lack of to be more accurate. Leading the convoy, Soumen took us all to Balipara Forest Reserve and Nameri National Park to witness both deforestation and pristine elephant habitat. We met with the Reserve's Ranger and trekked, laden with filming equipment, into the Reserve. I was quite unprepared for the travesty that followed. Through the hot November sunlight, fires were ablaze with brushwood and branches, wisps of smoke plumed skywards amongst the chopped and charred stumps and the few trees that remained stood starkly and ominously alone. Tethered cattle picked over the vegetation and solitary farmers worked their newly sown crops surrounding their modest timber homes. Across the river lay Nameri National Park, dense and deep green, perfect for elephants and untouched, but for how long? Miranda was shocked at the level of deforestation and rightly questioned why if this area is a Reserve, could this happen? The Ranger soberly replied that there simply isn't the political will therefore the resources to provide adequate staff to monitor the Reserve so people move in, pushing elephants out. Soumen added sadly "there are barely any tuskers left here" (an elephant with tusks, in Asia, nearly always a male) "most have already been poached."

16 November - Day two

Miranda and the film crew left early to visit a wildlife care centre in Kaziranga run by the Wildlife Trust of India. Miranda spent the day at the Centre and was introduced to a herd of elephants that is made up of orphans - orphans that have lost parents due to tragic circumstances such as suffocating after falling into drainage channels in tea estates. The NBL team had recently taken a calf to the Centre after such an incident but sadly it died due to insufficient cholostrom (antibodies in the mother's milk) from its mother. I followed later on after a visit to the NBL office in Tezpur about thirty minutes away from our residence. Due to the tense political situation in Assam, there is a large military presence with checkpoints and roadblocks at regular intervals. My vehicle was stopped by five armed soldiers and the driver questioned. Deciding to intervene, I showed them the WWF logo upon which the questioning soldier beamed at me and said "Ah WWF, you chase elephants!" After also asking me where I was from he waived me on and was extremely apologetic for stopping me in the first place. Soumen and I travelled on to Kaziranga that afternoon stopping periodically at the roadside to spot wild elephants and rhinos en route. We met up with Miranda and the crew later on in the evening at the Bon Habi Resort and I looked through the 'rushes' (all the footage shot) with commentary from an elephant-enamoured Miranda. Later that evening we were treated to traditional dance around a camp fire. 'Bihu' is the most widespread folk dance in Assam, and I didn't expect it to be quite so interactive, but I could hardly decline such an invitation.

17 November - Day three

An early rise at 0515, we all departed Bon Habi for Kaziranga National Park. In the heart of Assam, this park is one of the last areas relatively undisturbed by human presence. Security is tight as poaching is still rife even though an individual runs the risk of being shot dead immediately if believed to be a threat to the elephants, tigers and one-horned rhinos. With three armed guards we proceeded through the park in search of wild elephants and were not disappointed: a lone male in musth (a period of heightened sexual-activity in mature males where their levels of aggression increase) and a herd of at least fifteen animals solemnly crossed the river. Not wanting to draw attention to ourselves, Miranda was quietly ecstatic, especially when a calf reached the shoreline and trotted after its mother almost touching her tail. Whilst we were watching the elephants, one of the guides spotted a familiar paw print in the mud. I admit I was quite unnerved at the size of it - a large male - and probably had a furtive look around in every direction but naturally welcomed the presence of this highly endangered species - the Royal Bengal tiger.

Soumen explained to Miranda about the loss of habitat and the effects on elephants and how Kaziranga is the ideal habitat for elephants; long grasses, water and plenty of forest cover. But without adequate habitat, you can not protect a species. The Park is a roaring success, (we were there in the height of the tourist season) - thus proving that you will be guaranteed a livelihood if you protect the biodiversity.

18 November - Day four

0515 rise to reach the Mahout camp (a Mahout is the keeper/driver of a 'kunki' or domestic elephant). Four kunkis awaited us including one huge tusker with Doric column-like legs and vermilion red dye emblazoned down his majestic head - Miranda was to bath this tusker. In close formation, the kunkis sloped down to the Brahmaputra where an audience of brightly clothed locals had gathered and sat patiently on the riverbank. Garbed in green waders and armed with a brush, Miranda eagerly started scrubbing the tusker and talking us through the process. Both enjoyed the bathing and I watched in silent surprise when the giant gently wiped the water from his eye with the tip of his trunk. Back up at the camp, Miranda asked the Mahout about his role looking after kunkis and his work with WWF in using kunki elephants to drive wild elephants away from human inhabited areas. The tusker nonchalantly munched away on his well-earned lunch and Miranda squealed with delight as he tucked away his favourite bite behind his tusk - to save the best bit till last.

My colleague Hiten Baishya then received news that a wild herd was in a tea estate nearby so we set off to capture this on film. Easier said than done, tea estates are vast and time was precious as the sun was sinking fast but other colleague Sanjay Gogoi who supports Hiten in the elephant drives knew where they were. Fire crackers, used to scare elephants, punctuated the still, dusk evening accompanied by cries of 'Hathi!' (Hindustani/Sanskrit word for elephant). With tensions and anticipation growing we located the herd. It was an ethereal experience, through an almost eau de nil half light up to sixty wild elephants trooped Indian file through the tea garden about 200 yards from us. We were all temporarily transfixed but suddenly a trumpet sounded, at least five broke away from the formation and headed towards us. Immediately, Soumen shouted for us all to get into our vehicles, so we ran, the crew not even stopping to disengage equipment. Soumen told us that calves were present in the group which is why the adults became agitated with their audience - they would have detected us through their acute sense of smell long before we even saw them. The herd continued to move through the estate, we followed them from a safe distance from our vehicles but it was now too dark to film. The herd would remain in that estate until driven out, some long days and nights for the NBL team ahead. A magical drive home through the candlelit lined and pungent, spiced streets. Such a shame we could not stop.

19 November - Day five

Off to Bhalapong to see 'critical areas' with colleague Mita Goswami - critical areas are Reserved Forests that have been encroached by people for habitation and subsistence agriculture thus fragmenting elephant habitats and corridors. Mita showed Miranda the deforested habitats and explained that with proper protection, these areas could be reclaimed and the forests and grass lands regenerated. In order to conserve the Asian elephant without compromising people, WWF is supporting an alternative livelihood programme. Weaving is a local craft and the NBL team is making good progress in offering local people a living that isn't dependent on forestry products.

Mita then received a call from the local police - a family of four have been killed in the night by a wild elephant. I speak with colleague Dr Anupam Sarmah who coordinates the NBL programme as the film Director is keen to visit the village where this tragedy has occurred. The village is keen for their plight to be raised but Anupam advises the Director that due to sensitivities and respect we can only visit the following day. It is essential that the film team adhere to what the NBL team advises. The NBL team work closely with the local communities and it has taken time to gain trust and acceptance and this relationship needs to be maintained - not compromised, in order to achieve WWF's long-term conservation goals of balance and harmony between elephants and people.

20 November - Day Six

Usual early start, we went back to the tea estate as there is a kunki in situ and the plan was for Miranda to do her pieces to camera for the film's introduction and the quiz questions and answers with the kunki in the background. This proved quite a challenge - as soon as we started, a great wind blew up, the kunki, clearly bored by the entire process kept turning her back on the camera and the Assamese equivalent of The Red Arrows decided to practise their formation directly overhead at regular intervals. Tempers and patience waning and a few hasty crew changes due to the infamous 'Delhi belly', we finally completed the sequence before an audience of excited children from the estate. Onward to visit the village of the deceased. Only Anupam, Mita, Miranda, the Director and the film crew went in. Miranda told me what she had seen and been told in the village en route home to the Wild Mahaseer. Considering the scale of the death and destruction, there didn't seem to be much resentment towards the elephants, they seem to have accepted what has happened with a calm equanimity. The Government declared the elephant a 'rogue' and hired a shikari (hunter) to destroy the animal. I wonder how they will decide which elephant is responsible?

Our final evening, the NBL team joined us at the Wild Mahaseer for a party where the NBL team presented Miranda with local Assamese crafts. Not only was it the end of a successful shoot, but I had arranged a celebratory cake for Anupam's recently awarded PhD. Deferring goodbyes, I walked with my colleagues, my dear friends, down the camphor scented garden path where suddenly we stopped to listen to the ominous and familiar urgent cries and loud, staccato cracks - elephants were on the move, and nearby, no respite for the NBL team as of yet.