A six-part docuseries ‘Wild You Were Sleeping’ showcases some of India’s most fascinating wild species 

The series turns the spotlight on Malabar pit-viper, striped hyena, desert fox, greater adjutant stork, smooth-coated otters, and hoolock gibbons.

In Assam, near the Hoollongapar Wildlife Sanctuary, the western hoolock gibbons, the only apes that live in the Indian sub-continent, are surviving in fragmented forest patches and agricultural fields. Their shrinking habitat of evergreen forests poses a threat to their very existence.

In an effort to bring attention to India’s lesser-known species and habitats, and build a conservation mindset, The Habitats Trust has launched Wild You Were Sleeping, a six-part original docuseries featuring stories of some of India’s most fascinating wild species. The seven to nine-minute episodes, streamed every Friday at 11 am on their website as well as social media channels including Facebook, YouTube and Instagram, feature the species that live in close proximity to humans but are not understood, often leading to conflict.

Co-produced by documentary film company, Trippintoe Media, the series turns the spotlight on the Malabar pit-viper, striped hyena, desert fox, greater adjutant stork, smooth-coated otters, and hoolock gibbons. The episode on May 20 features the gibbons while in the following week, striped hyenas that scavenge on carcasses to keep the ecosystem disease-free and healthy, will be highlighted. Sadly, they are sometimes considered vermin by the general public. Their natural habitats that include grasslands, dry scrub and rocky outcrops are fast disappearing due to expanding urban spaces and infrastructure development.

The films, while scientific in approach, present the stories creatively to not only elicit empathy for the animals but enhance a conservationist ethos amongst the general population.

Says Rushikesh Chavan, head of The Habitats Trust that engages strategic partnerships and sustainable on-ground efforts for conservation awareness, “India harbours over 92,000 species of which more than 400 species are mammals and 1300- plus bird species; quite a few of these are found only in our country. Some of these rare species are at the risk of local extinction due to many human-induced threats and lack of protection efforts. .”

The visually-appealing docuseries allows the viewer a holistic understanding of the species. Chavan says the series covers species that are limited to specific regions, as well as the ones like otters and hyenas that are fairly widespread making the narrative relevant to the rest of the country. Species like malabar pit-viper, a venomous snake species distributed across the Western Ghats, he says, are highly misunderstood.

“It is a unique, fascinating species that shows ‘polymorphism’ (is found in multiple colours), and appears during the monsoon season. It’s bite, while not fatal, can leave people unable to work for a few days, unfortunately often leading to the snake being killed when spotted. There is a need for more studies as well as efforts for snakebite mitigation to ensure peaceful coexistence between humans and this reptile.”