Our Planet – Jungles Documentary

The documentary is a full episode of the nature documentary series “Our Planet,” produced by Netflix. It begins by highlighting how, in just 50 years, the human population has more than doubled, and celebrates the natural wonders that remain on our planet.

The episode focuses on jungles, which are the richest habitats on Earth and play a vital role in the health of the planet.

The first part of the episode takes us to the Congo, which is home to our planet’s youngest rainforest, a mere 18,000 years old. This jungle has more big animals than any other and is led by a family of lowland gorillas.

The dominant male of the family, known as the silverback, is as tall as a man but twice the weight. His family depends on him for survival, and he must keep a lookout for danger as a rival male might usurp him and tear his family apart.

However, there is one threat beyond his control, poaching for bushmeat, which has halved the Congo’s gorilla population in the last 20 years, making them critically endangered.

The episode also shows us the role of elephants in the jungle. The forest elephants need to be cautious of poachers as their tusks are even more sought after than those of their grassland cousins.

Elephants are also seed dispersers, and many of the trees in the jungle owe their existence to these large animals. We see how to open areas like Mbeli Bai in the Congo’s jungles are unique features that attract many of the jungle’s inhabitants, including gorillas and elephants.

Mbeli Bai is well-protected and serves as a refuge from poaching. However, as the Congo’s main seed disperser, the loss of its megafauna could have a far-reaching impact on the future of our planet’s second-largest rainforest.

Overall, the episode showcases the beauty and diversity of jungles and highlights the importance of protecting these rich habitats to ensure people and nature thrive.