Gorongosa Park: Rebirth of Paradise

Mozambique's Gorongosa National Park, comprising nearly one million acres of African wilderness, once supported thousands of animals, including elephants, lions, and crocodiles. Unfortunately, a decades-long civil war—much of it conducted within the park itself—decimated the animal life. Photographer Bob Poole hosts this six-episode documentary miniseries that follows the campaign to "re-wild" the park. Many of the park's animals were killed to provide food for the soldiers, and some bigger animals, such as the elephants, still carry bullet wounds from the war (poaching continued after the fighting died down, and snares and illegal hunting are still common). Elephants now display fear and aggression toward man, while once plentiful lions have been slow in making a comeback, but the crocodiles (which can live up to 100 years) survived the war by sinking to the river bottoms, and have since emerged in greater numbers. Poole and park officials patrol these large areas, balancing animal and human interests—promoting conservation and also garnering much-needed tourist dollars—while trying to let nature take its course (many species, particularly insects, are found nowhere else). The documentary also captures the "great evaporation," or dry season, when species migrate in a seasonal struggle for survival. Combining great location footage and informative commentary with an urgent conservation message, this is highly recommended. Aud: H, C, P. (S. Rees)