Equator From The Air sees Scottish wildlife filmmaker Gordon Buchanan, 47, make an epic 25,000-mile trip around the centre of the world to conduct a planetary health-check from the air. GEMMA DUNN asks what he discovered
Tell us more about Equator from the Air. The themes covered in the four-part series seem more topical than ever?
THE series is looking at the problems that face species, habitats and people around the Equator and the equatorial region. The Equator affects the rest of the planet so things like deforestation, whether that’s deforestation for timber, international export or soya plantation, all of these are global commodities. And with changing climates and ocean temperatures rising, the series is bringing attention to pressing issues, but also showing what’s being done to help.
With everything that’s going on in the world today, it’s all very timely. These issues are coming to a head and it’s much more in people’s consciousness that we are living on a very vulnerable planet – and things need to be done.
I’d always wanted to do more programmes with a hard-hitting conservation message and so it was a natural thing to do. I have the luxury of travelling all around the world and seeing wild places, but I also see what’s happening to them.
What did you find most surprising during filming?
THE biggest thing – maybe not surprise, but what gave me the most amount of hope – is how important technology is going to be in the future when it comes to protecting the planet.
We featured a lot of individuals and organisations using drones in innovative ways, like trying to accurately count animal populations. One project is using drones with a very sophisticated software algorithm built into it that can automatically count individual orangutans in the trees in dense forest.
That was really exciting because not only can you do it with orangutans, you can do it with every [species].
Is that key to protecting these animals in the future?
IDEALLY, you’ll [be able to] count every animal that’s living in a particular area and not only see where the key habitat is, but where the loss of habitat is, where there are real-time concerns and where there’s logging or agriculture or poaching.
We will live in a future where drones are patrolling the skies protecting animals and protecting wild places.
It gives you hope?
IT’S easy to throw your hands up in the air and think, ‘These problems are too big; what can be done?’ But if you do give in to defeat, nothing will be done, and nothing will improve.
It’s down to individuals, the technology in the world that we really need, pioneering organisations – and the individuals that harness new technology to try and improve things.
It’s shocking a lot of things that we see, but ultimately there’s a real feel-good factor because you see that some amazing work is being done to help. Did you have a favourite place among those you visited?
THERE were so many; I’ve never in one year travelled to so many different locations.
I’d never been to the Galapagos, and if you’re interested in wildlife, the Galapagos is one of those places you have to get to at one point in your life. It was really wonderful after 30 years of making wildlife documentaries that I finally got a chance to go. It
really exceeded my expectations; it just shows a version of the world before people had an impact.
Not to say there aren’t massive concerns and issues in that area, but it was an example of what can be done if enough people agree that these places should be protected.
Your work takes you a long way from home. Do you miss your home comforts?
NO, I mean I miss home life, but I think I’ve got a good balance, spending enough time at home. And my wife and kids are kind of happy to see me go and they’re happy when I come back.
Travelling around the Equator, we broke it into four trips, and that schedule was quite punishing, but what kept us all moving forward was these were fascinating stories. I used to take a big case of home comforts like chocolate and coffee, and occasionally a bottle of whisky with me, but I’ve been doing it for so long now it’s become a way of life.
A little bit of abstinence doesn’t hurt anyone.
■ Equator From The Air is on BBC2, on Sundays at 8pm.
What gave me the most amount of hope – is how important technology is going to be in the future when it comes to protecting the planet... Despite seeing some ‘shocking’ sights on his travels, Gordon is upbeat