‘Eden: Untamed Planet’ Recap – ‘Borneo: Sacred Forest’

Written by John Edward Betancourt

Caution: This article contains spoilers for the series premiere of ‘Eden: Untamed Planet’.
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There was a time in mankind’s history, where we only populated a handful of areas on the planet. Which of course, allowed for nature to thrive. For we had our tiny world to tend to and the rest of it, went about its day, free from our interference. But as time marched on and mankind came together and figured out how to congregate and grow… nature’s footprint began to shrink. For we needed more space for our grand cities and even the parts that we left untouched, we decided needed our grace as well. Which is why you can find mankind moving about through the forests of the world on any given day, for we truly believe we are the masters of this domain and being present in every corner of it, is our outright destiny.

But thankfully that mantra is now under debate and of concern. For our footprint on the planet has brought about changes to the climate and it’s reduced some natural habitats for animals and realizing that, has forced a great to people to wonder if there is by chance, any part of our world that remains untouched if you will. Where mankind hasn’t made its presence part of the environment and that we can use as educational foundations for preservation and well, believe it or not… there are. For there are tiny pockets of paradise around the globe where nature is allowed to function on its own, and it just so happens that BBC America is eager to spotlight those very locations. For the new series, Eden: Untamed Planet, takes the time to showcase those untouched paradises and well… they truly are the sight to behold.

Because in these rich and beautiful places, nature has figured out how to function in a magnificent manner, sometimes beating the odds as evidenced in the series premiere of this saga. For ‘Borneo: Sacred Forest’ showcases a genuine paradise that quite frankly, should not exist. Because the soil in this place isn’t nutrient rich in the slightest. But despite that, the tropical temperatures and climate and ingenuity of the animals that live here… have allowed for a true paradise to sprout up, one where every animal that lives here utilizes the environment to a tee and for proof… then look no further than our ancestors. For the apes that populate this lush forest, not only know which trees will give them wondrous nourishment. But they are also able to map out the best eating spots possible when they're in need of richer foods, and they’ll do whatever they must to get the nutrients they crave and they’re not the only ones that go this route.

For there are hornbill birds in this beautiful place, that will turn to creative measures in order to get a meal when their favorite fruits aren’t in fine supply. Such as say, hanging out with other birds of prey at sunset, near the caves where the bats take flight. Because bats make solid prey and a decent meal and with a little ingenuity and patience, they can get their fill no problem. But while it was wonderful to see nature’s creativity and drive in action, we are attracted to these kinds of tales to take in the breathtaking views and learn more about the wonder of our visual destination and thankfully… that was present here as well. Since we were treated consistently to incredible views of the lush forest as it caught the light of the sun and most important of all, we received a wonderful snapshot of the incredibly diverse animals that call this majestic place home.

If anything, this was a wonderful and refreshing documentary. One that did a fine job of showing us a part of the world that is genuinely untouched by mankind and that made for a fulfilling hour of television. One that offered up a sense of peace and calm and outright appreciation for the beauty of the world and hopefully… seeing how well nature functions on its own, will help to motivate others to speak up in regard to how we treat it. For even Borneo’s oasis-like appearance is being threatened by our presence since our needs threaten the needs of the animals in the forest, and that is why this documentary deserves our praise and awe and attention. Since it is helping us to understand that this kind of paradise can remain, provided we make the effort to keep it safe and use our vast resources and intelligence to create harmony and having that subtle message present here, really does compel one to continue a wild journey that is genuinely helping us to understand... that we are apart of something quite special, and that it is up to us to keep it safe. Until next time.

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