Watch these nature-wildlife gems on YouTube for a coronavirus lockdown well spent

Binge-watching, net-streamed movies and series have seen a lockdown surge. Giving this widespread trend a desi, nature-wildlife twist, the State Forest Department has recommended a list of documentaries to watch, all well-made gems available free on YouTube.

High on the list is ‘River terns of Bhadra,” a 2013 documentary that digs deep into the Bhadra tiger reserve, one of India’s most treasured. Rich in flora and fauna, the reserve is flanked by the Bhadra dam’s backwaters, which gets magically transformed by an exclusive summer phenomenon.

River terns in their thousands throng the backwaters in search of a nesting place. Employing a mix of hidden camera traps,