91Èȱ¬

Some events cannot be planned for in filmmaking but on occasion, if you’re lucky, your timing is spot on. Filming the wet-season flood in the southern Pantanal the Wild Brazil team happened upon a mesmerising spectacle that lasted just two days, and then was gone. 

In one small corner of the ‘vasante’ we found a flooded meadow in full bloom. A shimmering mass of yellow and blue flowers spread out as far as the eye could see, like a brightly coloured quilt laid on top of the flood waters. Here and there a caiman’s head appeared, and small fish swarmed though channels in the forest of underwater roots.

The once-dry meadow had come to life with the recent monsoon rains. Capturing such unexpected moments was our reward for spending months in the field, waiting patiently for seasons that could never be exactly predicted. It took just the right amount of rain, followed by just enough days of sun, to bring these flowers briefly into bloom. The insects were ready to profit from their open petals, and, for once, a film crew was too!

µþ°ù²¹³ú¾±±ô’s is peppered with strange earth mounds, some of them six feet tall. Built by colonies, they are home to a menagerie of wildlife and for just a few nights each year are transformed into one of µþ°ù²¹³ú¾±±ô’s most magical natural spectacles. 

In certain areas of the cerrado, each mound becomes covered in hundreds of tiny, brilliant, bright lights glowing on and off against the night sky.

This shows us not only the range of life in these mounds, but how it responds to µþ°ù²¹³ú¾±±ô’s distinctive seasons. The glow heralds the arrival of the monsoon rains and the bringing of new life to the parched grasslands. The first rains are a cue for the termites to take to the wing to breed. And the flying termites are a cue to the glowing beetle grubs that there is food to be had. The beetles migrate through tiny tunnels to the surface of the mounds where their night-time lights attract the termites. 

Lured to the tunnel entrances the termites are quickly dragged inside and stockpiled by the beetles as food for the coming wet season.

Catching these fascinating but fleeting natural events is a challenge, especially in a country the size of Brazil. We had a strong network of people on the ground who could alert us when such moments were imminent. With news of the very first glow we raced across the country – a mere 1,500 kilometres from the previous filming location! – to catch this otherworldly sight before it went dark for another year.