tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-207798092024-03-14T15:02:21.967+08:00tuskerman transmissionsCharith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.comBlogger131125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-88754881995820991572016-02-15T14:29:00.000+08:002016-02-15T14:30:41.303+08:00International Macaque Day - 16th March.
In this Year of the Monkey it's really apt that a special day has been set aside to celebrate one of their most diverse groups - the Macaques.
Chances are that if you live in Asia, there's a species of macaque living right in or close to your backyard!
I am thrilled to be associated with the organisers of International Macaque Day. Some of my work is featured on their Facebook Page.
Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-70211307097164771762015-04-20T16:26:00.002+08:002015-04-22T02:48:17.771+08:00In Remembrance: Nihal Fernando
It is with a heavy heart that I mourn the passing of Nihal Fernando, photographer, conservationist and reluctant cultural icon of Sri Lanka.
For his entire life, Mr. Fernando recorded the life and times of his beloved island home with the fervour and passion of a true son of the soil. His photographs influenced countless generations, and opened a nation's eyes as to how beautiful and yet how Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-89577496376045334102014-12-11T00:33:00.000+08:002014-12-11T00:33:58.696+08:00Article: I Hear The Call of the Wild!
I hear the "Call of the Wild"! - published 11/12/14 Daily Mirror, Sri Lanka.
https://www.facebook.com/theMANonFIRE
Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-50909077993414041122014-11-27T23:46:00.001+08:002014-11-27T23:46:49.920+08:00Art Project: Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD)
For the longest time I've been wanting to help out and show my appreciation for the work of Action for Singapore Dogs (ASD).
They are one of the wonderful groups here in Singapore that rescue, rehabilitate and (whenever possible) re-home feral dogs. These poor animals have often had to face terrifying odds out on the streets and are usually found in varying degrees of abuse. Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-32286842639089827742014-11-05T02:37:00.000+08:002014-11-05T02:37:35.212+08:00Wildshot: The Bear Monkey
One of my most favourite animals, the elusive Bear Monkey:
Also known as the Montane Purple-faced Langur (Trachypithecus vetulus monticola) this beautiful creature is classified as Endangered on the IUCN Red List - and can only be found in the highland forests of Sri Lanka.
Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-7107019520623513632014-09-19T14:50:00.001+08:002014-09-19T14:51:47.528+08:00Artwork: "contact | margay"
2014, pastels In the heart of the
Brazilian Atlantic Forest, a stray beam of sunlight penetrates the
canopy and illuminates a high branch. Resting in the cradle of its
bough, a Margay opens his eyes, and surveys his lofty kingdom. As the
Sun becomes obscured by cloud and this green world is plunged once again
into emerald darkness, he settles back down - and waits for night to
fall...
Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-55549142562166026112014-09-04T17:30:00.000+08:002014-09-04T17:30:20.980+08:00Artwork: "contact | mandrill"
My latest artwork:
contact | mandrill.
pastels, 2014
Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-46707394829336235022014-07-13T15:35:00.001+08:002014-07-13T15:35:55.649+08:00To Have, And to Have Not...
Its a funny old world, isn't it? The circumstances that keep the human race united under the common ties of community - and yet poles apart in terms of commodity.
A couple of weeks ago a sleak black Lamborghini pulled up along side me in town. This admittedly gorgeous piece of machinery is probably one of the most recognizable statements of privilege and wealth on four wheels that you're Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-1139069404612247532014-06-20T19:17:00.000+08:002014-06-20T19:15:52.340+08:00Field Journals: Borneo Turtles
A few years ago I travelled with my crew to the shores of Sarawak, Borneo. Off the western coast we sailed to a wonderful chain of little islands collectively called the Talang-Satang Marine National Park.
I had travelled all this way for one reason - well a number of reasons actually - but the number one priority was to time our visit to coincide with the arrival of female green Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-1140287102258572272014-05-09T22:33:00.000+08:002014-05-09T22:38:42.280+08:00Simple Minds, Sir David, and Sri Lankan Bears
(An old post (from 2006!), republished in celebration of Sir David's 86th birthday on the 8th of May)
Its amazing how a simple tune can evoke a vast store of nostalgia, seemingly from out of thin air. This morning a song blaring from a distant radio, a typical tune from the mid-80's - I think it was an old hit by Simple Minds - tapped a totally forgotten region of my memory, and suddenlyCharith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-15592736511683734912014-04-17T00:55:00.000+08:002014-04-17T01:07:15.365+08:00Born at the Right Time?
For those of you who know me well, I am forever lamenting the demise of the classic wildlife documentary. Those hour-long epics filmed on a grand scale, crossing continents within mere seconds to tell the story of an animal little heard of and barely ever seen before.
Their stories were told with a moving narrative that described more than just their life histories, but evoked a sense of Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-7710550118967021792014-04-15T23:20:00.000+08:002014-04-15T23:20:00.807+08:00The Mountains of the Moon...
That's what it felt like - to be standing on a landscape, so spellbinding, and yet so alien - that it almost felt unreal to actually be there.
The steppes of Mongolia spread out like some vast cloak of grey and green over a gently undulating terrain. It seems almost too tidy, too well planned out - compact stands of pine trees cresting every mountain-top. Boulder-strewn riverbeds twist, Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-31374577933515440032014-04-10T20:45:00.000+08:002014-04-10T21:56:50.667+08:00Fisherman's Moon
I have sailed the inbound sea. I have led a nomad's life, wandering with the great shoals; sleeping under Orion's light, singing the liquid song of my loss and my regret. For the sake of my brothers, I keep my mind from wandering to that dying horizon, where my lover awaits with the comfort of dusk.
The dunes afford no future. For my brothers and I are fishers of the sea. We have turned ourCharith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-45297116738907334992014-04-09T18:53:00.000+08:002014-04-09T19:39:14.920+08:00Magic In The Wilderness
It never ceases to amaze me how Nature continues to weave Her magic disappearing spells on us, even in this age of mass deforestation and urbanization.
As species go extinct as fast as the seconds hand on a clock, so too do others seemingly disappear and then suddenly re-appear like some monumental game of hide and seek.
A recent case in point is the beautifully enigmatic Borneo Bay Cat (Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-78767833369259539492013-11-14T00:37:00.001+08:002013-11-14T00:37:51.050+08:00In Remembrance of Cocoa
Our precious Cocoa, whom we fostered and then adopted over 11 years ago had to be put down recently (9th November 2013) as her cancer had spread and she was in pain.
She was diagnosed with cancer in September this year (a lump on her front paw which bled profusely) and succumbed to the disease in November. We knew that the cancer was aggressive and we would lose her, but we did not expectCharith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-2110603318950605862013-03-19T16:36:00.001+08:002013-03-19T16:36:50.463+08:00LIFE LESS ORDINARY
I love telling personal stories; about how people are able to change themselves and the world around them. People who make an impact for the better...
Not only are they inspirational to me, but their work has a contagious effect that you can't help yourself being drawn towards...
I was asked to take part in the production of a series called Life Less Ordinary for Channel NewsAsia, and it was Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-65123836885027537252013-03-19T16:22:00.001+08:002013-03-19T16:22:37.056+08:00BOOMTOWN ASIA
It's been a busy New Year, and I have been hard at work on several programmes for Channel NewsAsia.
The station is really diversifying and spreading its reach across Asia and beyond, and so has provided some interesting opportunities in terms of subject matter and storytelling.
I just recently finished series-producing and co-writing a technology series for CNA, entitled Boomtown Asia; a Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-5639204106781228602012-01-16T00:31:00.003+08:002012-01-16T01:02:10.701+08:00Tuskerman Transmissions #02ARMPIT ALARMI learned today, that the Silverback male Gorilla will emit a strong body odour from his armpits when he is either threatened or excited, and to also notify other gorillas of his location.Of the 98.67% genetic similarities we share with this gentle giant, it figures that armpit odour had to be somewhere on the list...So if you are ever fortunate enough to encounter one of our closest Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-50785733865283479432012-01-15T16:37:00.003+08:002012-01-15T16:45:39.560+08:00Tuskerman Transmissions #01BEATING THE QUEUE: ATTENBOROUGH-STYLEWhile stuck in an hour-long queue at the supermarket, (for example, on the last weekend before Chinese New Year), why not pass the time by pretending to be David Attenborough, and narrate a wildlife documentary in your head, using the people around you as your subjects/characters.It is extremely entertaining, and becomes a fascinating expose of human behaviourCharith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-16656107248484660692012-01-15T15:58:00.003+08:002012-01-15T16:05:10.155+08:00Tuskerman Transmissions: A New Year...Over the years I have realized just how much anecdotal and useful bits of information I have come across on a daily basis - only to have them lost in the vacant recesses of my brain, to be lost for all eternity.So this year, I shall endeavour to preserve them for posterity, here on the pages of this blog, so that others might find them of use, or at least a desperate talking point after dinner...Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-69099727959526671002011-05-03T02:16:00.002+08:002011-05-03T02:23:06.858+08:00Artwork: DEFIANCE15 x 22, pastel, 2011Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-69881243250355663142010-10-30T13:54:00.001+08:002010-10-30T13:58:58.535+08:00Charith Pelpola - One Life PhotosAfter having had such an incredible experience filming in Mongolia earlier this year, I thought it might be a good idea to submit a few of my photos to this ONE LIFE photography competition.Have a look through my little portfolio, and vote if you have the time!Thanks!Charith Pelpola - One Life PhotosCharith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-74127675885243191412010-09-29T13:21:00.002+08:002010-09-29T13:27:46.649+08:00SAVAGE SPORTS - the end!For the final episode in the series we pull out all the stops - bringing you a sport that has never been filmed before, from one of the most remote corners of Indonesia.The aim of Mbela is to draw blood - it is violent and sometimes brutal and if you are born into the community where it originates - you MUST play the game...A big thank you to all our viewers, friends, and you wonderful people outCharith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-75430153255367667722010-08-12T21:22:00.006+08:002010-08-13T00:52:16.864+08:00Presenting: SAVAGE SPORTSAfter months of stops and starts and cutting through red tape and a maze of filming permits, Firewalker's inaugural TV production SAVAGE SPORTS, is off the ground.Airing this Sunday in Singapore and across the region, producing the series really has been a trial by fire, but nevertheless a rewarding experience thus far. Check out the show's opening titles for a flavour of what to expect in the Charith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-20779809.post-55078587658735075592010-04-18T02:36:00.005+08:002010-04-20T01:33:46.201+08:00Beginnings: "Project Olympic"After half a year of researching and reshaping - Firewalker Productions has been commissioned by Channel NewsAsia to produce a 6-part documentary series about traditional sports throughout the Asia Pacific region.As we cannot reveal the true name of the series just yet, it is for the moment code-named - Project: Olympic.Field production starts in earnest in May 2010. Charith will be directing andCharith Pelpolahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11634398463834680275noreply@blogger.com0