/ Modified may 1, 2010 2:25 a.m.

NOVA Master of the Killer Ants

A terrible drought has hit the Mandaras Mountains of northern Cameroon and termites have invaded the huts and granaries. Tuesday, March 16th at 9:00 p.m. on PBS-HD.

In the Mandaras Mountains of northern Cameroon lives the Mofu — an ancient tribe that shares its homes and crops with insects in a mutual balance of survival. But this year, a terrible drought has hit the region, and the termites, usually the Mofu’s precious ally, have left the fields and invaded the huts and granaries.

nova_killer_ant

Jaglavak soldiers

To fight back, the Mofu shaman calls for Jaglavak, a ferocious army ant with the body of a dragon. The ant is protected by a thick carapace and armed with terrifying pincers that cut, tear and slice through anything in its path. This program is shot in an intimate style that takes viewers into the traditional mindset of the Mofu shaman and the villagers who depend on him. Then, with high-tech macro shooting techniques, the film goes underground and gives viewers a terrifying close-up look at a termite’s fortress and the war that rages between termites and Jaglavak.

NOVA

By posting comments, you agree to our
AZPM encourages comments, but comments that contain profanity, unrelated information, threats, libel, defamatory statements, obscenities, pornography or that violate the law are not allowed. Comments that promote commercial products or services are not allowed. Comments in violation of this policy will be removed. Continued posting of comments that violate this policy will result in the commenter being banned from the site.

By submitting your comments, you hereby give AZPM the right to post your comments and potentially use them in any other form of media operated by this institution.
AZPM is a service of the University of Arizona and our broadcast stations are licensed to the Arizona Board of Regents who hold the trademarks for Arizona Public Media and AZPM. We respectfully acknowledge the University of Arizona is on the land and territories of Indigenous peoples.
The University of Arizona