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MICHELLE [off-screen]:
There's a country on
planet earth that's about
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00:00:02,000 --> 00:00:07,000
Downloaded from
YTS.MX
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00:00:04,625 --> 00:00:08,387
the same size
as the United States,
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00:00:08,000 --> 00:00:13,000
Official YIFY movies site:
YTS.MX
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00:00:08,422 --> 00:00:12,391
but it has around
four times as many people.
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00:00:12,426 --> 00:00:17,051
Still, its wild lands are
so vast with creatures seen
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00:00:17,086 --> 00:00:21,607
nowhere else, incredible
animals that survive in
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00:00:21,642 --> 00:00:25,404
some of the most
extreme landscapes,
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00:00:25,439 --> 00:00:30,202
like the highest and largest
mountain region in the world.
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00:00:31,169 --> 00:00:36,208
With so much ice it's
known as the Third Pole.
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00:00:36,243 --> 00:00:41,282
This country is famous for grass
that grows as big as trees.
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00:00:42,387 --> 00:00:45,873
And for an animal that
will eat that giant grass
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all day long.
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00:00:51,499 --> 00:00:56,056
These are
The Hidden Kingdoms of China.
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This is the fastest
growing plant in the world.
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00:01:06,135 --> 00:01:08,309
Bamboo.
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00:01:08,344 --> 00:01:11,933
It can grow around
a meter a day.
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00:01:11,968 --> 00:01:16,869
And some of it as tall
and as thick as a tree.
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00:01:20,459 --> 00:01:24,670
China is the
kingdom of Bamboo.
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Ruled by a queen,
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the giant panda.
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00:01:38,443 --> 00:01:42,481
This country
is her native home.
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She's China's national animal
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and she happens to
eat a lot of bamboo.
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The giant panda
has the tools for it.
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00:01:58,877 --> 00:02:04,089
With five claws on each
paw and a padded wrist bone
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00:02:04,124 --> 00:02:07,368
that works like a thumb.
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00:02:07,403 --> 00:02:11,372
She can grip it
almost like a monkey.
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00:02:16,377 --> 00:02:20,312
Big and powerful jaw muscles
help her grind up the tough
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stems and give her that
recognizable round face.
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A few million years ago,
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the pandas' ancestors
preferred to eat more meat.
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00:02:34,326 --> 00:02:38,848
These days they're
mostly vegetarian.
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Bamboo is low in nutrients,
so the average bear needs to eat
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a lot of it and
for a long time,
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00:02:55,899 --> 00:03:00,110
around 12 hours every day.
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00:03:00,145 --> 00:03:03,424
Perhaps that's the reason
for this panda mother's
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00:03:03,459 --> 00:03:05,978
big, round belly.
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00:03:09,982 --> 00:03:13,572
Or maybe it's because
she just gave birth
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00:03:13,607 --> 00:03:17,404
to her very tiny panda prince.
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00:03:18,577 --> 00:03:23,617
At only two weeks old,
he weighs half a kilogram.
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00:03:25,446 --> 00:03:30,002
A newborn panda is one of the
smallest mammals born compared
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00:03:30,037 --> 00:03:33,696
to the size of the parent.
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They're also born blind
so this little one needs
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00:03:37,424 --> 00:03:41,255
his mom for everything.
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For the next two years, she'll
stick by his side and teach
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00:03:46,398 --> 00:03:50,126
him all that she knows until
the day he's big enough to
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strike out on his own.
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00:03:56,166 --> 00:03:59,273
Thousands of meters higher up,
in an all-together different
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00:03:59,308 --> 00:04:05,279
type of forest there lives
another very special creature.
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00:04:05,314 --> 00:04:09,110
That is also unique to China.
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00:04:09,145 --> 00:04:12,252
The golden snub-nosed
monkey only lives here in the
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00:04:12,286 --> 00:04:17,187
high mountain
forests of central China.
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00:04:19,431 --> 00:04:24,056
Up to 4,000 meters
above sea level.
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00:04:24,816 --> 00:04:28,716
This is the world's
largest high-altitude forest,
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00:04:28,751 --> 00:04:31,857
where there are more tree
species than in any other
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00:04:31,892 --> 00:04:35,999
deciduous forest on earth.
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00:04:37,587 --> 00:04:39,348
It's spring!
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00:04:39,382 --> 00:04:43,490
And these monkeys are
making the most of it.
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00:04:55,709 --> 00:05:00,300
This troop has five families.
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00:05:00,334 --> 00:05:06,029
Each family has one
male and several females
with their young.
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00:05:08,446 --> 00:05:11,828
Males that don't belong
to these families hang out
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00:05:11,863 --> 00:05:15,798
together in a
monkey bachelor gang.
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00:05:18,352 --> 00:05:21,321
They're an unruly bunch,
but for now,
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the focus is not on them.
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00:05:26,049 --> 00:05:30,330
It's on the latest
addition to the family,
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a brand new, baby girl.
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00:05:36,508 --> 00:05:41,651
She happens to be the
first born this spring
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00:05:41,686 --> 00:05:47,485
so all the females in
the family want a cuddle.
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00:05:53,663 --> 00:05:56,942
This aunty is first.
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00:06:02,016 --> 00:06:04,571
[squeaking].
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00:06:04,605 --> 00:06:09,507
Then aunty number
two wants a hold.
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00:06:14,304 --> 00:06:21,035
[squeaking].
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00:06:22,105 --> 00:06:26,627
And aunty number three.
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00:06:31,701 --> 00:06:36,465
[squeaking].
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00:06:36,499 --> 00:06:42,194
Enough! It's mom time.
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00:06:43,161 --> 00:06:47,441
Meaning lunchtime.
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00:06:54,586 --> 00:06:58,970
In fact, all the
monkeys want lunch.
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00:07:02,145 --> 00:07:04,562
At this time of year,
they spend a quarter of
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daylight hours eating
the fresh, new leaves.
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00:07:12,017 --> 00:07:16,436
A good source of protein
and their favorite food.
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As temperatures rise,
the monkeys follow the leaves
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00:07:29,103 --> 00:07:31,209
as they spring to life,
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00:07:31,243 --> 00:07:35,316
further and further
up the mountain.
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00:07:35,351 --> 00:07:39,735
But eventually
the trees stop growing.
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00:07:40,529 --> 00:07:46,189
And at around 5,000 meters
above sea level we hit.
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The great plains of China.
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00:07:49,917 --> 00:07:53,576
Part of the biggest
grassland on earth,
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it covers a
third of the country.
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00:07:59,340 --> 00:08:04,725
For nine months of the year,
it's packed with snow and ice.
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00:08:04,760 --> 00:08:08,626
But there are a couple
of months when it transforms
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into a hidden
kingdom of plenty.
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00:08:11,939 --> 00:08:15,805
Precious time
to raise a family.
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00:08:17,600 --> 00:08:21,501
And up here there's a
family guy who takes the prize
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for dad of the year.
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00:08:25,470 --> 00:08:29,957
The Tibetan
fox is no lazy dog.
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00:08:33,478 --> 00:08:36,308
But he has no idea
what lies ahead in
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this fast-changing wilderness.
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After a very long winter,
the residents of China's
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great plains are waking up.
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00:08:53,118 --> 00:08:55,914
The father fox
has a family of five.
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Four cubs and mother fox too.
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After a month underground,
they are just emerging from
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their den with energy to burn.
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Tibetan foxes normally only
give birth to two or three cubs,
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00:09:16,797 --> 00:09:19,593
so four is a handful.
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00:09:19,628 --> 00:09:21,871
And like most baby foxes,
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they're completely dependent
on both parents for survival.
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00:09:26,635 --> 00:09:29,741
[yipping].
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00:09:30,535 --> 00:09:32,917
They need constant feeding.
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Dad and mom take turns.
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00:09:36,576 --> 00:09:40,580
Today, father fox
stays home to babysit.
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00:09:40,614 --> 00:09:44,584
And mother heads
out for the hunt.
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00:09:50,590 --> 00:09:53,731
To be safe, the cubs
stay close to the den.
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00:09:53,765 --> 00:09:58,701
While the other
grassland creatures
go about their business.
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Some more edible than others.
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[howling].
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[yipping].
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With this many cubs, someone
is bound to get left out.
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As the three
brothers grow stronger,
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00:10:17,686 --> 00:10:22,207
their smaller sister will
need some extra attention.
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00:10:27,143 --> 00:10:30,595
Beyond the grasslands,
lies the wildest,
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00:10:30,630 --> 00:10:35,324
highest and largest
mountain region on Earth.
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00:10:35,358 --> 00:10:38,845
This is China's
mountain kingdom,
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00:10:38,879 --> 00:10:43,435
home to some of the
world's most elusive animals.
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00:10:45,506 --> 00:10:49,165
Including these
goofy looking creatures.
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00:10:49,200 --> 00:10:51,685
The Himalayan marmot,
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sometimes known as
the Tibetan snow pig.
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00:10:56,552 --> 00:10:58,865
They're in the
squirrel family
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00:10:58,899 --> 00:11:02,592
but are more the
size of a groundhog.
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00:11:04,111 --> 00:11:08,357
Marmots are also one
of the highest living
mammals in the world.
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00:11:10,221 --> 00:11:13,189
They survive the coldest
eight months of the year
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by sleeping in their burrows
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00:11:15,502 --> 00:11:19,782
and dropping their heart beats
to just a few per minute.
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00:11:25,615 --> 00:11:31,173
But right now, they're feasting
to rebuild their fat reserves.
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00:11:38,249 --> 00:11:41,701
This mountain habitat
sits within an area nearly
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14 times the size
of Yellowstone.
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00:11:46,015 --> 00:11:50,606
A place where four
seasons can pass in one day.
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00:11:52,021 --> 00:11:54,472
And after the
North and South Pole,
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00:11:54,506 --> 00:11:58,269
it ranks third for ice.
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00:11:58,303 --> 00:12:03,826
Ice that eventually feeds
Asia's three mightiest rivers,
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00:12:03,861 --> 00:12:07,519
the Yellow,
Mekong and Yangtze.
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00:12:08,141 --> 00:12:13,249
Water for most of the
billion people that live below.
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00:12:17,184 --> 00:12:20,601
Nestled in the western
province of Qinghai,
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00:12:20,636 --> 00:12:25,192
this remote and extreme
world is home to a sacred and
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00:12:25,227 --> 00:12:28,644
most elusive predator.
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00:12:28,678 --> 00:12:33,269
Only when she
moves can we see her.
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00:12:33,304 --> 00:12:36,756
It's the ghost of
the mountain kingdom.
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00:12:36,790 --> 00:12:39,137
Something rarely
caught on camera.
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00:12:43,901 --> 00:12:46,696
MICHELLE [off-screen]: China is
home to more snow leopards than
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anywhere else on the planet.
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00:12:50,839 --> 00:12:54,635
At around 16,000
feet above sea level,
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00:12:54,670 --> 00:13:00,089
they're perfectly
adapted to a world that
is inaccessible to most.
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00:13:02,816 --> 00:13:06,855
Their individual territories
with steep sided mountains and
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00:13:06,889 --> 00:13:10,582
exposed valleys are huge,
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00:13:14,621 --> 00:13:18,901
but this female
still marks hers.
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00:13:22,318 --> 00:13:26,495
She's the apex
predator all the way up here.
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00:13:28,083 --> 00:13:30,050
And when there are at best,
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00:13:30,085 --> 00:13:33,260
7,000 snow leopards
left on planet earth,
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00:13:33,295 --> 00:13:37,057
it's a privileged
position to be in.
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00:13:41,613 --> 00:13:47,102
This snow leopard is also
a mother of this yearling cub.
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00:13:48,897 --> 00:13:53,004
She takes the
time to play with him,
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00:13:54,005 --> 00:13:57,871
a mountain version
of hide and seek.
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00:13:58,665 --> 00:14:02,669
Vital lessons
disguised as a game.
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00:14:07,536 --> 00:14:12,748
We are lucky to witness a
snow leopard family in the wild.
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00:14:17,166 --> 00:14:21,722
Many skills are
needed to survive up here.
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00:14:24,553 --> 00:14:28,177
So how does a cub learn those?
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00:14:28,212 --> 00:14:32,595
Be a copycat of course.
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What mom does, son does.
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00:14:44,780 --> 00:14:48,680
They're inseparable.
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00:14:48,715 --> 00:14:51,925
But there's a serious
side to mountain life.
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00:14:51,960 --> 00:14:54,790
And a constant
pressure to find food.
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00:14:54,824 --> 00:14:58,380
Even at the top
of the food chain,
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00:14:58,414 --> 00:15:01,831
survival up here is tough.
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00:15:01,866 --> 00:15:05,042
Mother's milk
is no longer enough.
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00:15:05,076 --> 00:15:07,561
She needs to hunt
every ten days or so
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just to keep
them both alive.
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00:15:11,531 --> 00:15:15,569
But where is the prey?
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00:15:15,604 --> 00:15:20,505
Finding it is the first job,
up here in the mountains.
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00:15:22,404 --> 00:15:26,926
Especially challenging
as a solitary hunter.
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00:15:26,960 --> 00:15:29,929
Where one leopard's
territory might be
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as much as 1,000
square kilometers.
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00:15:35,658 --> 00:15:39,973
About the size of Rome.
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00:15:40,008 --> 00:15:43,977
And if she does find food,
it's difficult to sneak up on
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00:15:44,012 --> 00:15:49,224
it because there just
aren't enough places to hide.
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00:15:52,882 --> 00:15:56,127
These mountains help protect
an opposite universe from
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00:15:56,162 --> 00:15:59,303
the cold air of the north.
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00:15:59,337 --> 00:16:02,547
Further south, there's
a subtropical paradise where
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00:16:02,582 --> 00:16:06,966
animals have more
than enough places to hide.
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00:16:07,000 --> 00:16:10,970
So much so, they
need to up their game
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00:16:11,004 --> 00:16:14,559
to even get noticed at all.
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00:16:16,665 --> 00:16:19,357
The jungle of Yunnan.
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00:16:19,392 --> 00:16:22,188
Covering an area
larger than California,
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00:16:22,222 --> 00:16:27,987
it's home to over half of the
entire country's plant species.
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00:16:28,021 --> 00:16:33,613
It's a hidden kingdom that
shouldn't really be there.
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00:16:35,373 --> 00:16:39,205
Deep narrow valleys
funnel in warm, wet air,
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00:16:39,239 --> 00:16:45,004
making it one of the most
northern jungles in the world.
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00:16:49,008 --> 00:16:55,083
A place where leaves
and branches host some
outlandish life forms.
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00:16:55,117 --> 00:17:00,640
With names that sound
like characters plucked
out of a comic book.
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00:17:00,674 --> 00:17:05,507
These little caterpillars
are simply marvels of nature.
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00:17:07,129 --> 00:17:09,062
This is Chequers,
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00:17:09,097 --> 00:17:12,341
named after the geometric
pattern down its back.
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00:17:15,413 --> 00:17:18,037
Shaped like a shield,
this one's called,
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00:17:18,071 --> 00:17:21,661
funnily enough, the Shield.
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00:17:23,076 --> 00:17:26,459
With a prominent,
nut-like lump in his middle,
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00:17:26,493 --> 00:17:29,082
this is Almond-back.
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00:17:30,877 --> 00:17:35,019
And dressed to
impress, the Jester.
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00:17:36,538 --> 00:17:39,713
They may look cute
but chemical weapons,
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00:17:39,748 --> 00:17:43,303
camouflage and deadly spines
are all tools in the arsenal
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00:17:43,338 --> 00:17:47,411
of survival for
these jungle caterpillars.
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00:17:48,239 --> 00:17:51,449
Thousands of tiny spines
cover this species called
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00:17:51,484 --> 00:17:54,418
The Pin Cushion.
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00:17:54,452 --> 00:17:57,248
The pink bumps on
its rear inflate and
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00:17:57,283 --> 00:18:00,769
contain even
tinier pins to deter
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00:18:00,803 --> 00:18:05,118
any predator that
crosses its path.
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00:18:07,569 --> 00:18:13,506
Dragonhead emerges from
the egg, complete with horns,
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00:18:13,540 --> 00:18:18,062
ready to defend itself.
218
00:18:18,097 --> 00:18:21,928
Reminiscent of
a Chinese dragon.
219
00:18:24,310 --> 00:18:28,935
The Snake Head wears
a mask to hide its head.
220
00:18:28,969 --> 00:18:33,698
While an airborne predator
might think it's a snake,
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00:18:33,733 --> 00:18:38,393
this sneaky larva continues
to feed uninterrupted.
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00:18:39,394 --> 00:18:45,262
But there's one costumed
caterpillar that predators
truly fear, Medusa.
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00:18:47,022 --> 00:18:50,681
Locked and loaded with
a halo of stinging spines,
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00:18:50,715 --> 00:18:54,616
it's all about defense.
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00:18:56,031 --> 00:19:00,139
Each razor-sharp spike is
a hollow needle connected to
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00:19:00,173 --> 00:19:05,109
a poison gland that's
ready to inject a toxin
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00:19:05,144 --> 00:19:10,114
into anything unlucky
enough to come too close.
228
00:19:13,773 --> 00:19:18,295
Some caterpillars don't
need weapons to survive.
229
00:19:18,329 --> 00:19:22,713
They just sit
very, very, still.
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00:19:24,024 --> 00:19:26,544
Like the Twig Caterpillar.
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00:19:26,579 --> 00:19:29,098
With legs set far apart,
232
00:19:29,133 --> 00:19:33,137
it makes a characteristic
hump as it walks.
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00:19:33,172 --> 00:19:37,210
Capable of remaining
motionless and undetected
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00:19:37,245 --> 00:19:42,181
for days just like a twig.
235
00:19:43,492 --> 00:19:47,669
Or perhaps a home-built
fortress may suffice.
236
00:19:47,703 --> 00:19:51,742
Inside these leaves,
stuck together by her own silk,
237
00:19:51,776 --> 00:19:56,850
is a female caterpillar
known as the Witches Hat.
238
00:19:56,885 --> 00:19:59,301
To accommodate a growing body,
239
00:19:59,336 --> 00:20:05,238
this literal home maker adds
to her hat, leaf by tiny leaf.
240
00:20:05,273 --> 00:20:08,345
And she keeps a clean house.
241
00:20:11,796 --> 00:20:16,180
After gently balancing her
droppings on tiny silk threads,
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00:20:16,215 --> 00:20:21,150
she jettisons
them as far as she can.
243
00:20:22,738 --> 00:20:27,916
Eventually she'll turn into
a wingless moth full of eggs.
244
00:20:27,950 --> 00:20:31,747
But for now she'll
stay in her cozy home,
245
00:20:31,782 --> 00:20:36,062
until a male moth comes
along to fertilize them.
246
00:20:36,580 --> 00:20:40,446
All these caterpillars
have the same simple goals,
247
00:20:40,480 --> 00:20:44,967
to eat and not be eaten.
248
00:20:45,520 --> 00:20:48,281
Stunning looks and
impressive adaptations go
249
00:20:48,316 --> 00:20:52,492
a long way in
the jungle of Yunnan.
250
00:20:56,047 --> 00:21:00,707
This rather handsome
devil is the Great Hornbill.
251
00:21:00,742 --> 00:21:05,436
Roughly the size of a
bald eagle, he's a big bird.
252
00:21:07,162 --> 00:21:10,683
He's also a loyal mate.
253
00:21:10,717 --> 00:21:13,996
Although what the female
hornbill does may seem to
254
00:21:14,031 --> 00:21:17,379
us very strange indeed.
255
00:21:22,729 --> 00:21:25,491
MICHELLE [off-screen]:
This father hornbill
will be the sole provider
256
00:21:25,525 --> 00:21:29,288
for his family for
the next four months.
257
00:21:30,565 --> 00:21:32,877
But the mother
hornbill is holed up
258
00:21:32,912 --> 00:21:35,984
in this old tree
with her chicks.
259
00:21:36,018 --> 00:21:40,195
Trapped. 30 meters up.
260
00:21:42,370 --> 00:21:46,201
Completely relying
on him to feed her.
261
00:21:46,235 --> 00:21:50,930
She had to enter the nest
before laying her eggs,
262
00:21:50,964 --> 00:21:54,692
and shed her flight
feathers to make space
for a growing brood.
263
00:21:57,523 --> 00:22:01,941
Welcome to
motherhood hornbill style.
264
00:22:03,770 --> 00:22:08,188
It may seem extreme to us
but this is the jungle and
265
00:22:08,223 --> 00:22:12,572
you do what it takes
to protect your babies.
266
00:22:15,264 --> 00:22:20,028
Hornbills bond for life
and this pair is nesting in
267
00:22:20,062 --> 00:22:24,412
the same tree for
the tenth year straight.
268
00:22:27,242 --> 00:22:30,625
The mother's only outlet
to the world is a narrow gap
269
00:22:30,659 --> 00:22:33,766
within the tree hollow.
270
00:22:33,800 --> 00:22:37,356
Wide enough for the male
hornbill to supply food and
271
00:22:37,390 --> 00:22:41,670
narrow enough to
keep nest raiders out.
272
00:22:53,613 --> 00:22:56,513
Like a kind of
flying, candy machine,
273
00:22:56,547 --> 00:22:59,585
dad returns to the
nest many times a day with
274
00:22:59,619 --> 00:23:03,485
a beak full of treats.
275
00:23:03,520 --> 00:23:06,385
He stores the fruit in a
special pouch at the base of
276
00:23:06,419 --> 00:23:09,940
his neck and to
pass it onto the female,
277
00:23:09,974 --> 00:23:14,393
he rolls each one out to
the tip of his massive beak.
278
00:23:18,120 --> 00:23:22,021
It's a highly skilled
and precision operation...
279
00:23:23,505 --> 00:23:26,543
most of the time.
280
00:23:30,547 --> 00:23:35,793
The male hornbill is
under intense pressure
to feed hungry mouths.
281
00:23:43,560 --> 00:23:48,944
Sugary fruit alone won't
be enough to sustain his young.
282
00:23:50,325 --> 00:23:54,433
This father has to
do some real hunting.
283
00:23:55,641 --> 00:24:00,231
A tiny owl chick will
make a good protein hit.
284
00:24:01,025 --> 00:24:04,615
But then.
285
00:24:04,650 --> 00:24:07,480
It's gone.
286
00:24:07,515 --> 00:24:11,691
The meal falls all the
way to the jungle floor.
287
00:24:17,456 --> 00:24:21,563
He has no choice but
to go out and hunt again.
288
00:24:25,567 --> 00:24:30,158
While the female waits
patiently with their brood.
289
00:24:35,370 --> 00:24:38,269
He snatches an
even bigger chick.
290
00:24:38,304 --> 00:24:41,618
A prize he
can't afford to lose.
291
00:25:02,949 --> 00:25:07,575
It's too big for the entrance.
292
00:25:12,269 --> 00:25:16,618
He crushes the bones
and he tries again.
293
00:25:18,033 --> 00:25:22,037
Still too big.
294
00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:27,077
But he's not giving up.
295
00:25:27,111 --> 00:25:31,012
That beak is
not just for show.
296
00:25:37,984 --> 00:25:42,437
Finally. Success.
297
00:25:42,471 --> 00:25:45,129
It'll be a while before
the hornbill chicks can leave
298
00:25:45,164 --> 00:25:49,651
their sanctuary high
up in the jungle tree.
299
00:25:51,929 --> 00:25:55,623
Trees provide more
than just shelter.
300
00:25:57,901 --> 00:26:00,869
Clean air, food.
301
00:26:00,904 --> 00:26:04,390
They are magnificent
silent heroes.
302
00:26:04,424 --> 00:26:08,636
And some of them are massive.
303
00:26:09,809 --> 00:26:12,847
This is a Banyan tree,
304
00:26:12,881 --> 00:26:19,439
300 years old and said to be
the largest in all of China.
305
00:26:23,133 --> 00:26:26,515
Out of its branches
thousands of aerial roots
306
00:26:26,550 --> 00:26:30,658
spread in all directions.
307
00:26:30,692 --> 00:26:35,317
From these, others sprout
and reach for the ground.
308
00:26:35,352 --> 00:26:39,598
Then they thicken
and form new trunks.
309
00:26:40,184 --> 00:26:44,844
The crown covers an
astonishing 8,000 square meters
310
00:26:45,983 --> 00:26:50,194
around the size of
a football field.
311
00:26:51,644 --> 00:26:56,442
This Banyan tree is so
big it makes its own forest.
312
00:26:58,306 --> 00:27:02,103
It's also sacred.
313
00:27:03,414 --> 00:27:09,006
Visitors leave red
colored offerings for
happiness and good luck.
314
00:27:16,117 --> 00:27:20,673
Meanwhile, back in the
bamboo forests of the east.
315
00:27:20,708 --> 00:27:23,918
The mother panda is getting
ready to introduce her baby
316
00:27:23,952 --> 00:27:27,853
to the big wide world.
317
00:27:31,408 --> 00:27:34,722
At just a few months old,
the baby panda still drinks
318
00:27:34,756 --> 00:27:39,002
his mom's milk
several times a day.
319
00:27:46,388 --> 00:27:49,081
But the older he gets,
320
00:27:49,115 --> 00:27:53,844
the more he can explore on his
own and learn about the forest.
321
00:27:56,744 --> 00:28:01,058
As long as his
mother is not too far away.
322
00:28:15,417 --> 00:28:18,351
Turns out, there's
plenty to discover in all the
323
00:28:18,386 --> 00:28:22,804
different parts
of the bamboo kingdom.
324
00:28:22,839 --> 00:28:27,188
And so many new
creatures to meet.
325
00:28:39,062 --> 00:28:42,513
Like this six-legged
alien predator.
326
00:28:42,548 --> 00:28:46,725
At just under five centimeters
long, she packs a mighty punch,
327
00:28:46,759 --> 00:28:50,107
an inspiration for
China's Kung Fu masters.
328
00:29:00,014 --> 00:29:04,743
MICHELLE [off-screen]: This
female, jeweled flower mantis
is looking for flowers
329
00:29:06,503 --> 00:29:10,058
because they attract
her favorite prey,
330
00:29:14,960 --> 00:29:18,446
flies.
331
00:29:23,416 --> 00:29:28,111
Not here to chat,
they're here to drink nectar.
332
00:29:39,018 --> 00:29:43,022
But she's here to eat.
333
00:29:50,064 --> 00:29:53,377
And she's being watched.
334
00:30:02,973 --> 00:30:07,426
A smaller, male
mantis creeps closer.
335
00:30:09,704 --> 00:30:12,603
He's only after one thing.
336
00:30:12,638 --> 00:30:16,745
And it's not
the chewed-up fly.
337
00:30:16,780 --> 00:30:19,196
Even though
she's just eaten,
338
00:30:19,231 --> 00:30:23,338
he should still
tread carefully.
339
00:30:27,895 --> 00:30:31,899
A big beetle joins the party.
340
00:30:44,497 --> 00:30:47,259
Impressive.
341
00:30:49,433 --> 00:30:54,128
But now, back to business.
342
00:31:03,931 --> 00:31:07,348
He better be careful,
343
00:31:09,212 --> 00:31:14,596
a female praying mantis
will sometimes eat her man.
344
00:31:24,089 --> 00:31:28,887
These are the baby panda's
first steps to independence.
345
00:31:35,410 --> 00:31:40,346
Pandas are mostly loners
so these two years together
346
00:31:40,381 --> 00:31:43,591
with mom are precious.
347
00:31:45,973 --> 00:31:51,254
[squeaking].
348
00:31:55,879 --> 00:31:58,847
He could be just one of
a handful of cubs she raises
349
00:31:58,882 --> 00:32:03,024
in her lifetime, so the
next stage is one of the most
350
00:32:03,059 --> 00:32:06,890
important for both of them.
351
00:32:13,000 --> 00:32:17,211
It's a different story
for the four fox cubs.
352
00:32:19,558 --> 00:32:24,597
Their mother has been gone
a long time and dad is left
353
00:32:24,632 --> 00:32:27,324
with the job of
watching them...
354
00:32:31,811 --> 00:32:35,091
and feeding them.
355
00:32:45,687 --> 00:32:50,037
These cubs are so
dependent on their parents.
356
00:32:53,281 --> 00:32:56,388
But the odds of
survival are slim,
357
00:32:56,422 --> 00:33:00,564
one out of five
fox cubs won't make it.
358
00:33:01,048 --> 00:33:05,949
[yipping].
359
00:33:06,536 --> 00:33:09,677
If things get really tough,
these four may form their
360
00:33:09,711 --> 00:33:14,164
own hierarchy, which won't
be good for the little sister.
361
00:33:20,722 --> 00:33:24,450
Fall arrives in China's
high mountain forests.
362
00:33:27,246 --> 00:33:31,630
At similar latitudes
to North America's
deciduous forests,
363
00:33:31,664 --> 00:33:35,082
these glorious colors
look very familiar.
364
00:33:42,365 --> 00:33:46,955
The new baby snub-nosed monkey
is growing stronger every day.
365
00:33:48,302 --> 00:33:52,547
She's six months old
but still needs her mom.
366
00:33:59,830 --> 00:34:05,698
Experimentation and discovery
have begun for this little one.
367
00:34:08,253 --> 00:34:12,360
Her first new tastes,
368
00:34:12,395 --> 00:34:15,881
and her inaugural
attempts at grooming.
369
00:34:20,092 --> 00:34:24,510
But the best part,
she's confidently mobile.
370
00:34:28,790 --> 00:34:33,588
So now she spends a
lot of her time playing.
371
00:34:38,593 --> 00:34:42,425
It may be fun, but
like for most of us mammals,
372
00:34:42,459 --> 00:34:45,911
it's important too.
373
00:34:46,877 --> 00:34:50,433
Playing keeps this
little monkey fit and strong,
374
00:34:50,467 --> 00:34:55,093
gives her good social skills
and sharpens her brain too.
375
00:34:55,610 --> 00:34:58,855
[squeaking].
376
00:34:58,889 --> 00:35:02,617
As long as she
gets the landing right.
377
00:35:03,756 --> 00:35:08,761
In Chinese folklore,
monkeys symbolize
rebellion and mischief.
378
00:35:10,246 --> 00:35:12,834
It's no wonder.
379
00:35:12,869 --> 00:35:16,597
The troop's
bachelor gang fits the part.
380
00:35:24,087 --> 00:35:28,919
Families push out these young
males before they turn three.
381
00:35:36,789 --> 00:35:40,862
And boys will be boys.
382
00:35:49,008 --> 00:35:51,666
They're preparing for the
day when they'll fight to
383
00:35:51,701 --> 00:35:54,945
win their own family.
384
00:36:02,919 --> 00:36:08,166
One of the older males has
already reached that point.
385
00:36:11,238 --> 00:36:14,344
Aged seven, those
warts on his lips show that
386
00:36:14,379 --> 00:36:18,037
this bachelor is ready.
387
00:36:19,038 --> 00:36:24,009
Apparently, the little lumps
are attractive to females.
388
00:36:24,665 --> 00:36:27,323
But he can only
win the right to mate
389
00:36:27,357 --> 00:36:30,429
if he can take over a family.
390
00:36:30,464 --> 00:36:36,124
That means he must overthrow
the father of the baby monkey.
391
00:36:40,439 --> 00:36:43,684
MICHELLE: The alpha male
and his family are under threat
392
00:36:43,718 --> 00:36:46,997
in China's high
mountain forests.
393
00:36:49,897 --> 00:36:51,761
Other males may
kill the babies,
394
00:36:51,795 --> 00:36:54,108
if they succeed
in taking over.
395
00:36:54,142 --> 00:36:58,871
Simply so they can
sire their own offspring.
396
00:36:59,838 --> 00:37:05,223
[screaming].
397
00:37:05,671 --> 00:37:09,399
The little monkey's father
is an experienced fighter.
398
00:37:14,266 --> 00:37:18,960
He's not as strong
as he used to be,
399
00:37:18,995 --> 00:37:22,654
but his harem of
females has got his back.
400
00:37:26,865 --> 00:37:30,834
So, he still
has the upper hand.
401
00:37:46,747 --> 00:37:50,682
The challenger is sent packing,
402
00:37:50,716 --> 00:37:54,824
and father maintains his
position as head of the family.
403
00:37:56,964 --> 00:38:00,692
The females seem
happy to keep him there.
404
00:38:00,726 --> 00:38:05,386
He returns to the baby
monkey's mother for comfort.
405
00:38:09,701 --> 00:38:13,498
And because fall
is the breeding season,
406
00:38:13,532 --> 00:38:17,778
he's about to get some
extra looks from the girls.
407
00:38:20,850 --> 00:38:24,923
To win his affection they
shower him with attention.
408
00:38:29,376 --> 00:38:34,450
Female golden snub-nosed monkeys
use grooming as currency,
409
00:38:34,484 --> 00:38:38,488
hoping to exchange
it for romance.
410
00:38:44,667 --> 00:38:49,154
This one seems to be
finding all the right spots.
411
00:38:59,544 --> 00:39:02,823
Until the kids get in the way.
412
00:39:07,103 --> 00:39:10,624
They'll mate several times.
413
00:39:13,281 --> 00:39:17,631
And fingers crossed,
this female will
give birth next spring.
414
00:39:27,641 --> 00:39:31,230
As fall progresses in
China's mountain forests,
415
00:39:31,265 --> 00:39:34,613
trees continue
to shed their leaves.
416
00:39:34,648 --> 00:39:38,893
A strategy to save energy
during the cold months ahead.
417
00:39:40,447 --> 00:39:44,589
This means less food for
the monkeys although they make
418
00:39:44,623 --> 00:39:48,489
do with bamboo
leaves and pine needles.
419
00:39:54,115 --> 00:39:58,603
While all the other forest
creatures get ready for winter.
420
00:39:59,811 --> 00:40:04,160
Other animals take
colder temperatures in stride.
421
00:40:07,232 --> 00:40:11,788
They don't have a choice.
422
00:40:13,480 --> 00:40:15,758
High up in the mountains
423
00:40:15,792 --> 00:40:18,657
the snow leopard mother
and her cub cross into
424
00:40:18,692 --> 00:40:23,041
an area of steep cliffs
and crumbling rocks.
425
00:40:27,321 --> 00:40:31,083
Finding food
here is a challenge.
426
00:40:31,118 --> 00:40:34,880
But actually catching it?
427
00:40:34,915 --> 00:40:38,539
That's on another level.
428
00:40:38,574 --> 00:40:41,439
Literally.
429
00:40:42,543 --> 00:40:47,030
Hunting in these mountains
is a serious undertaking.
430
00:40:50,482 --> 00:40:54,521
These blue sheep are
the leopard's main target.
431
00:40:55,867 --> 00:40:59,595
And just like her, they're able
to disappear into the rocks.
432
00:41:03,702 --> 00:41:07,879
The sheep are expert
climbers on the steep cliffs,
433
00:41:07,913 --> 00:41:11,503
a skill that helps them access
one of their favorite foods,
434
00:41:12,953 --> 00:41:16,991
the energy-rich lichen.
435
00:41:18,096 --> 00:41:22,687
These high-altitude herbivores
are built for the job.
436
00:41:22,721 --> 00:41:25,413
Split hooves make
rock-climbing easier as they
437
00:41:25,448 --> 00:41:28,934
spread the animal's
weight for better balance.
438
00:41:30,764 --> 00:41:35,182
And rough pads under each toe
give them a suction-like grip.
439
00:41:36,977 --> 00:41:40,463
These sheep don't slip.
440
00:41:42,327 --> 00:41:44,881
A tough target for the
mother snow leopard,
441
00:41:44,916 --> 00:41:47,988
but worth the trouble.
442
00:41:51,474 --> 00:41:54,684
And if a sheep can
climb these rocks,
443
00:41:54,719 --> 00:41:58,239
then it shouldn't be
any problem for a cat.
444
00:42:03,382 --> 00:42:07,732
Still, practice
makes perfect.
445
00:42:12,564 --> 00:42:15,567
Patience too.
446
00:42:15,602 --> 00:42:20,192
The blue sheep don't just eat
lichen from the craggy cliffs.
447
00:42:20,227 --> 00:42:23,437
They also need to graze
the open slopes where they rely
448
00:42:23,471 --> 00:42:26,820
on strength in numbers.
449
00:42:29,305 --> 00:42:34,482
The terrain may
be easier here but there
are fewer places to hide.
450
00:42:35,345 --> 00:42:37,865
Mom and her cub need a
different hunting strategy
451
00:42:37,900 --> 00:42:40,558
if they're to succeed.
452
00:42:41,489 --> 00:42:44,907
The skill is in the ambush.
453
00:42:46,633 --> 00:42:50,291
Playfulness morphs
into hunting practice.
454
00:42:50,326 --> 00:42:53,881
The cub tricks his mother
but can he do it for real?
455
00:42:55,158 --> 00:42:58,576
The time has come
to put him to the test.
456
00:43:02,269 --> 00:43:04,961
MICHELLE: A small group
of blue sheep has moved away
457
00:43:04,996 --> 00:43:07,619
from the main herd.
458
00:43:07,654 --> 00:43:10,449
Ripe for the picking.
459
00:43:13,694 --> 00:43:16,317
The mother snow
leopard rolls in the dirt,
460
00:43:16,352 --> 00:43:20,183
perhaps to add to her camo.
461
00:43:24,705 --> 00:43:28,882
But her cub is in danger
of giving her position away.
462
00:43:36,475 --> 00:43:40,479
He's old enough now to know
to keep down low and stay out of
463
00:43:40,514 --> 00:43:44,483
the sheep's line of sight.
464
00:43:45,484 --> 00:43:51,559
Mom moves in from behind
with silence and stealth.
465
00:43:57,255 --> 00:44:00,568
The cub holds his position.
466
00:44:02,709 --> 00:44:06,402
They're in the perfect
place to make a kill.
467
00:44:09,336 --> 00:44:13,685
But the sheep are twitchy.
468
00:44:16,377 --> 00:44:20,105
The game is up.
469
00:44:25,524 --> 00:44:29,805
Bad luck this time but the
cub adds to his ambush bag of
470
00:44:29,839 --> 00:44:33,015
tricks for next time.
471
00:44:43,404 --> 00:44:47,857
Overnight, another hunter
takes down one of the sheep.
472
00:44:50,688 --> 00:44:54,484
Remote cameras capture
rare moments of predators and
473
00:44:54,519 --> 00:44:58,281
scavengers dining
on this precious meal.
474
00:44:58,316 --> 00:45:02,596
A golden eagle shares
the prize with a red fox.
475
00:45:05,150 --> 00:45:08,878
A Tibetan fox
grabs what he can.
476
00:45:10,846 --> 00:45:16,541
And then, another snow
leopard pair takes their
share of the carcass.
477
00:45:37,010 --> 00:45:40,254
50 million years ago,
the grasslands that cover
478
00:45:40,289 --> 00:45:45,743
China's Qinghai Tibet Plateau
were an ancient sea.
479
00:45:47,814 --> 00:45:51,783
But when the Himalayas were
formed they were thrust up,
480
00:45:51,818 --> 00:45:54,752
five kilometers high.
481
00:45:57,168 --> 00:46:01,344
[thunder].
482
00:46:01,379 --> 00:46:05,038
Today, melting glaciers from
the surrounding mountains
483
00:46:05,072 --> 00:46:07,316
create hundreds of lakes,
484
00:46:07,350 --> 00:46:10,664
which nourish
these great plains.
485
00:46:12,597 --> 00:46:16,014
Like the mighty Donggei Cuona.
486
00:46:18,223 --> 00:46:21,917
For most of the year
it's covered in ice,
487
00:46:25,058 --> 00:46:30,649
but during the summer
it becomes a precious oasis.
488
00:46:33,998 --> 00:46:39,417
Its waters help
support a diversity of life.
489
00:46:49,876 --> 00:46:55,847
These high grasslands
echo to the courtship duet
of very rare visitors.
490
00:46:55,882 --> 00:46:58,160
[squawking].
491
00:46:58,194 --> 00:47:00,783
Black-necked cranes.
492
00:47:01,784 --> 00:47:05,063
Almost the entire world
population of an estimated
493
00:47:05,098 --> 00:47:10,862
11,000 nest along the
shores of these great
lakes during the summer.
494
00:47:11,898 --> 00:47:16,074
[squawking].
495
00:47:16,109 --> 00:47:20,838
It's a safe place
to raise a family and
there's plenty of food.
496
00:47:26,222 --> 00:47:30,364
For centuries, Tibetans have
revered these birds as symbols
497
00:47:30,399 --> 00:47:35,335
of longevity and harmony
between people and nature.
498
00:47:41,134 --> 00:47:46,346
The Tibetan fox family
live by the lakeshore too.
499
00:47:47,934 --> 00:47:52,179
The four cubs are still
waiting for their mom.
500
00:47:53,042 --> 00:47:57,633
So dad has the full-time job
of supplying them with snacks.
501
00:47:59,428 --> 00:48:03,811
Thankfully the snacks
live within easy range.
502
00:48:06,504 --> 00:48:09,438
Pikas.
503
00:48:09,472 --> 00:48:12,682
They're related to rabbits
but are about the size of
504
00:48:12,717 --> 00:48:19,068
a guinea pig and make up to
95% of the Tibetan fox diet.
505
00:48:20,621 --> 00:48:23,107
They live in large,
underground colonies with
506
00:48:23,141 --> 00:48:26,213
hundreds of individuals.
507
00:48:26,248 --> 00:48:29,113
And, like most of
the vegetarians up here,
508
00:48:29,147 --> 00:48:33,496
spend most of the summer
grazing on the grass.
509
00:48:34,221 --> 00:48:39,019
They can eat as much as half
their body weight each day.
510
00:48:45,508 --> 00:48:47,959
Pikas may live in
underground burrows
511
00:48:47,994 --> 00:48:51,790
but the foxes have
got that covered.
512
00:48:52,722 --> 00:48:57,037
[chirping].
513
00:48:58,176 --> 00:49:00,385
[chirping, growling].
514
00:49:05,494 --> 00:49:08,186
[growling].
515
00:49:09,084 --> 00:49:12,087
Their extremely long canines
help them hook the little
516
00:49:12,121 --> 00:49:15,849
mammals from a tight spot.
517
00:49:15,883 --> 00:49:18,507
Big and powerful jaw
muscles make their heads
518
00:49:18,541 --> 00:49:22,269
a little larger than usual.
519
00:49:22,304 --> 00:49:26,964
The head also seems to
hide the rest of their body
when hunting in the open.
520
00:49:36,249 --> 00:49:41,081
The fox makes use of
the slightest contours of
the land for the ambush.
521
00:49:46,293 --> 00:49:50,021
This pika is grazing
very close to its burrow,
522
00:49:50,056 --> 00:49:52,886
too easy an escape.
523
00:49:52,920 --> 00:49:56,476
So, dad needs to get within
at least three meters to
524
00:49:56,510 --> 00:50:00,411
have any chance
of grabbing it.
525
00:50:02,585 --> 00:50:06,831
[chattering].
526
00:50:06,865 --> 00:50:12,216
He must catch around
20 pikas a day if he's
to satisfy his large brood.
527
00:50:16,013 --> 00:50:18,981
The cubs get what
they need for now,
528
00:50:19,016 --> 00:50:23,020
even little sis
snags her share.
529
00:50:24,297 --> 00:50:27,576
Dad's exhausted.
530
00:50:32,581 --> 00:50:35,756
Mother fox has
been gone for days.
531
00:50:35,791 --> 00:50:38,828
Where could she be?
532
00:50:40,347 --> 00:50:42,142
Little do they know,
533
00:50:42,177 --> 00:50:46,043
tragedy has struck
on China's grasslands.
534
00:50:46,422 --> 00:50:51,427
The fox cubs' mom has fallen
victim to Tibetan wolves.
535
00:50:53,222 --> 00:50:57,364
Father fox is
really on his own now.
536
00:51:01,368 --> 00:51:06,994
The hidden kingdoms of China
hold a whole other secret world.
537
00:51:07,029 --> 00:51:09,997
At night.
538
00:51:10,757 --> 00:51:14,830
No jungle ever really sleeps.
539
00:51:17,488 --> 00:51:20,698
In the subtropical
forests of Yunnan,
540
00:51:20,732 --> 00:51:24,115
another male resident
is on the prowl.
541
00:51:24,150 --> 00:51:27,463
For food?
Or for females?
542
00:51:27,498 --> 00:51:32,434
Either way, he takes
advantage of the dark
to get what he wants.
543
00:51:35,575 --> 00:51:38,336
This is a Slow Loris.
544
00:51:38,371 --> 00:51:43,203
Also known in
China as the Bee Monkey.
545
00:51:43,238 --> 00:51:46,965
The world's only venomous
primates have a bite that may
546
00:51:47,000 --> 00:51:50,693
protect them
against predators.
547
00:52:03,568 --> 00:52:06,640
They also have special blood
vessels in their wrists and
548
00:52:06,675 --> 00:52:10,127
ankles that deliver
oxygen to their muscles,
549
00:52:10,161 --> 00:52:15,235
allowing them to hang onto
branches for hours at a time.
550
00:52:20,551 --> 00:52:25,418
The slow loris is
a hunter of the night.
551
00:52:28,524 --> 00:52:32,183
Forward facing eyes give
him stereoscopic vision for
552
00:52:32,218 --> 00:52:35,635
pinpoint depth perception.
553
00:52:35,669 --> 00:52:38,672
And a reflective layer
behind the retina lets him
554
00:52:38,707 --> 00:52:44,368
see well in low light,
essential for a
nocturnal predator.
555
00:52:48,337 --> 00:52:50,960
Since most insects
are cold blooded,
556
00:52:50,995 --> 00:52:54,757
they tend to slow down
in the cool of the night.
557
00:52:54,792 --> 00:52:59,866
So, they play right into
the hands of the Bee Monkey.
558
00:53:01,316 --> 00:53:06,390
He's more about
stealth than speed.
559
00:53:15,261 --> 00:53:20,024
Tonight though,
he's distracted by her.
560
00:53:28,412 --> 00:53:33,210
But she's not in heat right
now and would rather stick
561
00:53:33,244 --> 00:53:37,214
to gobbling up bugs herself.
562
00:53:50,330 --> 00:53:54,438
Sorry darling not tonight.
563
00:53:59,236 --> 00:54:03,619
In China's bamboo forests
after dark there are other
564
00:54:03,654 --> 00:54:07,623
male creatures having
more luck with the girls.
565
00:54:07,658 --> 00:54:11,938
But be careful
what you wish for.
566
00:54:21,672 --> 00:54:25,572
MICHELLE [off-screen]:
Meet the Emei mustache toad.
567
00:54:27,712 --> 00:54:32,614
16 sharp spines on his
nose defend his breeding site,
568
00:54:33,270 --> 00:54:37,204
[croaking].
569
00:54:39,448 --> 00:54:43,383
a smooth flat rock.
570
00:54:44,488 --> 00:54:48,906
This is where he wants multiple
females to lay their eggs.
571
00:54:48,940 --> 00:54:52,703
So far, he's been
quite successful.
572
00:54:52,737 --> 00:54:56,120
But he wants more.
573
00:54:59,606 --> 00:55:03,783
And he's not the only male
Emei toad playing this game.
574
00:55:04,818 --> 00:55:09,167
There's a rival close by
looking for his own love rock.
575
00:55:11,549 --> 00:55:14,794
[croaking].
576
00:55:14,828 --> 00:55:17,590
Perhaps using the
rock as an amplifier,
577
00:55:17,624 --> 00:55:21,318
he presses his back against
it to advertise his nest with
578
00:55:21,352 --> 00:55:23,906
a cacophony of croaks.
579
00:55:23,941 --> 00:55:25,908
[croaking].
580
00:55:25,943 --> 00:55:29,118
It's not enough though
he needs more volume.
581
00:55:30,396 --> 00:55:35,297
The other guy's rock
looks and sounds better.
582
00:55:35,332 --> 00:55:39,819
[croaking].
583
00:55:40,440 --> 00:55:44,824
[croaking].
584
00:55:47,309 --> 00:55:51,278
Time to take that
rock all for himself.
585
00:55:53,315 --> 00:55:55,835
It's a toad showdown.
586
00:55:57,077 --> 00:56:01,427
[croaking].
587
00:56:01,461 --> 00:56:04,602
But the first guy
has the upper hand.
588
00:56:05,154 --> 00:56:09,952
[croaking].
589
00:56:17,857 --> 00:56:22,689
He pushes him out
and keeps his rock.
590
00:56:29,558 --> 00:56:34,874
And it doesn't go unnoticed
by this gorgeous creature,
591
00:56:35,564 --> 00:56:37,704
a passing female.
592
00:56:37,739 --> 00:56:40,983
[croaking].
593
00:56:41,018 --> 00:56:44,987
What happens next has never
been filmed in the wild,
594
00:56:45,298 --> 00:56:49,440
the Emei Mustache
toad courtship dance.
595
00:56:50,993 --> 00:56:54,928
It starts with
a wave and a wink.
596
00:56:57,103 --> 00:57:02,453
His goal is to have her
lay her eggs next to those
left by previous females.
597
00:57:06,630 --> 00:57:10,668
But she takes some convincing.
598
00:57:10,703 --> 00:57:13,982
A neck rub, maybe?
599
00:57:21,403 --> 00:57:25,614
Back scratch?
600
00:57:25,649 --> 00:57:29,618
Whatever he's doing, it works.
601
00:57:35,555 --> 00:57:39,663
[croaking].
602
00:57:39,697 --> 00:57:44,219
She's ready to
release her eggs.
603
00:58:02,030 --> 00:58:06,413
Then, she presses herself
against the tiny eggs and
604
00:58:06,448 --> 00:58:10,245
glues them to his
carefully guarded rock.
605
00:58:16,596 --> 00:58:21,394
But there's a twist.
606
00:58:27,262 --> 00:58:30,783
Mother toad's
job here is done.
607
00:58:30,817 --> 00:58:34,234
She leaves Mr. Toad to look
after their brood until they
608
00:58:34,269 --> 00:58:37,583
hatch into tadpoles.
609
00:58:42,484 --> 00:58:46,661
The bamboo forest at night
hides many secret worlds under
610
00:58:46,695 --> 00:58:51,562
the rocks and
inside the bamboo.
611
00:58:52,667 --> 00:58:57,361
This species is
known as spiny bamboo.
612
00:58:57,395 --> 00:58:59,950
It grows to twice the
height of a telephone pole.
613
00:58:59,984 --> 00:59:02,642
And its stems are hollow.
614
00:59:02,677 --> 00:59:06,784
Some of them have tiny
slits made by beetles,
615
00:59:06,819 --> 00:59:11,306
born from eggs inside
the bamboo that have
since cut their way out.
616
00:59:14,896 --> 00:59:19,279
One animal takes
advantage of this real estate.
617
00:59:19,763 --> 00:59:21,937
At just a couple
of centimeters long,
618
00:59:21,972 --> 00:59:24,940
it's one of the
smallest mammals in the world.
619
00:59:28,979 --> 00:59:33,431
The lesser bamboo bat.
620
00:59:44,097 --> 00:59:50,034
One male shares a segment
of the bamboo stem with up to
12 females and their babies.
621
00:59:58,180 --> 01:00:01,045
The infants are
still too young to fly,
622
01:00:01,080 --> 01:00:06,395
so their parents leave
them alone while they go
out hunting for insects.
623
01:00:06,430 --> 01:00:09,606
Specially flattened skulls
help them squeeze their way
624
01:00:09,640 --> 01:00:13,886
out of slits just
a couple of centimeters wide.
625
01:00:24,966 --> 01:00:28,279
Even though the bats
hunt in short bursts,
626
01:00:28,314 --> 01:00:33,284
every minute they're away
leaves their babies vulnerable.
627
01:00:37,737 --> 01:00:42,880
A Chinese beauty rat
snake sniffs out a meal.
628
01:00:50,681 --> 01:00:55,548
That tongue can
sense live meat.
629
01:01:00,760 --> 01:01:06,214
The snake knows the bamboo
holds something good to eat.
630
01:01:13,255 --> 01:01:18,157
Reptilian eyes lock
in on the baby bats.
631
01:01:20,228 --> 01:01:26,613
[squeaking].
632
01:01:35,968 --> 01:01:39,730
But the bats know
what they're doing.
633
01:01:39,765 --> 01:01:44,355
The nest hole is
too narrow for a snake.
634
01:01:45,425 --> 01:01:49,222
Their babies
are safe, for now.
635
01:01:49,257 --> 01:01:53,330
At around a month old
they'll leave the nest.
636
01:01:53,364 --> 01:01:57,506
Let's hope the snake's
still not waiting.
637
01:02:04,306 --> 01:02:09,795
The queen of the bamboo
forest invests a lot more
time in her offspring.
638
01:02:12,867 --> 01:02:16,180
At eight months old,
he's still drinking her milk
639
01:02:16,215 --> 01:02:20,184
but he has started to take
an interest in other food.
640
01:02:20,219 --> 01:02:24,568
And when we say other food,
we really mean bamboo of course,
641
01:02:25,983 --> 01:02:28,641
and more bamboo.
642
01:02:28,675 --> 01:02:32,058
There's a lot for him
to learn about bamboo.
643
01:02:32,093 --> 01:02:36,753
What type and which
part is best to eat.
644
01:02:39,100 --> 01:02:43,138
The newer shoots are rich
in nitrogen and phosphorous.
645
01:02:43,173 --> 01:02:47,246
And the leaves
provide calcium.
646
01:02:48,765 --> 01:02:53,459
It's all good stuff.
647
01:02:56,255 --> 01:03:01,053
But then, the mother panda
does a fascinating thing
648
01:03:01,087 --> 01:03:04,194
that may add to her cub's diet.
649
01:03:08,854 --> 01:03:13,651
MICHELLE [off-screen]: Something
rarely seen is underway in
China's bamboo forest.
650
01:03:15,067 --> 01:03:19,347
The mother panda encourages
her cub to lick her lips,
651
01:03:19,381 --> 01:03:22,281
which seems to
make her salivate.
652
01:03:25,802 --> 01:03:29,564
Then he drinks this saliva,
653
01:03:29,598 --> 01:03:33,810
possibly giving his
immune system a boost.
654
01:03:48,997 --> 01:03:55,072
By doing this, mom gives her cub
the best possible start in life
655
01:03:55,107 --> 01:04:00,629
but he still has at
least another year to go
under her watchful eye.
656
01:04:07,809 --> 01:04:12,193
With more confidence,
he becomes more adventurous.
657
01:04:17,646 --> 01:04:22,203
But he shouldn't
stray too far.
658
01:04:25,413 --> 01:04:30,349
Alone, baby
pandas are vulnerable.
659
01:04:31,557 --> 01:04:33,628
In some of China's forests,
660
01:04:33,662 --> 01:04:38,253
there are predators
like jackals and leopards.
661
01:04:40,704 --> 01:04:43,051
The cub's been
gone too long,
662
01:04:43,086 --> 01:04:46,296
the mother panda
needs to find him.
663
01:04:50,162 --> 01:04:51,922
With poor eyesight,
664
01:04:51,957 --> 01:04:55,892
pandas use their
heightened sense of smell
to locate each other.
665
01:05:03,002 --> 01:05:05,625
There he is.
666
01:05:05,660 --> 01:05:09,250
She's catches his
scent and calls to him.
667
01:05:12,494 --> 01:05:17,637
[panda bleating].
668
01:05:26,923 --> 01:05:31,928
This 90-kilogram mom
may look soft and cuddly,
669
01:05:33,688 --> 01:05:36,518
but she's more than
capable of fending off any
670
01:05:36,553 --> 01:05:39,866
predator that threatens her cub.
671
01:06:02,303 --> 01:06:06,963
In the mountain kingdom,
four seasons can
pass in one day.
672
01:06:09,344 --> 01:06:13,762
Snow even falls during summer,
673
01:06:16,144 --> 01:06:18,250
and a few hours later,
674
01:06:18,284 --> 01:06:22,495
temperatures can spike
as much as 15 degrees.
675
01:06:27,466 --> 01:06:32,057
The locals always
seem to find ways to cope.
676
01:06:33,437 --> 01:06:35,094
With her thick coat,
677
01:06:35,129 --> 01:06:38,373
the snow leopard is
certainly built for the job.
678
01:06:38,408 --> 01:06:43,171
But she's not the
only hardy feline that
makes a living up here.
679
01:06:46,209 --> 01:06:49,246
The Eurasian lynx.
680
01:06:53,492 --> 01:06:56,667
About two-thirds the weight
of her snow leopard cousin,
681
01:06:56,702 --> 01:07:00,671
she's a well-designed
mountain hunter.
682
01:07:02,742 --> 01:07:06,436
The hair on the top of
her ears look like antennae
683
01:07:06,470 --> 01:07:09,059
but really aid in her hearing,
684
01:07:09,094 --> 01:07:13,063
allowing her to tune in
to the slightest movement.
685
01:07:16,618 --> 01:07:20,726
Exceptional eyesight means
she can spot something as small
686
01:07:20,760 --> 01:07:24,695
as a mouse from 80 meters away.
687
01:07:28,389 --> 01:07:33,842
But probably the
hardiest creature up
here is not a predator.
688
01:07:35,085 --> 01:07:36,880
The yak.
689
01:07:36,914 --> 01:07:39,434
Perfectly equipped
for mountain life,
690
01:07:39,469 --> 01:07:42,230
their lung capacity
is about three times that
691
01:07:42,265 --> 01:07:46,062
of regular cattle
living at lower altitudes.
692
01:07:47,097 --> 01:07:51,032
When the yak eat, the
fermenting food generates heat.
693
01:07:51,964 --> 01:07:55,519
And this, together with their
thick fur, keeps them warm.
694
01:07:55,554 --> 01:07:57,970
Most of the time.
695
01:07:58,004 --> 01:08:03,113
They can still fall victim to
the mountain's harsh conditions.
696
01:08:04,873 --> 01:08:11,225
And a 350 kilogram
carcass out here will not
go unnoticed for long.
697
01:08:20,268 --> 01:08:23,927
A Tibetan blue bear.
698
01:08:23,961 --> 01:08:27,310
A cousin of the grizzly.
699
01:08:31,969 --> 01:08:35,870
She catches a whiff
of some yak carcasses.
700
01:08:39,253 --> 01:08:42,290
But she's not the only one.
701
01:08:42,325 --> 01:08:46,536
[howling].
702
01:08:46,570 --> 01:08:50,160
A pack of wolves does too.
703
01:08:54,164 --> 01:09:00,308
[howling].
704
01:09:04,209 --> 01:09:08,178
This bear is a mother
and with her cubs close by,
705
01:09:08,213 --> 01:09:12,182
these Tibetan wolves
are a serious threat.
706
01:09:19,569 --> 01:09:23,331
She still manages to
grab a piece of yak for them.
707
01:09:37,207 --> 01:09:40,452
[moaning].
708
01:09:40,486 --> 01:09:45,319
Thankfully, the wolves
focus on the rotting
meat not the baby bears.
709
01:09:49,323 --> 01:09:52,118
This food will
not only feed them,
710
01:09:52,153 --> 01:09:57,262
but also any of
their cubs that may be
waiting back at the den.
711
01:09:58,987 --> 01:10:02,750
More and more of the
pack enter the fray.
712
01:10:08,065 --> 01:10:10,654
By rubbing themselves
on the carcass,
713
01:10:10,689 --> 01:10:14,071
they can bring the scent
of food back to the den so
714
01:10:14,106 --> 01:10:18,593
the rest of the pack
knows where to feed later.
715
01:10:23,529 --> 01:10:28,983
[growling].
716
01:10:29,570 --> 01:10:33,125
The wolves take
all they need for now.
717
01:10:36,439 --> 01:10:40,788
While the cleanup crew waits
patiently for the scraps.
718
01:10:50,729 --> 01:10:55,043
The Eurasian lynx also
catches herself a meal.
719
01:10:55,078 --> 01:10:57,805
A Tibetan gazelle.
720
01:10:57,839 --> 01:11:01,291
But it's only half the job.
721
01:11:01,326 --> 01:11:05,261
She now has to move
the carcass somewhere safe.
722
01:11:17,411 --> 01:11:20,759
When the prey is nearly
as large as the predator,
723
01:11:20,793 --> 01:11:23,624
the challenge is on.
724
01:11:26,316 --> 01:11:31,839
Dragging it up an almost
vertical cliff has
to be a Herculean task.
725
01:11:32,978 --> 01:11:36,395
And there's always
someone else, hovering.
726
01:11:36,430 --> 01:11:39,640
Waiting for the
opportunity of a free meal.
727
01:11:45,853 --> 01:11:47,751
MICHELLE [off-screen]: From
above, the ever-present,
728
01:11:47,786 --> 01:11:51,479
airborne scavengers
detect the lynx's kill.
729
01:11:54,482 --> 01:12:00,695
Soaring on the updrafts
created by steep cliffs,
Lammergeyers.
730
01:12:00,730 --> 01:12:05,838
With a wingspan of
nearly three meters long
and eyesight so strong,
731
01:12:05,873 --> 01:12:08,945
they can see a dead body
from seven kilometers away.
732
01:12:08,979 --> 01:12:13,018
They can be on it in minutes.
733
01:12:13,052 --> 01:12:16,504
And the lynx knows it.
734
01:12:19,507 --> 01:12:24,650
She drags the carcass
somewhere secure, she thinks.
735
01:12:31,899 --> 01:12:34,557
But then?
736
01:12:34,591 --> 01:12:37,525
Disaster.
737
01:12:45,775 --> 01:12:49,710
The cat watches her
hard-earned dinner tumble
738
01:12:49,744 --> 01:12:53,783
30 meters down the
steep mountain slope.
739
01:13:15,943 --> 01:13:21,189
She has no other option,
but to try again.
740
01:13:24,365 --> 01:13:29,991
And as fast
as possible before those
dreaded scavengers take it.
741
01:13:39,898 --> 01:13:44,247
She hauls the carcass
back up for a second time.
742
01:13:46,870 --> 01:13:51,565
It takes every last
ounce of her energy.
743
01:13:54,015 --> 01:13:57,260
But she does it.
744
01:14:01,782 --> 01:14:06,165
And this time she feasts.
745
01:14:16,452 --> 01:14:21,353
The mother snow leopard and
her cub also score a meal.
746
01:14:30,811 --> 01:14:35,125
This queen of the mountains
has successfully kept her cub
747
01:14:35,160 --> 01:14:39,475
alive in an extreme habitat.
748
01:14:42,788 --> 01:14:45,791
In the next few months,
he will be ready to go it
749
01:14:45,826 --> 01:14:49,968
alone in this
hidden mountain kingdom.
750
01:15:04,154 --> 01:15:08,987
On China's high plains,
things still look bleak for
751
01:15:09,021 --> 01:15:12,715
our Tibetan fox family.
752
01:15:12,749 --> 01:15:16,063
The younger sister
is getting weaker and
753
01:15:16,097 --> 01:15:19,687
may not survive
to see winter.
754
01:15:19,722 --> 01:15:24,830
The short window of summer
on these grasslands gives life
755
01:15:24,865 --> 01:15:28,351
but it also takes it.
756
01:15:34,495 --> 01:15:38,879
Father fox is
running on empty.
757
01:15:38,913 --> 01:15:41,847
But something quite
dramatic is about to happen
758
01:15:41,882 --> 01:15:45,195
that may just change
the fox family's fate.
759
01:15:45,679 --> 01:15:48,509
[bleating].
760
01:15:48,544 --> 01:15:52,927
Temporary visitors arrive
on these high, rich pastures.
761
01:15:53,687 --> 01:16:00,452
[bleating].
762
01:16:01,384 --> 01:16:06,423
Tibetan herders bring
their livestock here
763
01:16:06,458 --> 01:16:09,254
to fatten up on
the endless grass,
764
01:16:13,327 --> 01:16:17,296
like their ancestors have
done for thousands of years.
765
01:16:23,544 --> 01:16:28,825
The grassland transforms
and the fox cubs face
a completely different world.
766
01:16:29,274 --> 01:16:33,589
[bleating].
767
01:16:38,766 --> 01:16:44,013
Their home is now
swamped in sheep and yak.
768
01:16:47,430 --> 01:16:50,226
[bleating].
769
01:16:50,260 --> 01:16:54,161
And they're
cramping dad's style.
770
01:16:59,131 --> 01:17:02,272
They could make potential prey
771
01:17:02,307 --> 01:17:06,449
but they're a
little out of his league.
772
01:17:07,899 --> 01:17:10,936
Now, every time he
hunts, these strange,
773
01:17:10,971 --> 01:17:14,388
woolly creatures
blow his cover.
774
01:17:15,976 --> 01:17:20,221
[bleating].
775
01:17:28,540 --> 01:17:33,234
And the massive yak
are just big bullies.
776
01:17:35,236 --> 01:17:38,895
But this cunning
fox has a plan.
777
01:17:44,176 --> 01:17:47,697
MICHELLE [off-screen]:
Father fox is patient.
778
01:17:47,732 --> 01:17:50,493
He's figured out
if he just waits,
779
01:17:50,527 --> 01:17:53,703
the sheep will
get used to him.
780
01:17:57,707 --> 01:18:00,710
And then he can use
them to his advantage.
781
01:18:00,745 --> 01:18:04,127
Kind of like a
mobile hunting blind.
782
01:18:08,580 --> 01:18:12,929
The pikas grow
complacent and are now
missing the danger signs.
783
01:18:20,074 --> 01:18:24,389
[bleating].
784
01:18:29,152 --> 01:18:34,433
Tibetan foxes are
intelligent and adaptable
785
01:18:34,468 --> 01:18:36,781
and that makes them, hands down,
786
01:18:36,815 --> 01:18:41,233
the most successful
hunters on China's grasslands.
787
01:18:53,073 --> 01:18:57,629
In fact, the father fox
is becoming too successful.
788
01:18:57,663 --> 01:19:01,875
So many pikas
but only one mouth.
789
01:19:05,223 --> 01:19:10,262
At last, there's more than
enough food for all four cubs.
790
01:19:10,297 --> 01:19:13,749
Even for the
smallest of the litter.
791
01:19:24,276 --> 01:19:28,625
Dad catches so many pikas,
he and his cubs can bury the
792
01:19:28,660 --> 01:19:32,215
leftovers in their
underground pantries.
793
01:19:33,320 --> 01:19:36,219
It keeps the meat
cool and preserved,
794
01:19:36,254 --> 01:19:40,430
a crucial supply
of food as summer ends.
795
01:19:43,882 --> 01:19:47,368
As the days close in
and the temperature drops,
796
01:19:47,403 --> 01:19:51,096
China's grasslands shut down.
797
01:19:53,409 --> 01:19:57,931
Residents retreat to
the shelter of their burrows.
798
01:20:01,210 --> 01:20:05,041
Visitors move out
to warmer climes.
799
01:20:12,600 --> 01:20:18,330
The Tibetan foxes
grow thick fur coats in
preparation for winter.
800
01:20:22,024 --> 01:20:26,442
Dad's dedication to his family
means that miraculously
801
01:20:26,476 --> 01:20:30,480
all of his cubs make it through.
802
01:20:31,516 --> 01:20:35,520
Four more months and
they will be on their own.
803
01:20:38,868 --> 01:20:44,563
But for now, the grasslands
vanish beneath the snow.
804
01:20:46,496 --> 01:20:50,466
And as the winter temperatures
in the high mountain forests
805
01:20:50,500 --> 01:20:54,850
barely stay above freezing,
the baby snub-nosed monkey
806
01:20:54,884 --> 01:20:58,508
seeks comfort and
warmth with her mother.
807
01:21:01,718 --> 01:21:05,895
She's now nine months old.
808
01:21:07,103 --> 01:21:10,900
These monkeys tolerate the
coldest average temperatures
809
01:21:10,935 --> 01:21:15,111
of any non-human
primate on the planet.
810
01:21:17,838 --> 01:21:21,842
And there's no escape from it.
811
01:21:22,670 --> 01:21:27,641
Fortunately, their
dense golden coats are
designed for the cold.
812
01:21:27,675 --> 01:21:31,507
It even thickens up
for the winter months,
813
01:21:32,404 --> 01:21:36,063
and covers their hands and feet.
814
01:21:38,824 --> 01:21:43,622
And here's where those odd,
snub noses come into play,
815
01:21:43,657 --> 01:21:47,626
they're simply less
exposed to frost bite.
816
01:21:48,904 --> 01:21:54,461
These monkeys also have
the most extraordinary
adaptation for the winter.
817
01:22:06,818 --> 01:22:10,960
Golden snub-nosed monkeys are
the only monkeys in the world
818
01:22:10,995 --> 01:22:16,345
known to walk upright
on two legs in snow.
819
01:22:20,211 --> 01:22:23,939
It keeps their hands
off the cold ground.
820
01:22:29,254 --> 01:22:32,878
And helps them travel faster,
821
01:22:32,913 --> 01:22:37,676
reducing the time they spend
in contact with the icy snow.
822
01:22:41,887 --> 01:22:45,132
Our new baby reaches
another milestone,
823
01:22:45,167 --> 01:22:49,550
as she gets the
hang of this new skill.
824
01:22:56,799 --> 01:23:02,218
These monkeys could
also be the source of
an ancient Chinese legend.
825
01:23:07,292 --> 01:23:12,297
These forests are said to
be home to mysterious, wild men.
826
01:23:15,093 --> 01:23:19,063
Ape-like figures
with red hair,
827
01:23:19,097 --> 01:23:24,137
who walk upright
through the trees.
828
01:23:25,724 --> 01:23:30,005
Sounds suspiciously like
the golden snub-nosed monkey.
829
01:23:34,250 --> 01:23:38,013
Or not.
830
01:23:42,293 --> 01:23:45,848
After months pass
and winter finally breaks
831
01:23:45,882 --> 01:23:50,059
in the high mountain
forests, the snow melts.
832
01:23:50,094 --> 01:23:53,166
And these high life
primates can start eating
833
01:23:53,200 --> 01:23:56,445
their favorite food again.
834
01:23:59,551 --> 01:24:04,246
They'll soon get back
the body weight they lost.
835
01:24:22,712 --> 01:24:28,339
The baby is now a year old,
836
01:24:29,374 --> 01:24:34,241
but she still returns to her
mother for milk and comfort.
837
01:24:39,591 --> 01:24:42,387
She won't be fully
weaned for another year,
838
01:24:42,422 --> 01:24:46,219
when her mom
gives birth again.
839
01:24:47,254 --> 01:24:52,190
But they'll stay close in
the family for years to come.
840
01:24:55,504 --> 01:24:59,577
She also has a
new little cousin.
841
01:25:00,233 --> 01:25:06,135
No longer the baby,
she now has someone she
can teach and care for.
842
01:25:15,351 --> 01:25:20,529
There's always time
to monkey around in China's
hidden forest kingdom.
843
01:25:23,014 --> 01:25:25,741
As for the bamboo kingdom...
844
01:25:28,744 --> 01:25:31,747
although not as
nimble as a monkey,
845
01:25:31,781 --> 01:25:36,648
the panda cub still needs
to learn how to climb a tree.
846
01:25:38,788 --> 01:25:44,104
Choosing the right
one is half the battle.
847
01:25:45,485 --> 01:25:49,282
One that will suit
his size and weight.
848
01:25:54,597 --> 01:25:58,739
He's going to have
to learn the hard way.
849
01:26:01,949 --> 01:26:05,194
[cracking, crashing].
850
01:26:10,648 --> 01:26:15,446
First, he needs to find
the right tree for him.
851
01:26:16,240 --> 01:26:20,175
And then get a good grip.
68323
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