Would you like to inspect the original subtitles? These are the user uploaded subtitles that are being translated:
1
00:00:00,244 --> 00:00:02,994
(dramatic music)
2
00:00:17,989 --> 00:00:20,739
(birds chirping)
3
00:00:32,033 --> 00:00:33,430
The Irrawaddy Delta
4
00:00:33,430 --> 00:00:35,890
is a magnificent natural landscape.
5
00:00:35,890 --> 00:00:37,480
Countless arteries of the river
6
00:00:37,480 --> 00:00:39,670
meander through the fertile wetlands,
7
00:00:39,670 --> 00:00:42,660
their shores covered in dense mangrove forest,
8
00:00:42,660 --> 00:00:46,110
the heat, water and a constant supply of nutrients
9
00:00:46,110 --> 00:00:49,340
support a fascinating range of flora and fauna.
10
00:00:49,340 --> 00:00:52,353
The Delta has become the rice bowl of Myanmar.
11
00:00:52,353 --> 00:00:55,103
(dramatic music)
12
00:00:58,770 --> 00:01:00,010
But there's a cost,
13
00:01:00,010 --> 00:01:01,930
for decades the mangroves
14
00:01:01,930 --> 00:01:04,436
have been subject to deforestation.
15
00:01:04,436 --> 00:01:07,186
(dramatic music)
16
00:01:09,090 --> 00:01:12,850
Rangers and scientists are now striving to save them.
17
00:01:22,570 --> 00:01:24,440
Myanmar, formerly known as Burma,
18
00:01:24,440 --> 00:01:27,130
shares its borders with India, Bangladesh,
19
00:01:27,130 --> 00:01:29,860
China, Laos and Thailand.
20
00:01:29,860 --> 00:01:32,370
A peninsula in the southwest part of the country
21
00:01:32,370 --> 00:01:34,970
is home to one of its most fertile regions,
22
00:01:34,970 --> 00:01:37,310
the Irrawaddy Delta.
23
00:01:37,310 --> 00:01:39,670
Loosely translated, Irrawaddy means
24
00:01:39,670 --> 00:01:41,860
the river that gives people life.
25
00:01:41,860 --> 00:01:43,620
It's fed by several rivers
26
00:01:43,620 --> 00:01:46,060
originating in the country's interior
27
00:01:46,060 --> 00:01:48,988
as well as in Thailand and Vietnam.
28
00:01:48,988 --> 00:01:51,571
(gentle music)
29
00:01:59,390 --> 00:02:01,730
Captain Ucho Yi heads downstream
30
00:02:01,730 --> 00:02:03,530
on one of the winding channels.
31
00:02:03,530 --> 00:02:06,120
Even for an experienced helmsmen like him,
32
00:02:06,120 --> 00:02:08,880
the journey demands full concentration.
33
00:02:08,880 --> 00:02:10,250
It's a shallow river.
34
00:02:10,250 --> 00:02:12,740
And during low tide, the water level sinks
35
00:02:12,740 --> 00:02:15,280
to just one and a half meters.
36
00:02:15,280 --> 00:02:16,490
The effect of the tides
37
00:02:16,490 --> 00:02:19,973
can still be felt 50 kilometers from the sea.
38
00:02:23,638 --> 00:02:26,500
(speaks in foreign language)
39
00:02:26,500 --> 00:02:28,030
As soon as I set off,
40
00:02:28,030 --> 00:02:30,780
I have to keep my ears and eyes open
41
00:02:30,780 --> 00:02:32,961
and watch where I'm going.
42
00:02:32,961 --> 00:02:36,960
(speaks in foreign language)
43
00:02:36,960 --> 00:02:39,100
It's fine during high tide
44
00:02:39,100 --> 00:02:42,613
but when the water's low, I have to be really careful.
45
00:02:45,310 --> 00:02:48,027
It can get really dangerous otherwise.
46
00:02:53,520 --> 00:02:55,720
Submerged tree roots or another danger
47
00:02:55,720 --> 00:02:59,943
for captain Ucho Yi as are other boats using the waterways.
48
00:03:03,980 --> 00:03:05,740
The river is the lifeblood
49
00:03:05,740 --> 00:03:08,100
of the people who live in the Delta.
50
00:03:08,100 --> 00:03:11,960
It provides water for washing, for irrigating their crops,
51
00:03:11,960 --> 00:03:13,883
and it serves as a transport system.
52
00:03:20,220 --> 00:03:22,510
For instance, for coconuts.
53
00:03:22,510 --> 00:03:24,810
They come from the surrounding plantations
54
00:03:24,810 --> 00:03:27,530
and are first pealed to produce charcoal,
55
00:03:27,530 --> 00:03:29,440
an essential fuel source.
56
00:03:29,440 --> 00:03:32,470
In Myanmar, people who live in rural areas
57
00:03:32,470 --> 00:03:34,813
cook only over open fires.
58
00:03:40,453 --> 00:03:43,620
(tractor engine revs)
59
00:03:45,480 --> 00:03:48,580
Captain Ucho Yi has a cargo of bamboo.
60
00:03:48,580 --> 00:03:51,283
He stops by a wholesaler to load some more.
61
00:03:54,000 --> 00:03:56,560
People in the eastern region of the Delta
62
00:03:56,560 --> 00:03:58,733
live from bamboo farming and trading.
63
00:04:08,420 --> 00:04:12,420
The thick, strong poles are sold to make scaffolding
64
00:04:12,420 --> 00:04:15,730
and are also used as walls and stilts for huts
65
00:04:15,730 --> 00:04:17,430
built near the banks of the river.
66
00:04:26,350 --> 00:04:29,200
There are now around 3,000 bamboo poles
67
00:04:29,200 --> 00:04:30,740
loaded onto the boat.
68
00:04:30,740 --> 00:04:34,380
The journey to the Port of Bugare deep within the Delta
69
00:04:34,380 --> 00:04:36,063
will take about five hours.
70
00:04:37,614 --> 00:04:40,864
(boat engine revving)
71
00:04:48,988 --> 00:04:51,405
(calm music)
72
00:04:55,270 --> 00:04:58,590
Captain Ucho Yi steers the boat through a labyrinth
73
00:04:58,590 --> 00:05:02,543
of backwaters, passing villages and mangrove forests.
74
00:05:04,290 --> 00:05:09,290
Eventually, he arrives at the main river, the Irrawaddy.
75
00:05:22,420 --> 00:05:25,850
Any minute now he'll have to go at full throttle.
76
00:05:25,850 --> 00:05:27,930
So one of his crew members checks
77
00:05:27,930 --> 00:05:30,233
over the boat's aging diesel engine.
78
00:05:49,290 --> 00:05:51,520
(speaks in foreign language)
79
00:05:51,520 --> 00:05:54,730
My parents were traders on these waterways.
80
00:05:54,730 --> 00:05:57,757
So of course I learned to be a boatman from an early age.
81
00:06:03,955 --> 00:06:07,547
Now I'm 48 now, and I've been doing this for 30 years.
82
00:06:11,180 --> 00:06:15,283
I like the job because I enjoy trading and bargaining.
83
00:06:19,151 --> 00:06:21,580
Buying bamboo cheap in one place
84
00:06:21,580 --> 00:06:25,330
and selling it somewhere else for more money.
85
00:06:27,403 --> 00:06:29,163
It's a good way to earn money.
86
00:06:33,493 --> 00:06:35,910
(calm music)
87
00:06:41,055 --> 00:06:43,777
The river has hardly changed over the years
88
00:06:43,777 --> 00:06:46,630
but there's more traffic than there used to be.
89
00:06:46,630 --> 00:06:49,323
You see more traders and more boats these days.
90
00:06:55,050 --> 00:06:57,440
Around 5,000 vessels traverse
91
00:06:57,440 --> 00:06:59,860
the Irrawaddy every day.
92
00:06:59,860 --> 00:07:03,280
Alongside bamboo and other construction materials
93
00:07:03,280 --> 00:07:06,870
the boats transport practically anything that can carry:
94
00:07:06,870 --> 00:07:09,943
people, animals, and foodstuffs.
95
00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:21,530
A third of Myanmar's total rice production comes
96
00:07:21,530 --> 00:07:23,330
from the Delta planes.
97
00:07:23,330 --> 00:07:25,220
The sediments carried by the river
98
00:07:25,220 --> 00:07:28,710
make the soil in the wetlands specially fertile.
99
00:07:28,710 --> 00:07:31,120
Humid heat and plenty of rain
100
00:07:31,120 --> 00:07:33,383
allow for two harvests per year.
101
00:07:34,770 --> 00:07:37,890
However, that Delta is often hit by cyclones
102
00:07:37,890 --> 00:07:40,410
that bring torrential rain and floods.
103
00:07:40,410 --> 00:07:42,760
The rice farmers have recently begun adopting
104
00:07:42,760 --> 00:07:44,580
more resistant strains
105
00:07:44,580 --> 00:07:46,530
that can better withstand the flooding.
106
00:07:50,544 --> 00:07:52,730
(speaks in foreign language)
107
00:07:52,730 --> 00:07:54,963
I have a crew of three on my boat.
108
00:07:58,950 --> 00:08:01,773
Their main job is to load and unload the bamboo.
109
00:08:03,540 --> 00:08:06,453
They also help cook the meals we eat onboard.
110
00:08:11,067 --> 00:08:13,790
And if anything needs repairing on the boat
111
00:08:13,790 --> 00:08:14,653
I help them out.
112
00:08:19,460 --> 00:08:21,980
Captain Ucho Yi and his crew members
113
00:08:21,980 --> 00:08:24,520
are approaching the port of Bugale,
114
00:08:24,520 --> 00:08:28,003
the largest and most important city in the Irrawaddy Delta.
115
00:08:36,377 --> 00:08:39,044
(horns honking)
116
00:08:41,400 --> 00:08:44,670
Bugale is home to about 100,000 people
117
00:08:44,670 --> 00:08:47,040
and is the economic center for the majority
118
00:08:47,040 --> 00:08:49,990
of the delta's 6 million residents.
119
00:08:49,990 --> 00:08:52,130
It's an important trade and transport hub
120
00:08:52,130 --> 00:08:54,440
between the north and the south.
121
00:08:54,440 --> 00:08:57,830
Ethnic groups from all over Myanmar can be found here.
122
00:08:57,830 --> 00:09:00,170
The main religion is Theravada,
123
00:09:00,170 --> 00:09:02,423
the oldest surviving branch of Buddhism.
124
00:09:05,240 --> 00:09:08,393
Almost 90% of Burmese practice this faith.
125
00:09:09,390 --> 00:09:13,230
Bugale is center of trade in the middle of the Delta.
126
00:09:13,230 --> 00:09:16,770
Goods are transported in every direction from here.
127
00:09:16,770 --> 00:09:19,490
Imports from abroad are unloaded here
128
00:09:19,490 --> 00:09:23,200
as are domestic products from the capital, Rangoon.
129
00:09:23,200 --> 00:09:26,760
Staple foods, such as rice, are available everywhere
130
00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:29,073
but fresh vegetables are less common.
131
00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:33,303
It's a niche market for the Lay family.
132
00:09:36,400 --> 00:09:41,160
For Utin Lay, his wife and his daughter, the boat is home.
133
00:09:41,160 --> 00:09:44,313
They've lived here with five guinea pigs since 2008.
134
00:09:45,260 --> 00:09:48,040
They regularly sail down river from Bugale
135
00:09:48,040 --> 00:09:51,060
visiting villages to sell their vegetables.
136
00:09:51,060 --> 00:09:54,233
Utin Lay does a good trade in other commodities too.
137
00:09:55,314 --> 00:09:56,500
(speaks in foreign language)
138
00:09:56,500 --> 00:09:59,850
I buy used pots, CD players, fans,
139
00:09:59,850 --> 00:10:03,623
and cables, or I exchange them for fresh vegetables.
140
00:10:06,100 --> 00:10:08,800
I do good business trading in vegetables.
141
00:10:08,800 --> 00:10:11,140
It provides us with a decent living.
142
00:10:11,140 --> 00:10:13,103
It's a lot harder in other trades.
143
00:10:14,020 --> 00:10:16,840
I'm able to support my family without any problems
144
00:10:16,840 --> 00:10:18,913
by buying and selling vegetables.
145
00:10:22,580 --> 00:10:25,660
Sometimes a sale happens spontaneously
146
00:10:25,660 --> 00:10:27,423
in the middle of the Irrawaddy.
147
00:10:30,110 --> 00:10:32,400
The customer wants to buy root vegetables
148
00:10:32,400 --> 00:10:36,140
and pickled mangoes, a delicacy in Myanmar,
149
00:10:36,140 --> 00:10:39,140
but it's more than just a job for Utin Lay.
150
00:10:39,140 --> 00:10:42,620
Traveling the river is a new adventure every day
151
00:10:42,620 --> 00:10:46,233
and he enjoys passing on the latest news from the Delta.
152
00:10:58,330 --> 00:11:01,733
They've only been trading vegetables for a few years.
153
00:11:02,838 --> 00:11:06,588
(speaks in foreign language)
154
00:11:09,050 --> 00:11:10,670
I used to be a farmer,
155
00:11:10,670 --> 00:11:13,893
but I have to give it up because things were going so badly.
156
00:11:14,860 --> 00:11:17,700
I gave my land to members of my family.
157
00:11:17,700 --> 00:11:19,980
Then I started trading in vegetables.
158
00:11:19,980 --> 00:11:23,143
It was an immediate success so it became my new job.
159
00:11:26,660 --> 00:11:30,450
From Bugale, we traveled southwards down river.
160
00:11:30,450 --> 00:11:32,660
As the sea gets closer and closer,
161
00:11:32,660 --> 00:11:35,085
the river water becomes more saline.
162
00:11:35,085 --> 00:11:37,502
(calm music)
163
00:11:42,293 --> 00:11:44,130
The Lay family lived in a village close
164
00:11:44,130 --> 00:11:46,860
to Bugale until May 2008,
165
00:11:46,860 --> 00:11:49,010
but then Cyclone Nargis struck,
166
00:11:49,010 --> 00:11:51,630
one of the most violent storms in recent decades,
167
00:11:51,630 --> 00:11:54,610
bringing devastation to the Irrawaddy Delta.
168
00:11:54,610 --> 00:11:56,940
The family lost everything they owned
169
00:11:56,940 --> 00:11:58,940
and it was a miracle that they survived.
170
00:11:59,961 --> 00:12:01,290
(speaks in foreign language)
171
00:12:01,290 --> 00:12:03,390
When Cyclone Nargis hit here,
172
00:12:03,390 --> 00:12:05,993
we were lucky enough to be somewhere else.
173
00:12:07,020 --> 00:12:09,510
We were spared and so was my daughter
174
00:12:09,510 --> 00:12:11,093
who was in school at the time.
175
00:12:13,320 --> 00:12:16,293
But when we got home, everything was destroyed.
176
00:12:19,290 --> 00:12:21,620
We didn't want to build a new home
177
00:12:21,620 --> 00:12:23,583
so we decided to live on the boat.
178
00:12:24,840 --> 00:12:29,100
Unfortunately, our daughter can't attend school anymore
179
00:12:29,100 --> 00:12:31,243
because our life is on the river now.
180
00:12:50,485 --> 00:12:52,430
The cyclone swept across the Delta
181
00:12:52,430 --> 00:12:56,300
with wind speeds of up to 240 kilometers per hour.
182
00:12:56,300 --> 00:13:00,500
At least 130,000 people lost their lives in the destruction
183
00:13:00,500 --> 00:13:04,010
and an estimated two and a half million were made homeless.
184
00:13:04,010 --> 00:13:07,871
Entire towns and villages were wiped off the map.
185
00:13:07,871 --> 00:13:10,538
(ominous music)
186
00:13:14,150 --> 00:13:16,780
Their faith gives them strength.
187
00:13:16,780 --> 00:13:20,240
And every day they pray before a miniature shrine
188
00:13:20,240 --> 00:13:21,083
to the Buddha.
189
00:13:22,370 --> 00:13:24,270
They also pray to a spirit
190
00:13:24,270 --> 00:13:27,181
who is the patron saint of the waterways.
191
00:13:27,181 --> 00:13:30,348
(boat engine revving)
192
00:13:37,520 --> 00:13:39,130
(speaks in foreign language)
193
00:13:39,130 --> 00:13:42,350
We also exchange things like tomatoes,
194
00:13:42,350 --> 00:13:43,753
chilies and sorrel,
195
00:13:44,610 --> 00:13:47,043
for used electronic devices and cables.
196
00:13:50,420 --> 00:13:52,540
The family visits, the remote village
197
00:13:52,540 --> 00:13:54,080
every two weeks.
198
00:13:54,080 --> 00:13:55,540
There are none shops here
199
00:13:55,540 --> 00:13:58,473
so there's a big demand for their fresh vegetables.
200
00:14:03,374 --> 00:14:07,124
(speaks in foreign language)
201
00:14:08,500 --> 00:14:11,110
I don't have much for my daily life.
202
00:14:11,110 --> 00:14:12,913
Luxury isn't important to me.
203
00:14:14,040 --> 00:14:16,560
But I would like to help pay for my nephews
204
00:14:16,560 --> 00:14:20,093
and other poor children in my village to get baptized.
205
00:14:22,140 --> 00:14:24,640
I also want to donate to the monastery
206
00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:26,573
where my sister-in-law is a nun.
207
00:14:46,060 --> 00:14:48,610
Although they live as traveling traders,
208
00:14:48,610 --> 00:14:51,410
they hope to find a good husband for their daughter
209
00:14:51,410 --> 00:14:53,260
in one of the villages in the region.
210
00:15:00,690 --> 00:15:04,393
The colors in the Delta change throughout the year.
211
00:15:07,250 --> 00:15:10,360
Rich greens dominate during the monsoon,
212
00:15:10,360 --> 00:15:13,010
while during the dry season, the landscape takes
213
00:15:13,010 --> 00:15:16,520
on shades of pale beige to deep red.
214
00:15:16,520 --> 00:15:20,740
On a long narrow island just 20 kilometers from the sea
215
00:15:20,740 --> 00:15:21,913
is a nature reserve.
216
00:15:22,760 --> 00:15:25,177
(calm music)
217
00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:39,110
This protected area was established in 1986
218
00:15:39,110 --> 00:15:41,950
to preserve the largest continuous mangrove forest
219
00:15:41,950 --> 00:15:43,500
in the Delta.
220
00:15:43,500 --> 00:15:46,750
The dense vegetation and underwater root system
221
00:15:46,750 --> 00:15:49,340
protect the shoreline and mainland
222
00:15:49,340 --> 00:15:50,713
from flooding and erosion.
223
00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:53,890
The mangroves form an important barrier
224
00:15:53,890 --> 00:15:57,060
against the storms that sweep in from the sea.
225
00:15:57,060 --> 00:16:00,150
When they are destroyed, cyclones like Nargis
226
00:16:00,150 --> 00:16:02,253
can rip through the land unobstructed.
227
00:16:03,710 --> 00:16:06,940
It's not only the mangroves that are currently endangered.
228
00:16:06,940 --> 00:16:10,880
Many native animal species are at risk too.
229
00:16:10,880 --> 00:16:15,290
This colony of around 150 is the only large population
230
00:16:15,290 --> 00:16:17,930
of saltwater crocodiles in Myanmar
231
00:16:17,930 --> 00:16:21,300
and they can pose a serious and danger to people.
232
00:16:21,300 --> 00:16:24,570
12 park rangers guard the nature reserve.
233
00:16:24,570 --> 00:16:27,860
Every day they patrol the many channels and tributaries
234
00:16:27,860 --> 00:16:28,913
of the Irrawaddy.
235
00:16:31,090 --> 00:16:34,120
Forest Ranger Lah So Nguyen and his colleagues
236
00:16:34,120 --> 00:16:37,750
try to prevent illegal logging in the mangrove forests
237
00:16:37,750 --> 00:16:40,450
they also warn the locals living along the river
238
00:16:40,450 --> 00:16:43,763
about the crocodiles, which often attack people.
239
00:16:44,710 --> 00:16:46,073
What are you doing?
240
00:16:47,910 --> 00:16:48,960
Setting out the nets?
241
00:16:50,483 --> 00:16:52,640
Ever seen a crocodile here?
242
00:16:52,640 --> 00:16:54,640
No, I've never seen one.
243
00:16:55,856 --> 00:16:58,490
It's the mating season for the crocodiles
244
00:16:58,490 --> 00:17:00,580
and that means they might be anywhere.
245
00:17:00,580 --> 00:17:01,730
Watch out for yourself.
246
00:17:03,470 --> 00:17:06,603
Don't take any pets onto your boat, neither dogs nor cats.
247
00:17:08,320 --> 00:17:11,760
If you see a crocodile don't go into the water,
248
00:17:11,760 --> 00:17:13,760
Don't attack them with sticks or stones.
249
00:17:14,820 --> 00:17:16,790
If you do they'll remember and attack you
250
00:17:16,790 --> 00:17:18,163
straightaway next time.
251
00:17:20,018 --> 00:17:21,330
This is their territory.
252
00:17:21,330 --> 00:17:24,083
You're an intruder to them so you have to be careful.
253
00:17:27,586 --> 00:17:28,890
We don't even dare to take a break
254
00:17:28,890 --> 00:17:30,220
on the shore.
255
00:17:30,220 --> 00:17:31,963
Okay, let's move on.
256
00:17:35,309 --> 00:17:37,268
Go home as soon as you're finished.
257
00:17:37,268 --> 00:17:40,435
(boat engine revving)
258
00:17:50,635 --> 00:17:52,450
(speaks in foreign language)
259
00:17:52,450 --> 00:17:53,290
A lot of people believe
260
00:17:53,290 --> 00:17:56,750
that crocodiles actively seek out human prey,
261
00:17:58,230 --> 00:18:02,110
but that's not true.
262
00:18:02,110 --> 00:18:03,630
They only enter the villages
263
00:18:03,630 --> 00:18:05,993
when they can't find anything to eat.
264
00:18:07,850 --> 00:18:10,550
They're especially dangerous during the mating season.
265
00:18:14,490 --> 00:18:16,680
As a forest ranger, Lah So Nguyen's
266
00:18:16,680 --> 00:18:20,010
main responsibility is to protect the mangrove forest.
267
00:18:20,010 --> 00:18:23,020
He carries out regular inspections of the mangroves
268
00:18:23,020 --> 00:18:24,180
in the area.
269
00:18:24,180 --> 00:18:26,950
Thieves illegally cut down trees here.
270
00:18:26,950 --> 00:18:30,500
He knows most of them and the places they easily go.
271
00:18:30,500 --> 00:18:33,300
They are often the very poorest people in the community
272
00:18:33,300 --> 00:18:35,283
who have no other means to earn money.
273
00:18:37,098 --> 00:18:38,580
(speaks in foreign language)
274
00:18:38,580 --> 00:18:40,670
Inspection rounds like this
275
00:18:40,670 --> 00:18:42,563
are an important part of my work.
276
00:18:47,530 --> 00:18:50,263
Some people come across the river to cut down trees.
277
00:18:52,640 --> 00:18:56,320
And it's my job to document which trees they cut down.
278
00:18:56,320 --> 00:18:57,783
That's my main task.
279
00:18:59,440 --> 00:19:02,700
the first time I catch them, I give them a warning
280
00:19:02,700 --> 00:19:04,700
and I explain to them that it's illegal.
281
00:19:16,570 --> 00:19:18,390
If they're just collecting firewood
282
00:19:18,390 --> 00:19:20,837
for their own use, I turn a blind eye.
283
00:19:25,760 --> 00:19:28,130
The main problem is the thieves who come every day
284
00:19:28,130 --> 00:19:30,190
and sell wood as a business.
285
00:19:40,967 --> 00:19:44,480
That's illegal and then the maximum penalty is five years
286
00:19:44,480 --> 00:19:47,263
in prison and a fine of 30 US dollars.
287
00:20:13,598 --> 00:20:16,560
Kula Moh is one of the wood thieves.
288
00:20:16,560 --> 00:20:19,430
He has no education and illegal logging
289
00:20:19,430 --> 00:20:21,480
is one of the very few ways he is able
290
00:20:21,480 --> 00:20:22,733
to support his family.
291
00:20:23,950 --> 00:20:27,280
His wife, Mavai, helps him with unloading
292
00:20:27,280 --> 00:20:28,393
and selling the wood.
293
00:20:29,420 --> 00:20:33,240
It's from a mangrove species that burns especially well.
294
00:20:33,240 --> 00:20:36,460
They dream of being able to save enough money
295
00:20:36,460 --> 00:20:38,910
to open a general store in their village one day.
296
00:20:52,268 --> 00:20:55,030
(speaks in foreign language)
297
00:20:55,030 --> 00:20:58,610
It used to be a lot easier to collect wood.
298
00:20:58,610 --> 00:21:01,590
But then a lot of people got caught by the rangers
299
00:21:01,590 --> 00:21:02,790
and were sent to prison.
300
00:21:07,070 --> 00:21:09,037
I earn about three euros a day.
301
00:21:13,010 --> 00:21:14,927
It's my only source of income.
302
00:21:20,140 --> 00:21:21,840
I only dare come into the forest
303
00:21:21,840 --> 00:21:23,700
to collect wood at night,
304
00:21:23,700 --> 00:21:25,567
then I go straight back home.
305
00:21:28,010 --> 00:21:30,840
The presence of the rangers is having an effect
306
00:21:30,840 --> 00:21:34,730
and it's getting harder for Kula Moh to remain undetected.
307
00:21:34,730 --> 00:21:38,770
He earns less and less and can barely save any of his money.
308
00:21:38,770 --> 00:21:42,986
His dream of opening a shop seems further away than ever.
309
00:21:42,986 --> 00:21:45,653
(ominous music)
310
00:21:51,360 --> 00:21:53,290
Mavai rubs traditionally made suncream
311
00:21:53,290 --> 00:21:55,540
onto the faces of her two children.
312
00:21:55,540 --> 00:21:57,940
The cream is called thanaka and it's made
313
00:21:57,940 --> 00:22:00,040
from the bark of a tree that only grows
314
00:22:00,040 --> 00:22:03,520
in the drier regions of Myanmar beyond the Delta.
315
00:22:03,520 --> 00:22:05,630
It's mixed with fragrant sandalwood saw dust
316
00:22:05,630 --> 00:22:07,490
to make a paste.
317
00:22:07,490 --> 00:22:11,660
In 2008, she suffered the worst tragedy in her life.
318
00:22:11,660 --> 00:22:14,493
Four of her children were killed during cyclone Nargis.
319
00:22:16,542 --> 00:22:17,890
(speaks in foreign language)
320
00:22:17,890 --> 00:22:21,100
My husband and my son were out at the time.
321
00:22:21,100 --> 00:22:23,783
I was alone with our three other children at home.
322
00:22:27,020 --> 00:22:29,980
I never thought it would be so terrible,
323
00:22:29,980 --> 00:22:32,963
but I brought the canoe into the house just in case.
324
00:22:35,170 --> 00:22:38,700
The storm just got stronger and stronger
325
00:22:38,700 --> 00:22:41,003
and I thought our house was going to collapse.
326
00:22:44,368 --> 00:22:47,350
The water was up to my 11-year-old daughter's neck.
327
00:22:47,350 --> 00:22:49,363
She was barely able to stand.
328
00:22:54,452 --> 00:22:57,300
But the current was so strong that we were
329
00:22:57,300 --> 00:23:00,273
all swept away along with the canoe.
330
00:23:12,140 --> 00:23:14,950
The entire village was devastated.
331
00:23:14,950 --> 00:23:17,780
Huts were flattened and washed away.
332
00:23:17,780 --> 00:23:20,810
Around half of the villagers lost their lives
333
00:23:20,810 --> 00:23:22,740
in Cyclone Nargis.
334
00:23:22,740 --> 00:23:25,343
Most of the bodies were never found.
335
00:23:29,730 --> 00:23:32,340
My daughter tried to cling onto a tree
336
00:23:32,340 --> 00:23:34,670
but the current was too strong.
337
00:23:34,670 --> 00:23:38,580
She was swept away to her death with my other two children.
338
00:23:38,580 --> 00:23:41,610
Afterwards I lost all my strength and my will to live.
339
00:23:41,610 --> 00:23:44,100
I just sat there and vegetated.
340
00:23:44,100 --> 00:23:45,560
Now we have three more children.
341
00:23:45,560 --> 00:23:47,357
We have to take care of them
342
00:23:47,357 --> 00:23:49,523
and make sure they have a good future.
343
00:23:55,457 --> 00:23:57,310
The people of the Delta rely
344
00:23:57,310 --> 00:24:00,590
on their children to help them with daily work.
345
00:24:00,590 --> 00:24:04,863
And when they're grown up, they care for their parents.
346
00:24:13,390 --> 00:24:16,920
Once again, Kula Moh crosses the river at night
347
00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:19,510
to cut firewood in the mangrove forests
348
00:24:19,510 --> 00:24:20,763
of the nature reserve.
349
00:24:29,680 --> 00:24:31,780
The destruction of the mangroves
350
00:24:31,780 --> 00:24:34,030
is threatening the mud skipper,
351
00:24:34,030 --> 00:24:36,163
a type of amphibious fish.
352
00:24:37,060 --> 00:24:39,610
They find protection in the root system
353
00:24:39,610 --> 00:24:41,523
of the mangrove forest.
354
00:24:41,523 --> 00:24:43,940
(calm music)
355
00:24:48,710 --> 00:24:51,040
Their muscular pectoral fins
356
00:24:51,040 --> 00:24:54,020
allow them to hold themselves out of the water
357
00:24:54,020 --> 00:24:54,963
and onto land.
358
00:24:55,800 --> 00:24:59,213
They share their habitat with various species of crab.
359
00:25:04,580 --> 00:25:06,730
Sal Lohn is a Marine biologist
360
00:25:06,730 --> 00:25:10,200
from the Fauna and Flora Conservation Organization.
361
00:25:10,200 --> 00:25:12,990
She is accompanying Forest Ranger Lah So Nguyen
362
00:25:12,990 --> 00:25:14,610
on his patrol.
363
00:25:14,610 --> 00:25:17,163
She supports the rangers in their work.
364
00:25:18,800 --> 00:25:21,080
The fruit from the lapa mangroves
365
00:25:21,080 --> 00:25:23,502
is a favorite food of the fish here.
366
00:25:23,502 --> 00:25:27,240
(speaks in foreign language)
367
00:25:27,240 --> 00:25:28,970
They have red blossoms.
368
00:25:28,970 --> 00:25:31,383
We've already seen a few during our patrol.
369
00:25:34,440 --> 00:25:36,673
It's a very rare species of mangrove.
370
00:25:40,320 --> 00:25:44,437
Here in the Delta, there are only about 200 of them left.
371
00:25:46,230 --> 00:25:48,923
We have a lot of work ahead of us to raise awareness.
372
00:25:51,180 --> 00:25:54,243
They should have been given protected status years ago.
373
00:25:59,820 --> 00:26:00,950
In the past,
374
00:26:00,950 --> 00:26:03,780
particularly during the military dictatorship,
375
00:26:03,780 --> 00:26:07,540
mangroves were cut down to make way for rice fields.
376
00:26:07,540 --> 00:26:10,170
Nobody seemed to be aware of their protective function
377
00:26:10,170 --> 00:26:12,650
against storms and cyclones.
378
00:26:12,650 --> 00:26:15,300
Two thirds of the ancient mangrove forests
379
00:26:15,300 --> 00:26:18,570
have been destroyed in the past four decades.
380
00:26:18,570 --> 00:26:23,473
Today, mangroves cover just 8% of the Irrawaddy Delta.
381
00:26:25,210 --> 00:26:27,090
These trees are also a vital source
382
00:26:27,090 --> 00:26:29,860
of food for several marine species.
383
00:26:29,860 --> 00:26:32,850
For example, fish and crustaceans feed on them.
384
00:26:32,850 --> 00:26:33,960
It's very simple.
385
00:26:33,960 --> 00:26:36,820
The fish grow big and fat which is good for the fishermen
386
00:26:36,820 --> 00:26:39,400
and that in turn benefits the villagers
387
00:26:39,400 --> 00:26:41,250
and the villages themselves.
388
00:26:41,250 --> 00:26:43,050
People here need to understand that.
389
00:26:45,730 --> 00:26:47,600
They hope practical projects
390
00:26:47,600 --> 00:26:51,263
will help the locals understand these interrelationships.
391
00:26:57,110 --> 00:27:00,230
Together with villagers from Gungchangi,
392
00:27:00,230 --> 00:27:02,883
they have set up a nursery for mangrove trees.
393
00:27:12,850 --> 00:27:15,870
They give the village elder Cho-chon Ying advice
394
00:27:15,870 --> 00:27:18,610
on how to improve her young tree nursery.
395
00:27:18,610 --> 00:27:20,970
They have already planted the first small trees
396
00:27:20,970 --> 00:27:22,770
on the southern side of the village.
397
00:27:24,005 --> 00:27:27,755
(speaks in foreign language)
398
00:27:30,705 --> 00:27:33,000
We can use the big trees for firewood
399
00:27:33,000 --> 00:27:35,906
and they also protect us from cyclones.
400
00:27:35,906 --> 00:27:37,350
These trees are my passion.
401
00:27:37,350 --> 00:27:40,120
I'd like to be an example for future generations
402
00:27:40,120 --> 00:27:43,163
to remind us how important mangroves are.
403
00:27:44,139 --> 00:27:46,770
(calm music)
404
00:27:46,770 --> 00:27:49,200
Many of the survivors of Cyclone Nargis
405
00:27:49,200 --> 00:27:50,990
have now moved away.
406
00:27:50,990 --> 00:27:53,520
They are afraid of being caught defenseless
407
00:27:53,520 --> 00:27:55,303
if another disaster strikes.
408
00:27:56,220 --> 00:27:59,860
For those who have chosen to remain, Cho-chon Ying
409
00:27:59,860 --> 00:28:02,770
aims to build a protective wall of mangroves
410
00:28:02,770 --> 00:28:05,140
to ensure a safer future.
411
00:28:05,140 --> 00:28:07,100
The marine biologist Sal Lohn
412
00:28:07,100 --> 00:28:08,903
is helping her realize her goal.
413
00:28:10,300 --> 00:28:12,010
This looks very dry.
414
00:28:12,010 --> 00:28:13,360
The plant needs more water.
415
00:28:16,580 --> 00:28:19,403
Then it'll grow faster in the strong sunlight here.
416
00:28:26,295 --> 00:28:28,453
And these plants need more water too.
417
00:28:34,635 --> 00:28:38,218
They need more space for the roots as well.
418
00:28:39,500 --> 00:28:41,700
You have to be very careful about the roots.
419
00:28:44,024 --> 00:28:46,441
(calm music)
420
00:28:52,340 --> 00:28:55,050
The lives of the fishermen along the Irrawaddy
421
00:28:55,050 --> 00:28:57,510
have barely changed for decades.
422
00:28:57,510 --> 00:28:59,870
They mostly use funnel shaped nets
423
00:28:59,870 --> 00:29:02,910
that they attach in the direction of the incoming tide
424
00:29:02,910 --> 00:29:05,353
and then hope for a good catch.
425
00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:09,950
One of them is the fishermen Uteng Wei.
426
00:29:09,950 --> 00:29:11,950
They always remove the motor.
427
00:29:11,950 --> 00:29:14,210
It's too valuable to be left on board
428
00:29:14,210 --> 00:29:16,273
because it can easily be stolen.
429
00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:28,160
The Irrawaddy Delta was once a rich fishing ground.
430
00:29:28,160 --> 00:29:31,420
Uteng Wei used to support his family of six
431
00:29:31,420 --> 00:29:33,140
by selling his catch.
432
00:29:33,140 --> 00:29:36,560
But since last year, the situation has become a very bad
433
00:29:36,560 --> 00:29:37,870
for the fishermen.
434
00:29:37,870 --> 00:29:40,673
Their incomes have dropped by up to 80%.
435
00:29:44,600 --> 00:29:47,210
Now he has to travel farther and farther
436
00:29:47,210 --> 00:29:49,280
to catch anything at all.
437
00:29:49,280 --> 00:29:52,530
He's the chairman of the local fishermen's association
438
00:29:52,530 --> 00:29:55,503
and is deeply troubled by the vanishing fish stocks.
439
00:30:01,310 --> 00:30:02,700
I usually leave the nets out
440
00:30:02,700 --> 00:30:05,950
from nine in the morning to three in the afternoon.
441
00:30:05,950 --> 00:30:09,337
Low tide is in the morning and high tide in the afternoon.
442
00:30:09,337 --> 00:30:11,820
But I hardly find anything in my nets.
443
00:30:11,820 --> 00:30:13,130
It used to be different.
444
00:30:13,130 --> 00:30:15,550
I'd catch plenty of fish every day.
445
00:30:15,550 --> 00:30:18,773
These days, my catch is usually just a handful of fish.
446
00:30:27,844 --> 00:30:31,594
(speaks in foreign language)
447
00:30:41,510 --> 00:30:44,590
Up to now this suspicions of Uteng Wei
448
00:30:44,590 --> 00:30:47,830
and his fellow fishermen have not been verified.
449
00:30:47,830 --> 00:30:49,980
Scientists have not found evidence
450
00:30:49,980 --> 00:30:52,680
of pesticides in water samples.
451
00:30:52,680 --> 00:30:55,600
They suspect that the decline in fish stocks
452
00:30:55,600 --> 00:30:58,213
is caused by many years of overfishing.
453
00:31:00,130 --> 00:31:01,480
So few fish again,
454
00:31:01,480 --> 00:31:03,180
and most of them are small.
455
00:31:03,180 --> 00:31:05,010
All we can do is dry them.
456
00:31:05,010 --> 00:31:06,880
There are too few big ones.
457
00:31:06,880 --> 00:31:08,530
This isn't enough for a meal.
458
00:31:08,530 --> 00:31:10,560
To make a decent meal we'll need to add
459
00:31:10,560 --> 00:31:11,943
a lot of extra vegetables.
460
00:31:14,270 --> 00:31:15,840
It's certainly not worth trying
461
00:31:15,840 --> 00:31:17,880
to sell his modest catch
462
00:31:17,880 --> 00:31:21,223
but at least he and his family won't go hungry tonight.
463
00:31:26,220 --> 00:31:30,430
His village is located around 200 meters from the sea
464
00:31:30,430 --> 00:31:33,653
where it's better protected against cyclones and storms.
465
00:31:35,230 --> 00:31:37,783
There are a few shops that serve their daily needs.
466
00:31:56,090 --> 00:31:58,350
His wife is making a fish curry
467
00:31:58,350 --> 00:32:01,323
with lots of chilies, tomatoes and rice.
468
00:32:12,060 --> 00:32:14,070
Until a year and a half ago,
469
00:32:14,070 --> 00:32:17,590
Uteng Wei earned around 500 euros per month.
470
00:32:17,590 --> 00:32:21,680
Now that has fallen to just 60 euros on average.
471
00:32:27,346 --> 00:32:28,930
What can I do if we only have
472
00:32:28,930 --> 00:32:30,343
these few fish?
473
00:32:32,390 --> 00:32:33,853
We'll just have to make do.
474
00:32:37,100 --> 00:32:40,130
In order to survive, Uteng Wei constantly
475
00:32:40,130 --> 00:32:43,800
has to borrow money at high interest rates.
476
00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:45,993
The repayments are growing every month.
477
00:32:46,980 --> 00:32:48,073
It's a vicious cycle.
478
00:32:49,160 --> 00:32:52,070
He's considering changing his line of work,
479
00:32:52,070 --> 00:32:54,433
maybe starting something new.
480
00:32:57,709 --> 00:33:00,126
(calm music)
481
00:33:07,770 --> 00:33:11,140
For several decades during the military dictatorship,
482
00:33:11,140 --> 00:33:12,920
there were hardly any international
483
00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:15,860
scientific investigations in Myanmar.
484
00:33:15,860 --> 00:33:19,490
This changed when democracy was established
485
00:33:19,490 --> 00:33:22,200
the Marine biologist, Dr. Cherry Ah,
486
00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:23,570
and her students have come
487
00:33:23,570 --> 00:33:25,626
from the University of Pathein
488
00:33:25,626 --> 00:33:27,710
of in the Western part of the country.
489
00:33:27,710 --> 00:33:29,690
In cooperation with an American team
490
00:33:29,690 --> 00:33:31,690
from the University of Washington,
491
00:33:31,690 --> 00:33:34,583
they plan to study the Delta more closely.
492
00:33:46,900 --> 00:33:49,940
I'm very interested in river deltas.
493
00:33:49,940 --> 00:33:52,090
Right now I'm studying the geology
494
00:33:52,090 --> 00:33:55,063
of the Irrawaddy Delta and the neighboring region.
495
00:33:56,250 --> 00:33:59,240
Deltas are very interesting to us scientists
496
00:33:59,240 --> 00:34:01,020
because they are composed of a mixture
497
00:34:01,020 --> 00:34:03,113
of freshwater and saltwater.
498
00:34:10,310 --> 00:34:11,680
The researchers take sediment
499
00:34:11,680 --> 00:34:13,293
and water samples.
500
00:34:16,190 --> 00:34:18,153
There's too much mud in there.
501
00:34:21,190 --> 00:34:23,570
Every month we analyze the water quality
502
00:34:23,570 --> 00:34:25,873
and the deposits caused by sediment.
503
00:34:27,612 --> 00:34:30,660
Using this device we are able to take water samples
504
00:34:30,660 --> 00:34:31,760
from different depths.
505
00:34:38,360 --> 00:34:40,770
Using a refractometer like the ones
506
00:34:40,770 --> 00:34:44,723
used by wine makers, they measure the salinity of the water.
507
00:34:46,554 --> 00:34:47,990
15.
15?
508
00:34:47,990 --> 00:34:51,740
(speaks in foreign language)
509
00:34:56,740 --> 00:34:59,330
Okay, we've got the water samples.
510
00:34:59,330 --> 00:35:00,733
Let's take a mud sample now.
511
00:35:08,560 --> 00:35:09,960
Have you reached the bottom?
512
00:35:11,450 --> 00:35:13,473
Oh yes, we've got a big load.
513
00:35:19,140 --> 00:35:22,070
The mud samples are kept for later analysis
514
00:35:22,070 --> 00:35:22,903
in a lab.
515
00:35:26,520 --> 00:35:29,070
The scientific study with the Americans
516
00:35:29,070 --> 00:35:31,623
will go on for another three years.
517
00:35:32,950 --> 00:35:37,937
Sunset in the Delta is always a magnificent spectacle.
518
00:35:44,910 --> 00:35:48,370
Several black birds circle over the mangrove forests
519
00:35:48,370 --> 00:35:49,810
in the nature reserve.
520
00:35:49,810 --> 00:35:52,440
Their diet consists mainly of fish
521
00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:56,290
and they prefer the moist areas close to the river banks.
522
00:35:56,290 --> 00:35:59,723
This is why they are also known as water kites.
523
00:36:04,660 --> 00:36:07,700
With a wingspan of up to 1.5 meters,
524
00:36:07,700 --> 00:36:11,270
these large birds make use of the evening breeze.
525
00:36:11,270 --> 00:36:13,320
They then rest on sand banks
526
00:36:13,320 --> 00:36:15,283
in the middle of the Irrawaddy River.
527
00:36:16,660 --> 00:36:18,550
The Rangers estimate that the colony
528
00:36:18,550 --> 00:36:21,262
consists of 1,000 individuals.
529
00:36:21,262 --> 00:36:23,762
(calm music)
530
00:36:38,280 --> 00:36:40,480
The forest ranger Lah So Nguyen
531
00:36:40,480 --> 00:36:42,513
is still on patrol with a colleague.
532
00:36:45,430 --> 00:36:47,910
They are visiting a shrimp fisherman.
533
00:36:47,910 --> 00:36:50,310
He told them that over the last few months
534
00:36:50,310 --> 00:36:52,660
he's been raising a female brahminy,
535
00:36:52,660 --> 00:36:54,223
a large bird of prey.
536
00:37:00,522 --> 00:37:04,355
(speaks in foreign language)
537
00:37:07,100 --> 00:37:08,880
How young was it when you found it?
538
00:37:08,880 --> 00:37:09,713
Very young.
539
00:37:09,713 --> 00:37:11,380
She could hardly stand up.
540
00:37:11,380 --> 00:37:12,430
A chick?
541
00:37:14,780 --> 00:37:15,903
How old is she now?
542
00:37:17,405 --> 00:37:19,286
12 months.
543
00:37:19,286 --> 00:37:23,036
(speaks in foreign language)
544
00:37:24,150 --> 00:37:25,960
You mustn't put her in a cage though.
545
00:37:25,960 --> 00:37:27,570
She needs freedom.
546
00:37:27,570 --> 00:37:28,403
Yeah, I know.
547
00:37:28,403 --> 00:37:30,260
She doesn't come much now anyway.
548
00:37:30,260 --> 00:37:31,350
How often?
549
00:37:31,350 --> 00:37:33,804
Only every two or three days.
550
00:37:33,804 --> 00:37:37,554
(speaks in foreign language)
551
00:37:41,662 --> 00:37:43,380
What do you give her to eat?
552
00:37:43,380 --> 00:37:44,450
She eats fish.
553
00:37:44,450 --> 00:37:47,170
She really likes fish but sometimes
554
00:37:47,170 --> 00:37:48,200
I give her shrimp.
555
00:37:48,200 --> 00:37:49,300
I give her shrimp too.
556
00:37:58,649 --> 00:38:01,316
(ominous music)
557
00:38:07,230 --> 00:38:09,650
Tonight, Forest Ranger Lah So Nguyen
558
00:38:09,650 --> 00:38:12,730
and his colleagues set out on a nocturnal mission
559
00:38:12,730 --> 00:38:14,833
in the Mymalanchon Nature Reserve.
560
00:38:20,160 --> 00:38:23,270
They are joined by Sal Lohn, the marine biologist
561
00:38:23,270 --> 00:38:25,433
from Flora and Fauna International.
562
00:38:26,760 --> 00:38:29,710
They want to count the salt water crocodiles,
563
00:38:29,710 --> 00:38:31,603
in particular the young ones.
564
00:38:32,840 --> 00:38:35,290
During the day, they remain hidden
565
00:38:35,290 --> 00:38:37,773
because they are easy prey for other animals.
566
00:38:38,690 --> 00:38:40,740
But at night they are easy to find
567
00:38:40,740 --> 00:38:44,713
with a flashlight because their eyes reflect the light.
568
00:38:45,610 --> 00:38:49,213
The light bewilders them and they freeze.
569
00:38:51,960 --> 00:38:54,350
They count the population and check to see
570
00:38:54,350 --> 00:38:57,273
if their numbers have remained stable or have changed.
571
00:38:58,300 --> 00:39:00,703
Look, there's one in the light beam.
572
00:39:03,220 --> 00:39:05,680
The baby crocodiles mainly eat insects
573
00:39:05,680 --> 00:39:07,570
and small amphibians,
574
00:39:07,570 --> 00:39:09,820
though they have many enemies as well
575
00:39:09,820 --> 00:39:13,853
including birds of prey, fish, and larger crocodiles.
576
00:39:15,513 --> 00:39:19,620
(speaks in foreign language)
577
00:39:19,620 --> 00:39:21,940
Just 1 or 2% of them survive
578
00:39:21,940 --> 00:39:24,363
the first three or four months of life.
579
00:39:25,640 --> 00:39:28,083
We check their population levels regularly.
580
00:39:30,110 --> 00:39:32,500
The figures tell us if their living conditions
581
00:39:32,500 --> 00:39:36,103
are optimal or if they have too many predators.
582
00:39:37,730 --> 00:39:39,610
When the conditions deteriorate
583
00:39:39,610 --> 00:39:41,210
for saltwater crocodiles
584
00:39:41,210 --> 00:39:44,883
in the nature reserve, they venture outside it.
585
00:39:45,860 --> 00:39:48,030
The shortage of food drives them
586
00:39:48,030 --> 00:39:50,420
into the surrounding villages
587
00:39:50,420 --> 00:39:53,643
where they can pose a danger to the inhabitants.
588
00:39:55,343 --> 00:39:58,010
(ominous music)
589
00:40:09,708 --> 00:40:11,220
At the end of our survey,
590
00:40:11,220 --> 00:40:15,100
we'll know if the population has increased or decreased.
591
00:40:15,100 --> 00:40:16,890
If it has remained stable
592
00:40:16,890 --> 00:40:19,720
it means they're happy in their habitat
593
00:40:19,720 --> 00:40:21,020
and there's enough to eat.
594
00:40:24,080 --> 00:40:25,630
At the end of the night,
595
00:40:25,630 --> 00:40:29,350
it becomes clear that the population of saltwater crocodiles
596
00:40:29,350 --> 00:40:31,613
has actually risen slightly.
597
00:40:32,730 --> 00:40:35,513
The animals are obviously doing well.
598
00:40:39,566 --> 00:40:41,983
(calm music)
599
00:40:45,230 --> 00:40:47,950
The nature reserve is home to a diverse range
600
00:40:47,950 --> 00:40:51,053
of amphibians, insects and birds.
601
00:40:59,090 --> 00:41:02,000
The outskirts there are also larger mammals
602
00:41:02,000 --> 00:41:05,123
such as water buffalo which belong to the farmers.
603
00:41:21,010 --> 00:41:23,520
Last time out, the fishermen Uteng Wei
604
00:41:23,520 --> 00:41:25,340
had more luck with this catch.
605
00:41:25,340 --> 00:41:28,500
A few larger fish found their way into his net.
606
00:41:28,500 --> 00:41:30,560
He and his wife went to sell them the town
607
00:41:30,560 --> 00:41:33,063
of Kadon Kani in the south of the Delta.
608
00:41:34,200 --> 00:41:37,160
It's a one and a half hour journey by boat.
609
00:41:37,160 --> 00:41:40,410
(boat engine revving)
610
00:42:06,190 --> 00:42:08,760
The port is the last major town
611
00:42:08,760 --> 00:42:11,573
before the Irrawaddy flows into the sea.
612
00:42:15,330 --> 00:42:18,660
In the past, Uteng Wei would only travel here
613
00:42:18,660 --> 00:42:20,730
if his ice box was full.
614
00:42:20,730 --> 00:42:23,260
Nowadays, he makes the long journey
615
00:42:23,260 --> 00:42:25,840
even for a relatively modest catch
616
00:42:25,840 --> 00:42:29,130
because he can get a better price than in the local villages
617
00:42:29,130 --> 00:42:31,660
where everybody lives from fishing.
618
00:42:31,660 --> 00:42:33,660
The fish trader shops are located
619
00:42:33,660 --> 00:42:35,736
on the outskirts of the city.
620
00:42:35,736 --> 00:42:38,153
(calm music)
621
00:42:55,490 --> 00:42:58,330
Everything that the traders and Kadon Kani buy
622
00:42:58,330 --> 00:43:01,010
is intended for resale in Rangoon,
623
00:43:01,010 --> 00:43:03,470
the former capital of Myanmar.
624
00:43:03,470 --> 00:43:05,980
Most of the buyers are restaurants which sell
625
00:43:05,980 --> 00:43:08,840
huge amounts of fish, mangrove shrimps,
626
00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:12,061
and various types of prawn to their customers.
627
00:43:12,061 --> 00:43:16,160
(speaks in foreign language)
628
00:43:16,160 --> 00:43:18,083
Now, it's Uteng Wei's turn.
629
00:43:22,110 --> 00:43:25,180
A few bass, ribbon fish, and croakers
630
00:43:25,180 --> 00:43:26,693
are all he has to offer.
631
00:43:31,480 --> 00:43:35,313
(speaks in foreign language)
632
00:43:37,330 --> 00:43:40,300
Since the supply of fish is quite low at the moment,
633
00:43:40,300 --> 00:43:43,470
Uteng Wei gets a slightly better price.
634
00:43:43,470 --> 00:43:44,720
It's better than nothing.
635
00:43:55,860 --> 00:43:58,310
(speaks in foreign language)
636
00:43:58,310 --> 00:44:00,210
I earned 22,000 kyats.
637
00:44:03,720 --> 00:44:06,460
It's not very much, but at least it's enough
638
00:44:06,460 --> 00:44:08,483
to buy some groceries for the family.
639
00:44:11,813 --> 00:44:14,313
(calm music)
640
00:44:15,200 --> 00:44:19,650
Kadon Kani is famous for its many colorful bustling shops
641
00:44:19,650 --> 00:44:21,800
and its wide range of goods.
642
00:44:21,800 --> 00:44:25,190
Using some of the money Uteng Wei earned with this catch,
643
00:44:25,190 --> 00:44:27,890
equivalent to about 13 euro,
644
00:44:27,890 --> 00:44:30,180
his wife wants to buy fresh vegetables
645
00:44:30,180 --> 00:44:32,850
that aren't available in their village.
646
00:44:32,850 --> 00:44:35,350
(calm music)
647
00:44:46,100 --> 00:44:48,690
Although the items on sale are very tempting,
648
00:44:48,690 --> 00:44:50,490
they can't afford anymore.
649
00:44:50,490 --> 00:44:52,400
They have to save money.
650
00:44:52,400 --> 00:44:54,310
They're worried about the future.
651
00:44:54,310 --> 00:44:55,900
The financial burden of their loan
652
00:44:55,900 --> 00:44:59,280
has become so immense that Uteng Wei has no choice
653
00:44:59,280 --> 00:45:01,420
but to give up his profession,
654
00:45:01,420 --> 00:45:04,220
at least until the fish stocks have a chance to recover.
655
00:45:07,510 --> 00:45:09,150
It's becoming more and more difficult
656
00:45:09,150 --> 00:45:12,170
for me to catch any fish in the river at all.
657
00:45:12,170 --> 00:45:14,580
It's really terrible for us.
658
00:45:14,580 --> 00:45:17,570
If this year turns out as bad as last year
659
00:45:17,570 --> 00:45:19,573
I'll have to give up fishing completely.
660
00:45:20,550 --> 00:45:23,450
Try my hand at trading, sell my fishing nets
661
00:45:23,450 --> 00:45:24,943
and start a new business.
662
00:45:26,610 --> 00:45:29,300
I'll buy clothes in Rangoon and sell them
663
00:45:29,300 --> 00:45:32,000
in Bugale or the surrounding villages.
664
00:45:32,000 --> 00:45:33,060
That's my plan.
665
00:45:34,171 --> 00:45:36,671
(calm music)
666
00:45:37,760 --> 00:45:41,030
The dream of a better life keeps them going.
667
00:45:41,030 --> 00:45:44,273
Hopefully one without worries and free of debt.
668
00:45:46,130 --> 00:45:49,650
The marine biologist, Dr. Cherry Ah and her students,
669
00:45:49,650 --> 00:45:53,550
are also researching the extremely shy Irrawaddy dolphin,
670
00:45:53,550 --> 00:45:55,570
which is critically endangered.
671
00:45:55,570 --> 00:45:58,820
It belongs to the whale family and lives in rivers,
672
00:45:58,820 --> 00:46:01,000
in the brackish waters of the Delta
673
00:46:01,000 --> 00:46:04,723
and in shallow coastal waters across Southeast Asia.
674
00:46:05,700 --> 00:46:08,430
The rangers usually know better than anyone
675
00:46:08,430 --> 00:46:10,130
where the dolphins might be found.
676
00:46:18,490 --> 00:46:20,930
Have you seen any dolphins in this area?
677
00:46:20,930 --> 00:46:23,730
Yes, I've seen some over the last few days.
678
00:46:23,730 --> 00:46:25,913
How many?
Four or five.
679
00:46:29,031 --> 00:46:31,224
Where were they?
680
00:46:31,224 --> 00:46:33,490
In Thorpine Creek.
681
00:46:33,490 --> 00:46:34,810
Okay, then we'll take a look
682
00:46:34,810 --> 00:46:35,943
around the other side.
683
00:46:37,900 --> 00:46:41,240
It's estimated that 20 Irrawaddy Dolphins
684
00:46:41,240 --> 00:46:43,090
still live in the Delta.
685
00:46:43,090 --> 00:46:46,030
Over the centuries, they've adapted to conditions
686
00:46:46,030 --> 00:46:47,520
in the river.
687
00:46:47,520 --> 00:46:51,270
Two decades ago it was possible to see hundreds of them.
688
00:46:51,270 --> 00:46:54,000
Now they're at risk of extinction
689
00:46:54,000 --> 00:46:56,483
according to the Worldwide Fund for Nature.
690
00:46:57,770 --> 00:46:59,300
When there are a lot of jellyfish
691
00:46:59,300 --> 00:47:02,060
in the water we see hardly any dolphins.
692
00:47:02,060 --> 00:47:04,350
We want to find out why the dolphins stay away
693
00:47:04,350 --> 00:47:05,550
at those times.
694
00:47:05,550 --> 00:47:07,570
At the moment, we can't draw any conclusions
695
00:47:07,570 --> 00:47:08,840
from the data we have.
696
00:47:08,840 --> 00:47:11,250
We suspect that the dolphins avoid the jellyfish
697
00:47:11,250 --> 00:47:12,543
because of their poison.
698
00:47:19,440 --> 00:47:21,520
This species of dolphin behaves differently
699
00:47:21,520 --> 00:47:23,800
from other species on the open sea,
700
00:47:23,800 --> 00:47:25,530
but we are only just beginning to learn
701
00:47:25,530 --> 00:47:28,123
about their behavior and need to study them more.
702
00:47:31,870 --> 00:47:34,620
It's easy to distinguish Irrawaddy dolphins
703
00:47:34,620 --> 00:47:36,350
from other dolphins.
704
00:47:36,350 --> 00:47:38,870
They lack the typical dolphin snout
705
00:47:38,870 --> 00:47:41,923
and have a bulbous head similar to a beluga whale.
706
00:47:42,790 --> 00:47:46,093
They surface about once a minute to get air.
707
00:47:49,004 --> 00:47:51,587
Can I help you?
708
00:47:53,950 --> 00:47:56,153
Yes, come over here.
709
00:47:58,930 --> 00:48:00,890
The rangers are a vital source
710
00:48:00,890 --> 00:48:03,400
of information for Cherry Ah.
711
00:48:03,400 --> 00:48:05,490
They know that Delta better than most
712
00:48:05,490 --> 00:48:08,335
because they are constantly on patrol.
713
00:48:08,335 --> 00:48:12,168
(speaks in foreign language)
714
00:48:15,013 --> 00:48:17,667
Do you think there are more dolphins now?
715
00:48:18,620 --> 00:48:21,120
I haven't seen many recently.
716
00:48:21,120 --> 00:48:22,670
There's a shortage of small fish
717
00:48:22,670 --> 00:48:24,320
which are their main food source.
718
00:48:25,900 --> 00:48:27,710
What's it like in the other waterways
719
00:48:27,710 --> 00:48:28,543
around here?
720
00:48:33,090 --> 00:48:35,390
I estimate that there are at least five
721
00:48:35,390 --> 00:48:37,883
or six pods in the entire delta.
722
00:48:41,010 --> 00:48:42,570
Over on this side, there is one
723
00:48:42,570 --> 00:48:44,913
consisting of about four or five dolphins.
724
00:48:49,670 --> 00:48:51,110
Yes, some were spotted here
725
00:48:51,110 --> 00:48:52,553
at about nine this morning.
726
00:48:56,553 --> 00:48:58,303
I heard it from the ranger station.
727
00:49:00,370 --> 00:49:01,390
Thank you, that's all for now.
728
00:49:01,390 --> 00:49:03,051
You're welcome.
729
00:49:03,051 --> 00:49:06,220
Just contact us if you need anything.
730
00:49:06,220 --> 00:49:09,100
I'm glad to see that you're doing research here.
731
00:49:09,100 --> 00:49:10,723
Thanks, we certainly will.
732
00:49:13,990 --> 00:49:15,070
The biggest danger
733
00:49:15,070 --> 00:49:17,850
to the Irrawaddy dolphins is fishing.
734
00:49:17,850 --> 00:49:20,530
Cherry Ah learns that they frequently die
735
00:49:20,530 --> 00:49:22,790
after getting caught in fishing nets.
736
00:49:22,790 --> 00:49:25,240
Yet she knows it would be almost impossible
737
00:49:25,240 --> 00:49:26,743
to eradicate this danger.
738
00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:30,320
The fishermen are very poor
739
00:49:30,320 --> 00:49:32,930
and depend on fishing to earn a living.
740
00:49:32,930 --> 00:49:36,233
Nature conservation is not a priority to them.
741
00:49:40,450 --> 00:49:42,780
In the estuary zone of the delta,
742
00:49:42,780 --> 00:49:45,950
the Irrawaddy flows into the Bay of Bengal
743
00:49:45,950 --> 00:49:47,433
where there are two islands.
744
00:49:48,800 --> 00:49:52,210
The larger of the two Gadonggalay is called
745
00:49:52,210 --> 00:49:54,263
Turtle Island by the locals.
746
00:50:00,310 --> 00:50:02,390
The sea turtles used to lay their eggs
747
00:50:02,390 --> 00:50:04,630
on the long sandy beaches here.
748
00:50:04,630 --> 00:50:07,763
But in recent years, very few have been returning.
749
00:50:08,920 --> 00:50:11,340
Many of them get caught in fishing nets
750
00:50:11,340 --> 00:50:14,430
and suffer a painful death by suffocation,
751
00:50:14,430 --> 00:50:16,643
unable to reach the surface to breathe.
752
00:50:18,290 --> 00:50:22,280
The rangers observed only seven female sea turtles here
753
00:50:22,280 --> 00:50:23,703
in their most recent count.
754
00:50:32,860 --> 00:50:36,850
However, another species is enjoying a boom.
755
00:50:36,850 --> 00:50:39,210
A colony of hundreds of ghost crabs
756
00:50:39,210 --> 00:50:43,123
populates the shore feeding on carrion and insects.
757
00:50:44,350 --> 00:50:48,920
When in danger, they disperse into their burrows
758
00:50:48,920 --> 00:50:51,293
which reach all the way to the groundwater.
759
00:50:57,570 --> 00:50:59,243
In the early light of morning,
760
00:51:00,280 --> 00:51:02,710
a few sea turtles have hatched.
761
00:51:02,710 --> 00:51:06,320
Instinctively, they crawl in the direction of the sea.
762
00:51:06,320 --> 00:51:08,133
But it's a race against time.
763
00:51:09,010 --> 00:51:11,063
They are easy prey for birds.
764
00:51:12,520 --> 00:51:15,393
Once they reach the water, they're not safe either.
765
00:51:19,260 --> 00:51:22,470
Only about one in 1,000 baby turtles
766
00:51:22,470 --> 00:51:24,253
will survive until maturity.
767
00:51:25,525 --> 00:51:28,192
(ominous music)
768
00:51:35,330 --> 00:51:39,890
{\an8}Gradually, people in Myanmar are becoming more aware
769
00:51:39,890 --> 00:51:42,823
of the unique value of the Irrawaddy Delta.
770
00:51:44,280 --> 00:51:47,670
More and more people are giving their support
771
00:51:47,670 --> 00:51:50,020
to protect and preserve
772
00:51:50,020 --> 00:51:54,933
this fascinating ecosystem and its diverse wildlife.
58937
Can't find what you're looking for?
Get subtitles in any language from opensubtitles.com, and translate them here.