1 00:00:02,960 --> 00:00:04,080 India. 2 00:00:08,120 --> 00:00:13,120 A vibrant, bustling world, home to over a billion people. 3 00:00:14,280 --> 00:00:16,240 But if you know where to look... 4 00:00:16,240 --> 00:00:18,960 The most spectacular wildlife... 5 00:00:22,800 --> 00:00:24,040 Ancient cultures... 6 00:00:26,600 --> 00:00:29,480 And extreme landscapes can be found. 7 00:00:34,120 --> 00:00:36,080 I'm Liz Bonnin. 8 00:00:36,080 --> 00:00:39,080 I'm here to explore India's spectacular 9 00:00:39,080 --> 00:00:42,480 wildlife in one of the most bio diverse places on Earth. 10 00:00:42,480 --> 00:00:46,200 I've spent years studying wildlife, 11 00:00:46,200 --> 00:00:50,080 but every time I return to India, I discover something new. 12 00:00:50,080 --> 00:00:52,680 LION ROARS 13 00:00:52,680 --> 00:00:57,280 I completely underestimated how extraordinary 14 00:00:57,280 --> 00:00:59,360 and eye-opening this was going to be. 15 00:01:00,600 --> 00:01:03,360 Actor Freida Pinto was born here. 16 00:01:04,400 --> 00:01:06,440 She wants to share the remarkable bond 17 00:01:06,440 --> 00:01:09,320 between India's people and the natural world. 18 00:01:10,960 --> 00:01:14,960 You always see that there is a connection between man and animal. 19 00:01:17,120 --> 00:01:18,440 Wow! 20 00:01:18,440 --> 00:01:23,040 And from the highest peaks on Earth, mountaineer Jon Gupta 21 00:01:23,040 --> 00:01:25,640 explores India's most extreme landscapes. 22 00:01:26,760 --> 00:01:29,200 My passion is mountains, 23 00:01:29,200 --> 00:01:32,240 and there is nowhere in the world like the Himalayas. 24 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:42,120 We're travelling the length and breadth of this subcontinent 25 00:01:42,120 --> 00:01:45,920 to reveal the hidden wonders of India's natural world. 26 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:49,400 These are... 27 00:01:49,400 --> 00:01:52,240 - ALL: - The Wonders of India! 28 00:02:15,520 --> 00:02:19,720 India is home to a spectacular array of habitats and species, 29 00:02:19,720 --> 00:02:22,200 many of which are found nowhere else. 30 00:02:26,360 --> 00:02:30,840 I've been enchanted by India ever since my first visit. 31 00:02:30,840 --> 00:02:33,720 My great-grandparents came from here. 32 00:02:33,720 --> 00:02:38,160 This land is so vast, you could spend a lifetime exploring it 33 00:02:38,160 --> 00:02:40,600 and still only scratch the surface. 34 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:50,320 I'm starting my journey 300 miles west of Delhi. 35 00:02:53,120 --> 00:02:55,760 In a place which seems rather unremarkable. 36 00:02:57,800 --> 00:03:01,240 But this village hosts a unique wildlife event. 37 00:03:02,680 --> 00:03:06,720 A collaboration between birds and people I've heard about 38 00:03:06,720 --> 00:03:08,240 but have never witnessed. 39 00:03:09,320 --> 00:03:12,960 If it's half as impressive as they say, I'm in for a real treat. 40 00:03:15,880 --> 00:03:20,120 This is Khichan and it's known as the village of the cranes. 41 00:03:20,120 --> 00:03:23,720 Every year, tens of thousands of birds migrate here 42 00:03:23,720 --> 00:03:27,120 from their breeding grounds on the steppes of Eurasia and Mongolia. 43 00:03:27,120 --> 00:03:29,680 And it's not just the watering holes that border 44 00:03:29,680 --> 00:03:32,280 this village that draw the birds here - 45 00:03:32,280 --> 00:03:36,200 the people play an integral part in the lives of these elegant birds. 46 00:03:38,240 --> 00:03:41,480 I've discovered that the story of India's wildlife 47 00:03:41,480 --> 00:03:43,480 is one of ancient reverence. 48 00:03:45,880 --> 00:03:49,440 Every day in winter, the people of this village fill a square 49 00:03:49,440 --> 00:03:51,880 with food for some weary travellers. 50 00:03:54,240 --> 00:03:55,800 Demoiselle cranes. 51 00:03:57,800 --> 00:04:00,680 It has created one of the most spectacular 52 00:04:00,680 --> 00:04:02,440 sights on the subcontinent. 53 00:04:04,160 --> 00:04:07,440 Like all the best spectacles, it starts slowly. 54 00:04:14,120 --> 00:04:18,040 At dawn, the birds start to arrive in small numbers. 55 00:04:18,040 --> 00:04:22,920 They fly in formation, like ribbons stretched across the sky. 56 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:30,280 There's something really emotive about watching them fly overhead. 57 00:04:32,120 --> 00:04:38,080 This fluid, coordinated movement. Oh, it's just, just beautiful. 58 00:04:41,280 --> 00:04:45,400 As the sun rises, so the number of birds increases. 59 00:04:46,560 --> 00:04:50,000 Gradually, the sky fills with cranes. 60 00:04:50,000 --> 00:04:54,440 LOUD COOING 61 00:04:54,440 --> 00:04:56,560 It might sound a bit like a cacophony 62 00:04:56,560 --> 00:05:00,120 when they're all together, and there is a real order to it all. 63 00:05:03,880 --> 00:05:06,760 They land on a hillside overlooking the village. 64 00:05:09,120 --> 00:05:13,920 Once the numbers reach a critical mass, they take to the skies again. 65 00:05:13,920 --> 00:05:15,240 Oh, my God! 66 00:05:16,880 --> 00:05:18,640 Look at that! 67 00:05:18,640 --> 00:05:22,560 It started off ever so gently, and now it's really, 68 00:05:22,560 --> 00:05:25,640 really kicking off. That's extraordinary! 69 00:05:50,720 --> 00:05:54,800 But the birds don't enter the feeding area straight away. 70 00:05:54,800 --> 00:05:56,600 They are extremely wary. 71 00:06:00,800 --> 00:06:04,560 So while the people of the village go about their morning routine... 72 00:06:09,880 --> 00:06:11,560 ..the cranes circle above. 73 00:06:13,600 --> 00:06:16,840 Waiting for the first bird to take the plunge. 74 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:26,320 For some unknown reason, the first bird is quite often this one. 75 00:06:26,320 --> 00:06:28,440 A bird with only one foot. 76 00:06:30,120 --> 00:06:33,560 Day after day, it's the first one to feed. 77 00:06:33,560 --> 00:06:36,480 Maybe it needs this head start because it can't compete 78 00:06:36,480 --> 00:06:38,080 when the square is crowded. 79 00:06:40,160 --> 00:06:44,800 The rest of the cranes are circling in what looks like a really 80 00:06:44,800 --> 00:06:48,840 synchronised, coordinated type of activity. 81 00:06:48,840 --> 00:06:51,520 All contact calling to each other nonstop. 82 00:06:54,960 --> 00:06:57,240 Once the rest can see there's no danger, 83 00:06:57,240 --> 00:07:00,120 they flock to the square in their thousands. 84 00:07:03,000 --> 00:07:05,560 I'm so impressed with how orderly this all is. 85 00:07:05,560 --> 00:07:07,760 They don't all land en masse to feed. 86 00:07:09,280 --> 00:07:14,000 There's a sort of controlled movement of the birds outside 87 00:07:14,000 --> 00:07:17,560 the enclosure, and then the front bit takes off, 88 00:07:17,560 --> 00:07:19,720 circles overhead and lands on the outside 89 00:07:19,720 --> 00:07:21,320 of the already feeding birds, 90 00:07:21,320 --> 00:07:23,280 and they're doing this in stages. 91 00:07:24,800 --> 00:07:26,920 It could be pandemonium, but it's not - 92 00:07:26,920 --> 00:07:29,480 it's incredibly civilised and orderly. 93 00:07:33,920 --> 00:07:38,760 I completely underestimated how extraordinary 94 00:07:38,760 --> 00:07:41,440 and eye-opening this was going to be. 95 00:07:41,440 --> 00:07:44,760 This flock acts like a well-oiled machine. 96 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,600 No call, no movement is made by accident, 97 00:07:48,600 --> 00:07:51,800 and even the subtlest change in behaviour... 98 00:07:51,800 --> 00:07:54,840 moves through the flock like a ripple! 99 00:07:54,840 --> 00:07:57,600 This has to be seen to be believed. 100 00:08:00,720 --> 00:08:04,040 Demoiselle cranes are the smallest of all cranes. 101 00:08:04,040 --> 00:08:07,240 They were given their name when the French queen, Marie Antoinette, 102 00:08:07,240 --> 00:08:08,640 first saw one. 103 00:08:08,640 --> 00:08:10,840 She loved their delicate appearance. 104 00:08:10,840 --> 00:08:13,520 Demoiselle means maiden or young lady. 105 00:08:14,520 --> 00:08:17,480 But these birds are much tougher than they look. 106 00:08:18,640 --> 00:08:22,920 To get to Khichan, they have travelled 1,200 miles 107 00:08:22,920 --> 00:08:24,800 across the Central Asian plain. 108 00:08:26,440 --> 00:08:29,200 But it's the height they fly that is remarkable. 109 00:08:30,680 --> 00:08:34,760 Specially adapted lungs process oxygen more efficiently, 110 00:08:34,760 --> 00:08:36,840 so they can rise up into thinner air. 111 00:08:36,840 --> 00:08:42,160 They fly over the Himalayas at altitudes of up to 7,000 metres. 112 00:08:46,320 --> 00:08:48,360 The cranes started to come here 113 00:08:48,360 --> 00:08:52,080 because of the watering holes surrounding this desert village. 114 00:08:54,400 --> 00:08:58,920 Sevaram Mali Parihar is one of those that began this project. 115 00:09:01,360 --> 00:09:05,160 How many cranes were there at the beginning compared to how 116 00:09:05,160 --> 00:09:07,960 - many there are now? - HE TRANSLATES 117 00:09:16,560 --> 00:09:19,120 So how much grain do you put out every day? 118 00:09:21,280 --> 00:09:23,880 That is a lot. So how do they pay for this? 119 00:09:27,160 --> 00:09:31,400 The people of Khichan are mostly members of the Jain community. 120 00:09:31,400 --> 00:09:35,200 It is a central belief of this ancient religion that animals 121 00:09:35,200 --> 00:09:38,000 and people should be treated with equal respect. 122 00:09:39,280 --> 00:09:42,280 When they saw hungry birds on their long migration, 123 00:09:42,280 --> 00:09:44,800 they felt it was their duty to help them. 124 00:09:47,800 --> 00:09:51,000 The villagers of Khichan have dedicated themselves to the 125 00:09:51,000 --> 00:09:53,600 preservation of these magnificent cranes. 126 00:09:56,000 --> 00:09:59,760 And you go beyond just feeding them, is that right? 127 00:09:59,760 --> 00:10:04,920 I saw some newspaper clippings about telephone or electricity wires? 128 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:07,880 Yes. HE TRANSLATES 129 00:10:28,440 --> 00:10:31,320 It's an extraordinary amount of dedication. 130 00:10:34,160 --> 00:10:36,600 Why...why go through all of that? 131 00:10:36,600 --> 00:10:39,320 HE TRANSLATES 132 00:10:42,160 --> 00:10:46,640 Do you ever get tired of this, every morning, this incredible spectacle? 133 00:10:49,920 --> 00:10:52,760 But these wild birds are nervous feeders. 134 00:10:52,760 --> 00:10:55,000 Anything can scare them off. 135 00:10:55,000 --> 00:10:58,240 As quickly as the cranes entered the square, they leave. 136 00:11:05,640 --> 00:11:08,440 The villagers lay out the food for the next day 137 00:11:08,440 --> 00:11:11,080 and the routine starts all over again. 138 00:11:17,800 --> 00:11:20,760 I've been lucky enough to witness many spectacles. 139 00:11:21,760 --> 00:11:25,320 But they tend to be in wild places, away from people. 140 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,360 To see something as dramatic as these cranes right in the 141 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:34,520 centre of an otherwise ordinary village is a rare treat indeed. 142 00:11:43,680 --> 00:11:48,080 As an actor growing up in India, performance is in my blood. 143 00:11:48,080 --> 00:11:51,680 One of India's oldest forms of theatre mixes animals and 144 00:11:51,680 --> 00:11:56,680 people into a world-famous spectacle packed with spirit of my home. 145 00:12:03,640 --> 00:12:08,040 To witness it, I've travelled to Assam in the northeast of India, 146 00:12:08,040 --> 00:12:11,600 where, thanks to their isolation, the island communities 147 00:12:11,600 --> 00:12:14,880 of the Brahmaputra River maintain age-old traditions. 148 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:23,480 Indian culture and religion have a very strong link to the natural 149 00:12:23,480 --> 00:12:28,400 world, specifically animals, and a lot of gods in Indian mythology 150 00:12:28,400 --> 00:12:31,640 and religion seem to appear in some animal form or the other. 151 00:12:31,640 --> 00:12:35,400 So how do they bring these gods to life? 152 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:38,120 This is the ancient skill of mask making. 153 00:12:38,120 --> 00:12:41,080 They are used to tell mythological stories of the struggles 154 00:12:41,080 --> 00:12:42,440 between gods. 155 00:12:42,440 --> 00:12:46,680 In India's religions, such gods often take the form of animals. 156 00:12:48,480 --> 00:12:50,760 I think it will be absolutely incomplete, 157 00:12:50,760 --> 00:12:53,680 this trip, if I didn't try to gather some skills myself. 158 00:12:53,680 --> 00:12:56,480 IN HINDI: 159 00:13:15,080 --> 00:13:16,680 So the next step 160 00:13:16,680 --> 00:13:21,000 - is cow dung and what else? - Cow dung, yeah, and clay. 161 00:13:21,000 --> 00:13:23,360 And clay. OK, it's a mixture of cow dung and clay 162 00:13:23,360 --> 00:13:26,800 to give the mask whatever character they desire to give it. 163 00:13:26,800 --> 00:13:28,640 So right now you have... 164 00:13:28,640 --> 00:13:30,160 Yeah, yeah, Hanuman. 165 00:13:30,160 --> 00:13:32,480 So right now, he is busy making a very, 166 00:13:32,480 --> 00:13:35,880 very famous character in the Ramayana. 167 00:13:35,880 --> 00:13:38,920 - Ramayana, yeah. - It's Hanuman, the monkey god. 168 00:13:38,920 --> 00:13:43,120 Hanuman is one of the most recognisable gods throughout India, 169 00:13:43,120 --> 00:13:47,760 a deity with the face of a monkey and the quick witted instincts too. 170 00:13:51,120 --> 00:13:55,280 THEY SPEAK IN HINDI 171 00:13:55,280 --> 00:13:58,000 Well, basically, what he's saying is that I'm very good at this 172 00:13:58,000 --> 00:13:59,640 and I don't need any help. 173 00:14:02,920 --> 00:14:06,800 I'm actually the worst when it comes to crafts and arts, so this 174 00:14:06,800 --> 00:14:12,480 is me pretending that I'm actually an expert, when I'm actually not. 175 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:18,040 Indian life is full of stories 176 00:14:18,040 --> 00:14:21,760 and religious fables that serve as a bedrock of this culture. 177 00:14:23,960 --> 00:14:27,760 The masks are an ideal way to bring those stories to life. 178 00:14:27,760 --> 00:14:31,120 They are the most colourful and expressive I've ever seen. 179 00:14:33,680 --> 00:14:37,480 One look is enough to convince me I need to try them on. 180 00:14:38,920 --> 00:14:40,040 OK. 181 00:14:45,800 --> 00:14:49,200 This is going to be a battle. Good and bad. 182 00:14:49,200 --> 00:14:53,720 THEY GROWL 183 00:15:00,800 --> 00:15:02,880 LIGHT APPLAUSE 184 00:15:02,880 --> 00:15:04,000 That's my Oscar! 185 00:15:07,920 --> 00:15:11,920 Legend has it that the inhabitants of these islands were urged to 186 00:15:11,920 --> 00:15:16,240 learn how to make these masks by a voice from the Brahmaputra itself. 187 00:15:18,960 --> 00:15:21,240 The masks have a spiritual purpose. 188 00:15:22,680 --> 00:15:25,640 These characters are from the story I'm to be shown. 189 00:15:30,080 --> 00:15:33,400 The Ramayana is not just one of the most important books in the 190 00:15:33,400 --> 00:15:37,720 Hindu religion, it's one of the best known stories in the whole of India. 191 00:15:40,400 --> 00:15:41,920 It's the story of Rama 192 00:15:41,920 --> 00:15:46,560 and his battle with the demon Ravana, who is after his wife, Sita. 193 00:15:48,760 --> 00:15:51,160 Here, Sita is being captured. 194 00:15:51,160 --> 00:15:53,920 The vulture, Jatayu, tries to save her. 195 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:07,200 The demon king kills the vulture and runs off with Sita. 196 00:16:07,200 --> 00:16:10,240 But in the story, it is Rama who triumphs, 197 00:16:10,240 --> 00:16:12,840 thanks to the help of the animal kingdom. 198 00:16:12,840 --> 00:16:15,120 Especially the monkey army, 199 00:16:15,120 --> 00:16:17,240 led by the nimble Hanuman. 200 00:16:17,240 --> 00:16:20,920 THEY YELL 201 00:16:24,280 --> 00:16:28,120 These legends have been a part of our culture for centuries. 202 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:33,320 Like millions of other Indians, they were a central part of my childhood. 203 00:16:38,000 --> 00:16:40,880 This constant telling and retelling of stories 204 00:16:40,880 --> 00:16:43,160 where nature helps overcome adversity 205 00:16:43,160 --> 00:16:46,640 reminds us of the importance of the animals that surround us. 206 00:16:46,640 --> 00:16:49,160 APPLAUSE 207 00:16:49,160 --> 00:16:52,920 And I want to say thank you so much for this wonderful performance. 208 00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,640 This was absolutely wonderful to bring it to life. 209 00:16:55,640 --> 00:16:59,080 Thank you so much for doing this for us. Thank you, thank you. 210 00:17:06,040 --> 00:17:09,720 From a man-made spectacle to one that was created 211 00:17:09,720 --> 00:17:11,280 40 million years ago. 212 00:17:13,240 --> 00:17:16,880 To my mind, these are India's greatest marvel of all, 213 00:17:16,880 --> 00:17:18,880 the Himalayas. 214 00:17:27,080 --> 00:17:30,360 I've climbed throughout the Himalayas in Nepal 215 00:17:30,360 --> 00:17:33,600 and Central Asia, but never before in India. 216 00:17:35,280 --> 00:17:38,840 The reason I wanted to come here is that my grandfather was born 217 00:17:38,840 --> 00:17:40,960 in the foothills of these mountains. 218 00:17:42,080 --> 00:17:45,440 Though he left India for Britain, this vast landscape was 219 00:17:45,440 --> 00:17:47,240 the backdrop to his childhood. 220 00:17:49,600 --> 00:17:53,520 Finally, I have the chance to come and explore it for myself. 221 00:17:56,680 --> 00:18:00,000 The higher I climb, the thinner the air gets. 222 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:03,240 It means I can only ever visit these heights for a short period. 223 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:09,680 At these altitudes, everything is difficult, even breathing. 224 00:18:09,680 --> 00:18:10,800 But all around me 225 00:18:10,800 --> 00:18:13,960 there are animals that have made this place their home. 226 00:18:16,560 --> 00:18:19,240 To stay in their world for any length of time, 227 00:18:19,240 --> 00:18:22,400 I would need to use specialist clothing and equipment. 228 00:18:23,640 --> 00:18:27,400 I want to learn about animals that have perfectly adapted 229 00:18:27,400 --> 00:18:28,920 to life amongst these peaks. 230 00:18:32,680 --> 00:18:35,760 To see them, I've had to come to just below the snow line. 231 00:18:40,080 --> 00:18:42,480 These are tahr. 232 00:18:42,480 --> 00:18:45,440 There's a reason I want to see them in action. 233 00:18:45,440 --> 00:18:48,760 I've heard this goat is the ultimate mountain animal. 234 00:18:58,040 --> 00:19:00,840 They've adapted to live in the most extreme mountain 235 00:19:00,840 --> 00:19:02,160 environment on Earth. 236 00:19:06,880 --> 00:19:10,800 Their long, thick fur keeps them warm in the harsh mountain winters. 237 00:19:15,800 --> 00:19:18,960 Their hooves have hard edges and soft rubbery centres. 238 00:19:20,080 --> 00:19:22,280 Perfect to wedge into rocky cracks. 239 00:19:25,600 --> 00:19:27,800 Their shoulders are shock absorbers. 240 00:19:36,520 --> 00:19:40,480 They can go anywhere, and I do mean ANYWHERE. 241 00:19:44,080 --> 00:19:47,040 Life in these mountains lives on a knife edge - 242 00:19:47,040 --> 00:19:49,120 there's very little room for error. 243 00:19:51,520 --> 00:19:53,040 I've climbed Everest, 244 00:19:53,040 --> 00:19:56,400 but I'd think twice before attempting to descend that. 245 00:19:58,600 --> 00:20:02,240 Yet this is the daily commute for even the youngest tahr. 246 00:20:22,200 --> 00:20:24,280 At each step they take, there's rocks 247 00:20:24,280 --> 00:20:27,320 and grass tumbling down the rock face. 248 00:20:27,320 --> 00:20:30,200 Tahr eat grass, herbs and leaves, 249 00:20:30,200 --> 00:20:33,120 but food is a scarce commodity up here. 250 00:20:34,560 --> 00:20:37,880 By climbing, they can get to vegetation that no other 251 00:20:37,880 --> 00:20:39,480 animal can access. 252 00:20:42,720 --> 00:20:44,160 I can barely watch it! 253 00:20:47,240 --> 00:20:51,600 I can't believe it. There are now two families descending the cliff. 254 00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,680 Even the youngest tahr takes this in its stride. 255 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:11,120 I just wonder at what point the mother stands at the top 256 00:21:11,120 --> 00:21:15,200 of a cliff as big as this, at least 300 or 400 metres high, 257 00:21:15,200 --> 00:21:16,680 looks over and just says, 258 00:21:16,680 --> 00:21:22,000 "Yes, I think it's about time that you, my tiny, tiny little tahr 259 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:24,880 "come down this rock face with me, and off you go." 260 00:21:26,880 --> 00:21:29,320 I can't help but be impressed at the agility 261 00:21:29,320 --> 00:21:31,960 and the dexterity of the tahr. 262 00:21:31,960 --> 00:21:35,800 It's a perfect example of how India's wildlife has adapted 263 00:21:35,800 --> 00:21:38,880 to live in even the most inhospitable places. 264 00:21:48,440 --> 00:21:51,600 The sheer size of India means there are many extreme 265 00:21:51,600 --> 00:21:53,240 habitats for wildlife. 266 00:21:54,640 --> 00:21:57,280 I've travelled a short way down the Brahmaputra to 267 00:21:57,280 --> 00:22:02,280 Kaziranga National Park - 160 square miles of grassland. 268 00:22:02,280 --> 00:22:04,840 I'm here to see India's longest-running 269 00:22:04,840 --> 00:22:06,760 conservation success story - 270 00:22:06,760 --> 00:22:11,120 India's rhinoceros, the one-horned rhino. 271 00:22:11,120 --> 00:22:13,600 And this is the best way to get close to one. 272 00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,440 So this is quite early in the morning. 273 00:22:18,440 --> 00:22:22,680 And the elephant is our chosen mode of transportation. 274 00:22:22,680 --> 00:22:26,200 I'm riding with wildlife cameraman Sandesh Kadur. 275 00:22:26,200 --> 00:22:29,400 He's spent a lifetime studying the rhinos. 276 00:22:30,880 --> 00:22:34,480 We're going to hopefully spot these rhinos today. 277 00:22:34,480 --> 00:22:37,720 Well, where we are, Kaziranga, is one of the best places to see 278 00:22:37,720 --> 00:22:39,160 - the one-horned rhino. - Right. 279 00:22:39,160 --> 00:22:42,040 It has half the world's population right here, 280 00:22:42,040 --> 00:22:44,280 - but we do have to look for them. - OK. 281 00:22:44,280 --> 00:22:48,040 As we enter the grass, I'm desperate for my first glimpse 282 00:22:48,040 --> 00:22:49,800 of this rare beast. 283 00:22:54,040 --> 00:22:55,960 Look at that, look at that. 284 00:22:55,960 --> 00:22:59,120 Oh, wow, that's amazing. Oh, we're very close to this guy. 285 00:22:59,120 --> 00:23:00,520 Oh, yeah. 286 00:23:00,520 --> 00:23:04,040 This is probably one of the best rhino sightings I've had 287 00:23:04,040 --> 00:23:05,480 in a long time. 288 00:23:05,480 --> 00:23:07,920 Now you can see how big the rhino is. 289 00:23:07,920 --> 00:23:10,440 I've never seen a one-horned rhino before 290 00:23:10,440 --> 00:23:12,560 so this is literally my first time. 291 00:23:12,560 --> 00:23:17,240 The rhinoceros conservation story goes back over 100 years. 292 00:23:18,800 --> 00:23:23,800 Kaziranga was created in 1905 when habitat destruction and hunting 293 00:23:23,800 --> 00:23:27,840 had brought rhino numbers in India crashing to just ten or so. 294 00:23:30,080 --> 00:23:35,000 Since then, these protected lands have helped numbers rise. 295 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,920 There are now over 2,000 here. 296 00:23:40,600 --> 00:23:43,280 People come from all over the world to see them. 297 00:23:46,040 --> 00:23:49,360 They've got very, very small eyes. 298 00:23:49,360 --> 00:23:51,240 - They're practically blind. - Aw! 299 00:23:52,600 --> 00:23:57,640 Rhinos have bad eyesight but good hearing. 300 00:23:57,640 --> 00:24:02,120 Their ears swivel at the slightest sound to locate danger. 301 00:24:02,120 --> 00:24:03,560 When threatened, 302 00:24:03,560 --> 00:24:08,160 these massive beasts can charge at up to 30mph. 303 00:24:11,360 --> 00:24:13,840 Oh, my God, he's been... He's had a little bit of a fight. 304 00:24:13,840 --> 00:24:16,800 - Oh, yeah! - He's got a... - Got a little... - ..gash. 305 00:24:16,800 --> 00:24:18,960 See, that's how delicate the skin is. 306 00:24:18,960 --> 00:24:21,320 Any little thing punctures it and wounds it. 307 00:24:21,320 --> 00:24:24,680 It looks like armour, but it is actually very, very soft. 308 00:24:24,680 --> 00:24:27,960 - Really? - And another little titbit. - Uh-huh. 309 00:24:27,960 --> 00:24:29,960 They get sunburnt very quickly. 310 00:24:29,960 --> 00:24:31,200 Aw. 311 00:24:33,840 --> 00:24:37,200 In summer, temperatures approach 40 degrees. 312 00:24:38,320 --> 00:24:40,640 The rhinos take to the water to cool down. 313 00:24:42,040 --> 00:24:44,720 Their skin gets covered in ticks and mites, 314 00:24:44,720 --> 00:24:47,040 the rhino relies on mina birds 315 00:24:47,040 --> 00:24:51,720 and egrets to pick the parasites from those hard-to-reach places. 316 00:24:53,280 --> 00:24:56,360 So what's...what's your...? What do you feel like? Your first rhino. 317 00:24:56,360 --> 00:24:59,200 My first rhino experience! I actually am...am... 318 00:25:00,400 --> 00:25:02,040 Ah! This is beautiful. 319 00:25:02,040 --> 00:25:03,760 It makes you emotional, right? 320 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:07,000 Just to be in the presence of these wild animals. 321 00:25:07,000 --> 00:25:11,200 For me, that was the most beautiful thing. It's a real privilege. 322 00:25:13,840 --> 00:25:16,160 Just as we're about to leave, 323 00:25:16,160 --> 00:25:18,960 Sandesh spots an unbelievable treat. 324 00:25:21,120 --> 00:25:25,080 - Oh, look at that! Baby rhino. - Ah! It's a baby rhino. 325 00:25:25,080 --> 00:25:27,880 Aw. How old do you think...? 326 00:25:27,880 --> 00:25:31,920 Oh, this is a newborn, hardly two months old. This is incredible. 327 00:25:31,920 --> 00:25:34,800 God, we're so lucky. We actually see the mother and the baby. 328 00:25:34,800 --> 00:25:36,520 That's right. 329 00:25:36,520 --> 00:25:39,000 This is a rare sight. 330 00:25:40,240 --> 00:25:43,400 Rhinos only have a single calf every three years. 331 00:25:44,760 --> 00:25:48,200 But this is a sign of the continued health of the rhino programme 332 00:25:48,200 --> 00:25:49,520 here, in Kaziranga. 333 00:25:51,440 --> 00:25:54,120 - Incredible. - You couldn't have asked for more. 334 00:25:55,640 --> 00:25:59,320 Once, rhinos were found all across the northern plains. 335 00:25:59,320 --> 00:26:02,560 But poaching threatened their very existence. 336 00:26:02,560 --> 00:26:06,600 Thanks to over 100 years of protection in this park, 337 00:26:06,600 --> 00:26:08,960 numbers are on the increase. 338 00:26:08,960 --> 00:26:12,480 There are now over 3,000 of them in the wild. 339 00:26:14,360 --> 00:26:17,400 Over half live in these protected lands. 340 00:26:23,280 --> 00:26:27,280 The lush vegetation that gives the one-horned rhino a home 341 00:26:27,280 --> 00:26:30,560 is typical of the sights you associate with India. 342 00:26:33,520 --> 00:26:36,560 But India is also home to desert. 343 00:26:42,920 --> 00:26:46,600 The Thar Desert in the northwest of India is the largest 344 00:26:46,600 --> 00:26:48,560 desert in the country. 345 00:26:48,560 --> 00:26:50,320 It's as large as Britain. 346 00:26:52,720 --> 00:26:56,840 In places, the average rainfall is just ten centimetres a year. 347 00:26:58,600 --> 00:27:03,040 An ancient legend explains how such a forbidding place came into being. 348 00:27:05,880 --> 00:27:08,720 According to mythology, the Thar Desert was created 349 00:27:08,720 --> 00:27:12,600 when Rama tried to dry the sea to reach Sita, who was being held 350 00:27:12,600 --> 00:27:13,880 captive on an island. 351 00:27:15,160 --> 00:27:19,240 The sea god begged Rama not to dry out his entire ocean 352 00:27:19,240 --> 00:27:22,920 and just to dry out a small section where wicked people lived. 353 00:27:22,920 --> 00:27:27,040 Rama agreed, and so the sea god granted him passage to Sita. 354 00:27:28,200 --> 00:27:33,000 And as a thank you, Rama turned the dried out sea into a fertile desert. 355 00:27:37,080 --> 00:27:39,880 The most barren part is the Rann of Kutch. 356 00:27:41,480 --> 00:27:45,800 This is the home of an animal that is a true natural wonder of India. 357 00:27:47,120 --> 00:27:50,520 It's able to call this baking furnace home. 358 00:27:52,800 --> 00:27:56,120 It's the only place in the world where you'll find 359 00:27:56,120 --> 00:27:57,560 the Indian wild ass. 360 00:28:00,120 --> 00:28:04,080 In the most arid parts of the Rann of Kutch, the wild ass ekes out 361 00:28:04,080 --> 00:28:06,360 an almost impossible existence, 362 00:28:06,360 --> 00:28:09,800 surviving on the little nourishment available in the sparse scrub 363 00:28:09,800 --> 00:28:10,920 that grows there. 364 00:28:14,440 --> 00:28:17,800 This is one of the hottest places in India. 365 00:28:17,800 --> 00:28:21,160 Temperatures peak at almost 50 degrees Celsius. 366 00:28:22,640 --> 00:28:26,720 Living year round in this relentless heat, the Indian wild ass is 367 00:28:26,720 --> 00:28:29,440 one of the hardiest animals in the world. 368 00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:33,320 It has had to adapt to survive. 369 00:28:34,320 --> 00:28:37,280 Rain comes for just a few months of the year. 370 00:28:40,840 --> 00:28:43,040 When the surface water dries up, 371 00:28:43,040 --> 00:28:46,760 the Indian wild ass gets the hydration it needs from eating 372 00:28:46,760 --> 00:28:50,480 the scrubby plants that draw their moisture from the ground. 373 00:28:53,760 --> 00:28:56,320 But it's not the only animal that lives here. 374 00:28:57,600 --> 00:28:59,400 At certain times of the year, 375 00:28:59,400 --> 00:29:02,120 wolves and hyenas will enter the desert, too. 376 00:29:03,320 --> 00:29:05,160 To evade these predators, 377 00:29:05,160 --> 00:29:07,600 the Indian wild ass has a special talent. 378 00:29:08,960 --> 00:29:11,520 It's one of the fastest animals in India, 379 00:29:11,520 --> 00:29:14,200 with a top speed of 50mph. 380 00:29:19,080 --> 00:29:22,520 Every aspect of their lives is driven by water. 381 00:29:26,360 --> 00:29:30,120 The brief rains turn the plains into green marshland. 382 00:29:32,360 --> 00:29:35,760 Mating is timed so that foals will be born into this period 383 00:29:35,760 --> 00:29:37,040 of relative plenty. 384 00:29:41,480 --> 00:29:43,320 Females make it very clear 385 00:29:43,320 --> 00:29:46,000 if they don't think it's the right time to mate. 386 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:58,080 Living in a place of such extremes, the Indian wild ass is a perfect 387 00:29:58,080 --> 00:30:02,120 example of the resilience of India's wildlife in a hostile landscape. 388 00:30:05,280 --> 00:30:07,920 From a land of baking heat, 389 00:30:07,920 --> 00:30:10,840 it is just 600 miles north 390 00:30:10,840 --> 00:30:12,320 to one of frozen ice. 391 00:30:16,560 --> 00:30:19,760 The Himalayas are home to the greatest quantity 392 00:30:19,760 --> 00:30:22,080 of freshwater ice outside of the poles. 393 00:30:23,480 --> 00:30:27,040 It gives the mountains their empty, barren appearance. 394 00:30:28,240 --> 00:30:29,720 But that's deceptive. 395 00:30:34,400 --> 00:30:36,160 Everything here is alive. 396 00:30:38,320 --> 00:30:40,520 The Himalayas are still growing. 397 00:30:43,480 --> 00:30:46,000 Even though they are the highest mountains on Earth, 398 00:30:46,000 --> 00:30:48,280 they are actually the youngest. 399 00:30:48,280 --> 00:30:52,040 In geological terms, at just 40 million years old, 400 00:30:52,040 --> 00:30:53,640 they are mere infants. 401 00:30:57,160 --> 00:31:00,880 As the land masses they sit on continue their slow motion collision, 402 00:31:00,880 --> 00:31:02,720 the Himalayas gradually rise. 403 00:31:05,200 --> 00:31:08,800 It's mind boggling to think that this is still taking place today 404 00:31:08,800 --> 00:31:12,560 and that the Himalayas are growing by a few centimetres each year. 405 00:31:14,000 --> 00:31:17,040 For me, life in these mountains is simply on a different 406 00:31:17,040 --> 00:31:18,720 scale from the world below. 407 00:31:22,280 --> 00:31:26,040 Having spent a lot of my time living in these high mountains, 408 00:31:26,040 --> 00:31:30,080 it's clear to me that these mountains are very much alive. 409 00:31:30,080 --> 00:31:33,880 Last year, I was on a high camp on a mountain just near Everest and 410 00:31:33,880 --> 00:31:38,080 I took the day off to rest. And as I spent the day sat there watching the 411 00:31:38,080 --> 00:31:42,320 mountains, I couldn't help feel that they were also breathing with me. 412 00:31:44,400 --> 00:31:47,880 In the morning, it's clear, crystal clear. And through the duration of 413 00:31:47,880 --> 00:31:52,680 the day, clouds come up the valleys and disperse into the big hills. 414 00:31:54,600 --> 00:31:56,160 And then later on in the afternoon, 415 00:31:56,160 --> 00:31:59,120 when the temperatures start to plummet, the clouds do the opposite. 416 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:01,560 They then descend back into the valleys 417 00:32:01,560 --> 00:32:04,920 and slowly dissipate back away, leaving this clear again. 418 00:32:06,000 --> 00:32:09,760 And as I watched these clouds, I couldn't help but feel that these 419 00:32:09,760 --> 00:32:14,080 mountains had taken an entire day just to take one full breath. 420 00:32:20,560 --> 00:32:23,200 But even giants need help. 421 00:32:23,200 --> 00:32:24,560 In the Himalayas, 422 00:32:24,560 --> 00:32:27,720 it comes in the form of one of the smallest inhabitants. 423 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:30,920 The pika. 424 00:32:33,760 --> 00:32:37,280 I want to see how this tiny creature plays a vital role 425 00:32:37,280 --> 00:32:38,480 in the life of them. 426 00:32:39,880 --> 00:32:44,320 Sahas Barve studies the animals of these mountains. 427 00:32:46,560 --> 00:32:49,480 Oh. There's one right there. It's... 428 00:32:49,480 --> 00:32:52,520 Oh, yes, yeah. Ah, they are quite small. 429 00:32:52,520 --> 00:32:54,240 It's sleeping. Yeah, they are. 430 00:32:54,240 --> 00:32:57,200 Pika are known locally as the friendly mouse, 431 00:32:57,200 --> 00:32:59,800 but they are actually part of the rabbit family. 432 00:32:59,800 --> 00:33:02,920 (He's going some place.) 'Their hopping run is the giveaway.' 433 00:33:04,560 --> 00:33:07,520 You can definitely see that this is part of the rabbit family. 434 00:33:07,520 --> 00:33:09,160 - Yeah. - It runs like a rabbit. 435 00:33:09,160 --> 00:33:10,280 I know, yeah. 436 00:33:11,520 --> 00:33:13,240 Pika do not hibernate. 437 00:33:13,240 --> 00:33:18,040 During the winter, they make burrows under the snow and under the rocks. 438 00:33:18,040 --> 00:33:21,920 In spring, the tunnels they create become drainage channels, 439 00:33:21,920 --> 00:33:23,560 dispersing the meltwater. 440 00:33:25,560 --> 00:33:28,080 Through the winter, Pika live off food 441 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,360 they have gathered in the short summer. 442 00:33:32,280 --> 00:33:34,880 Pikas live below the snow in the winters. 443 00:33:34,880 --> 00:33:37,880 First of all, they have this big cache of food in their burrow. 444 00:33:37,880 --> 00:33:40,080 But if they need to get to another cache, 445 00:33:40,080 --> 00:33:41,840 they have paths under the snow. 446 00:33:41,840 --> 00:33:43,360 - It's all connected? - Yeah. 447 00:33:44,560 --> 00:33:48,400 Their activity disperses the seeds of many plants. 448 00:33:48,400 --> 00:33:51,640 Their food stores and droppings become fertiliser. 449 00:33:53,200 --> 00:33:55,440 And because they are active year round, 450 00:33:55,440 --> 00:33:59,280 they are one of the few sources of food for predators in the winter. 451 00:34:01,360 --> 00:34:04,400 Pikas are really vital to the Himalayan system 452 00:34:04,400 --> 00:34:08,640 because not only do they aerate the soil, which helps the grass grow, 453 00:34:08,640 --> 00:34:12,040 but they're also a really key prey species for a bunch of animals 454 00:34:12,040 --> 00:34:15,360 like weasels and martens and foxes and eagles. 455 00:34:17,040 --> 00:34:18,760 Without these busy creatures, 456 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:21,440 the Himalayas would be a very different place. 457 00:34:25,440 --> 00:34:29,680 This vast landscape owes so much to such a tiny creature. 458 00:34:40,880 --> 00:34:44,440 Throughout India, people have a bond with the natural world. 459 00:34:48,640 --> 00:34:51,200 If you go through any book that talks about religion or 460 00:34:51,200 --> 00:34:53,760 Hinduism just in general, you always see that there is 461 00:34:53,760 --> 00:34:56,640 a connection between man and animal. 462 00:35:02,040 --> 00:35:05,000 I'm travelling to Majuli on the Brahmaputra River. 463 00:35:09,880 --> 00:35:13,200 Majuli is the largest river island in India. 464 00:35:13,200 --> 00:35:15,880 It's three times as big as the Isle of Wight. 465 00:35:17,600 --> 00:35:20,880 One of the islands that cluster around Majuli is home to 466 00:35:20,880 --> 00:35:24,800 a man whose dedication to nature is an example to us all. 467 00:35:26,280 --> 00:35:28,880 To meet him, I need to get on a ferry, 468 00:35:28,880 --> 00:35:32,320 and that's not as straightforward as it sounds. 469 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:35,880 Getting across the Brahmaputra can be quite a task. 470 00:35:35,880 --> 00:35:38,760 As you can see, it gets pretty chaotic. 471 00:35:38,760 --> 00:35:41,040 Somehow, through all this chaos, 472 00:35:41,040 --> 00:35:44,480 like most of India is, things get done. 473 00:35:44,480 --> 00:35:47,320 We will get on the ferry, our cars will load 474 00:35:47,320 --> 00:35:50,120 and we'll finally get to our destination. 475 00:35:50,120 --> 00:35:51,280 Shall I load? 476 00:35:52,440 --> 00:35:55,080 The river is up to six miles wide. 477 00:35:55,080 --> 00:35:57,760 There's constant toing and froing of people, 478 00:35:57,760 --> 00:35:59,360 livestock and other animals. 479 00:36:01,080 --> 00:36:03,560 Which explains the price list for tickets. 480 00:36:05,400 --> 00:36:08,880 OK, we've found it. This one's very important. 481 00:36:08,880 --> 00:36:11,000 India is a very, very kind country 482 00:36:11,000 --> 00:36:14,080 and a very hospitable country, you probably know that by now. 483 00:36:14,080 --> 00:36:16,560 Unlike many other modes of transportation, 484 00:36:16,560 --> 00:36:19,040 we have no passenger restrictions here on the ferry, 485 00:36:19,040 --> 00:36:23,280 so if you want to bring a buffalo, you can. 486 00:36:23,280 --> 00:36:25,840 An elephant with a mahout, of course you can. 487 00:36:25,840 --> 00:36:31,080 Sheep, goat, calf, pig, bull, cow, horse and like animal, we can. 488 00:36:31,080 --> 00:36:35,960 And... If you want to get a wild animal like tiger or lion, you can. 489 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:37,160 So let's go! 490 00:36:55,080 --> 00:36:58,600 If you're wondering how much a wild tiger costs... 491 00:36:58,600 --> 00:36:59,720 Less than a pound. 492 00:37:06,920 --> 00:37:09,920 150,000 people live on Majuli. 493 00:37:12,280 --> 00:37:14,600 It's a place where time has stood still. 494 00:37:17,960 --> 00:37:21,680 And all over the island, people are looking for ways to work with 495 00:37:21,680 --> 00:37:22,800 the natural world. 496 00:37:24,400 --> 00:37:27,600 This man has even made a bike using bamboo. 497 00:37:29,600 --> 00:37:31,920 I can never resist trying something new! 498 00:37:33,480 --> 00:37:39,040 IN HINDI: 499 00:37:43,200 --> 00:37:44,240 OK. 500 00:37:50,200 --> 00:37:53,720 So he says the only trick to the bicycle is learning how to 501 00:37:53,720 --> 00:37:55,280 manoeuvre the handles. 502 00:37:57,240 --> 00:37:59,240 But he's not the man I'm here to see. 503 00:38:00,400 --> 00:38:03,240 See you later! Aaah! 504 00:38:04,640 --> 00:38:06,760 This unique culture is under threat. 505 00:38:07,920 --> 00:38:11,560 Not by man, but by the very thing that gives it life - 506 00:38:11,560 --> 00:38:14,160 the Brahmaputra river itself. 507 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:29,560 Since the 1950s, Majuli has lost a third of its landmass 508 00:38:29,560 --> 00:38:31,280 due to erosion from the river. 509 00:38:32,720 --> 00:38:36,360 In 15 to 20 years, Majuli and her neighbouring islands 510 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:37,720 could cease to exist. 511 00:38:39,880 --> 00:38:41,720 Unless something is done. 512 00:38:45,600 --> 00:38:49,480 I'm crossing to a neighbouring island with someone who has 513 00:38:49,480 --> 00:38:51,320 become a legend. 514 00:38:53,280 --> 00:38:55,240 He has taken action that has highlighted 515 00:38:55,240 --> 00:38:56,720 the plight of these islands... 516 00:38:58,160 --> 00:39:00,000 By planting trees. 517 00:39:00,000 --> 00:39:01,240 Thousands of them. 518 00:39:03,480 --> 00:39:07,560 IN HINDI: 519 00:39:12,560 --> 00:39:14,040 28 years. 520 00:39:24,520 --> 00:39:25,960 - Soft sand. - Sand. 521 00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:30,240 OK. He's planted every single tree in this forest. 522 00:39:30,240 --> 00:39:33,560 There was practically nothing, it was just sand, 523 00:39:33,560 --> 00:39:37,320 just barren land, and he's planted every single tree. 524 00:39:37,320 --> 00:39:40,360 It has taken three decades, but on this island, 525 00:39:40,360 --> 00:39:43,960 Jadav Pareng has created his own rainforest. 526 00:39:45,080 --> 00:39:48,160 Now roots and vegetation bind the land together, 527 00:39:48,160 --> 00:39:50,920 forming a natural barrier against the current. 528 00:39:52,040 --> 00:39:54,520 And wildlife has returned, too. 529 00:39:55,840 --> 00:40:00,760 Jadav has seen elephants, rhinos and even tigers in his forest. 530 00:40:04,880 --> 00:40:07,680 IN HINDI: 531 00:40:33,000 --> 00:40:34,960 Jadav tells me his story 532 00:40:34,960 --> 00:40:39,880 and why he has worked so tirelessly to save the land he grew up in. 533 00:40:42,760 --> 00:40:47,760 The fruits that he ate on this island, as a child, 534 00:40:47,760 --> 00:40:49,800 he realised that after the floods, 535 00:40:49,800 --> 00:40:54,320 when the trees would be destroyed and future generations would not 536 00:40:54,320 --> 00:40:58,760 have the opportunity to taste those lovely fruits that he ate as a kid. 537 00:40:58,760 --> 00:41:03,240 So a part of it is him trying to save this place for the animals 538 00:41:03,240 --> 00:41:07,520 but it's also a very...it's a pride in his childhood that he wants to 539 00:41:07,520 --> 00:41:10,200 pass on to the next generation of children. 540 00:41:10,200 --> 00:41:12,840 He's a very generous man. 541 00:41:17,400 --> 00:41:21,880 It's through the efforts of heroes like Jadav that India's wild 542 00:41:21,880 --> 00:41:23,840 places remain protected. 543 00:41:35,400 --> 00:41:38,720 At the other end of the country is a mountain range called 544 00:41:38,720 --> 00:41:39,840 the Western Ghats. 545 00:41:41,880 --> 00:41:44,480 They're India's oldest mountains. 546 00:41:44,480 --> 00:41:48,120 They run for 1,000 miles from Mumbai to the southern tip of India. 547 00:41:52,960 --> 00:41:56,240 They're home to 50 million people. 548 00:41:56,240 --> 00:41:59,280 But the monsoon rains and southern heat create 549 00:41:59,280 --> 00:42:02,240 near perfect conditions for wildlife, too. 550 00:42:04,600 --> 00:42:07,920 This great mountainous tropical rainforest is one of the most 551 00:42:07,920 --> 00:42:09,560 biodiverse places on Earth. 552 00:42:12,960 --> 00:42:15,720 The Western Ghats explode with life, 553 00:42:15,720 --> 00:42:18,320 packed with species that are only found here. 554 00:42:19,440 --> 00:42:25,120 50% of all of India's amphibians are found in the Western Ghats. 555 00:42:25,120 --> 00:42:28,400 Many live nowhere else in the world. 556 00:42:28,400 --> 00:42:31,040 Like the rare purple frog. 557 00:42:35,040 --> 00:42:37,120 IT CROAKS 558 00:42:37,120 --> 00:42:40,320 This species may be one of the strangest looking creatures 559 00:42:40,320 --> 00:42:44,120 on the planet, but scientists believe it's a rare survivor of a 560 00:42:44,120 --> 00:42:49,360 lineage that dates back 130 million years, to the time of the dinosaurs. 561 00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:54,920 For 50 weeks, this male has remained hidden underground, 562 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:57,640 buried in the mud where his food is. 563 00:43:00,960 --> 00:43:04,920 His pointed nose allows him to burrow, but it limits the size 564 00:43:04,920 --> 00:43:09,520 of his mouth, restricting his diet to termites and other small bugs. 565 00:43:12,080 --> 00:43:16,760 He emerges for just two weeks every year as the monsoon begins. 566 00:43:18,000 --> 00:43:21,920 He has just one thing on his mind - to breed. 567 00:43:23,760 --> 00:43:27,040 After he's mated, he'll return to his muddy burrow. 568 00:43:31,120 --> 00:43:34,840 With such a short time above ground, this species remained 569 00:43:34,840 --> 00:43:39,920 undiscovered until 2003, when it was formally identified. 570 00:43:41,880 --> 00:43:45,400 And it was instantly added to the endangered list. 571 00:43:55,800 --> 00:44:00,480 The Western Ghats are home to over 300 endangered species. 572 00:44:03,000 --> 00:44:06,280 The one I'm travelling to see is the lion-tailed macaque. 573 00:44:11,560 --> 00:44:15,120 It's thought to be one of the ancestors of all Asian macaques. 574 00:44:16,680 --> 00:44:19,360 This is the only area in which they're found. 575 00:44:24,520 --> 00:44:27,920 Wildlife cameraman Kalyan Varma is one of those helping 576 00:44:27,920 --> 00:44:30,400 to protect the local population of macaques. 577 00:44:31,680 --> 00:44:34,560 Like all monkeys, they're very inquisitive. 578 00:44:37,040 --> 00:44:40,120 Ah, they're just coming from the morning roost. 579 00:44:40,120 --> 00:44:43,960 Wow, look at... Oop! Oh, he's so handsome! 580 00:44:43,960 --> 00:44:45,600 Oh, look at that hand. 581 00:44:45,600 --> 00:44:47,840 They're definitely used to cars anyway. 582 00:44:47,840 --> 00:44:49,920 - Oh, wow, look at this! - Oh! 583 00:44:49,920 --> 00:44:53,480 SHE MUFFLES LAUGH 584 00:44:53,480 --> 00:44:57,280 - They're just very curious about us. - I didn't even see him! 585 00:44:57,280 --> 00:44:59,200 Well, good morning. 586 00:45:03,680 --> 00:45:05,680 And that's a lion-tailed macaque. 587 00:45:08,200 --> 00:45:12,840 These are the most endangered of all India's macaques. 588 00:45:12,840 --> 00:45:15,480 There are just 4,000 left in the wild. 589 00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:21,400 Their home in rainforest canopy is being cut down to make way 590 00:45:21,400 --> 00:45:22,920 for tea plantations. 591 00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:27,080 They're being forced to share space with people. 592 00:45:28,400 --> 00:45:31,400 It makes these wild animals more approachable. 593 00:45:34,000 --> 00:45:38,960 I've got lion-tailed macaques above me to my right. 594 00:45:38,960 --> 00:45:40,920 This beautiful female behind me. 595 00:45:43,040 --> 00:45:46,560 And I can't quite believe just how close I am to... 596 00:45:46,560 --> 00:45:49,160 Oh, a mother and infant! 597 00:45:49,160 --> 00:45:53,680 Two. Oh, my God, they're... This is...unbelievable. 598 00:45:53,680 --> 00:45:57,040 There are three females in this troop 599 00:45:57,040 --> 00:46:00,320 with very young infants hanging on to their bellies. 600 00:46:00,320 --> 00:46:02,320 There's one there, there's another one there 601 00:46:02,320 --> 00:46:04,680 and there was another female over there with an infant, 602 00:46:04,680 --> 00:46:09,520 up in the tree. And that is SO rare to see! 603 00:46:09,520 --> 00:46:14,200 Females will only bear maybe three or four offspring in their lives. 604 00:46:16,480 --> 00:46:19,720 Like many species of macaques, science has named these 605 00:46:19,720 --> 00:46:24,240 beautiful animals after their tails, which is somewhat surprising. 606 00:46:24,240 --> 00:46:28,800 For me, it's more the mane around the face that reminds me of lions, 607 00:46:28,800 --> 00:46:31,760 why aren't they called lion-maned macaques? 608 00:46:31,760 --> 00:46:35,040 I always wondered that as well because in the local languages 609 00:46:35,040 --> 00:46:37,800 and all of South India, they call it the lion-faced or 610 00:46:37,800 --> 00:46:40,160 - the lion-maned macaques. - Do they really? - Absolutely. 611 00:46:40,160 --> 00:46:42,760 And I don't know why in English the scientific name 612 00:46:42,760 --> 00:46:44,240 is lion-tailed macaque. 613 00:46:47,360 --> 00:46:51,040 Lion-tailed macaques face threats every day from busy roads. 614 00:46:51,040 --> 00:46:53,080 HORN BLARES 615 00:46:53,080 --> 00:46:56,680 WHISTLING AND YELLING 616 00:46:56,680 --> 00:47:00,080 The Nature Conservation Foundation has come up with an ingenious 617 00:47:00,080 --> 00:47:03,680 solution to the problem of getting across the thoroughfares that 618 00:47:03,680 --> 00:47:05,400 slice through their forests. 619 00:47:10,320 --> 00:47:12,800 Bridges made from fire hoses. 620 00:47:14,760 --> 00:47:17,880 How much of a difference has this made to casualties and fatalities? 621 00:47:17,880 --> 00:47:20,640 It's quite a bit. I think a lot of them, especially the young ones, 622 00:47:20,640 --> 00:47:23,640 love using this. It's the older ones that are on the road mostly. 623 00:47:23,640 --> 00:47:26,800 So the young ones definitely like the protection of the bridges. 624 00:47:26,800 --> 00:47:30,200 - Right. - But once in a while, some of these alpha males have taken that 625 00:47:30,200 --> 00:47:33,640 over as their territory. So you see one alpha male sitting on there, 626 00:47:33,640 --> 00:47:36,320 being a bully, not letting anyone pass through. 627 00:47:37,560 --> 00:47:40,480 So it's no longer a bridge, it's the alpha male's territory. 628 00:47:40,480 --> 00:47:43,640 Absolutely. They like those places. They get a vantage point, 629 00:47:43,640 --> 00:47:46,200 - all this traffic going underneath them. - Uh-huh. 630 00:47:46,200 --> 00:47:48,520 What I'm loving - not only do you have these bridges, 631 00:47:48,520 --> 00:47:51,480 you've also got those two guys with the signs to slow the traffic down. 632 00:47:51,480 --> 00:47:54,280 - Yeah. - So the will is there. There's a lot of effort being put 633 00:47:54,280 --> 00:47:56,800 into protecting your remaining monkeys. 634 00:47:56,800 --> 00:48:00,160 Yes. And you know, this population is one of the largest single 635 00:48:00,160 --> 00:48:03,200 populations. So we are hoping that as this population grows, 636 00:48:03,200 --> 00:48:06,960 eventually they'll colonise other forest fragments in this landscape. 637 00:48:06,960 --> 00:48:10,000 Lion-tails still face huge challenges. 638 00:48:11,120 --> 00:48:15,240 But thanks to the people here, their future already looks a lot brighter. 639 00:48:18,240 --> 00:48:23,440 I really didn't expect to get this close to these macaques. 640 00:48:23,440 --> 00:48:26,480 I mean, I suppose we're used to seeing monkeys climbing over 641 00:48:26,480 --> 00:48:29,760 cars these days, but these are lion-tailed macaques - 642 00:48:29,760 --> 00:48:32,760 they live really high up in the canopy. 643 00:48:32,760 --> 00:48:35,360 And the only reason this has been possible is 644 00:48:35,360 --> 00:48:38,920 because a very tiny proportion of the remaining population 645 00:48:38,920 --> 00:48:42,240 have adapted and they've become habituated to humans, 646 00:48:42,240 --> 00:48:44,520 and that's the reason why we came here. 647 00:48:44,520 --> 00:48:46,440 And it's totally been worth it. 648 00:48:58,840 --> 00:49:02,560 I normally spend my time thousands of metres up in the mountains. 649 00:49:04,560 --> 00:49:07,160 But for our last wonder, I've left the heights 650 00:49:07,160 --> 00:49:11,120 of the Himalayas to come down to sea level to witness a wildlife event... 651 00:49:12,400 --> 00:49:15,280 ..featuring an animal that's very close to my heart. 652 00:49:16,640 --> 00:49:18,080 The olive ridley turtle. 653 00:49:21,080 --> 00:49:23,760 I've actually been fortunate enough to dive with 654 00:49:23,760 --> 00:49:28,440 olive ridley turtles. Now, of all the big animals in the ocean, 655 00:49:28,440 --> 00:49:32,320 there is something totally unique about watching turtles swim. 656 00:49:32,320 --> 00:49:36,160 It's incredibly graceful and effortless. 657 00:49:36,160 --> 00:49:38,520 The experience of swimming with turtles 658 00:49:38,520 --> 00:49:41,320 was so intimate that I've never forgotten it. 659 00:49:42,360 --> 00:49:45,920 So when I heard of the mass hatching of olive ridley turtles 660 00:49:45,920 --> 00:49:50,200 that takes place here every year, I simply had to come. 661 00:49:52,760 --> 00:49:56,560 This is Odisha, on the Bay of Bengal. 662 00:49:56,560 --> 00:49:59,840 The seas here are rich with nutrients picked up 663 00:49:59,840 --> 00:50:04,800 and carried by India's great rivers on the 1,500 mile journey 664 00:50:04,800 --> 00:50:08,160 from their source high in the Himalayas. 665 00:50:08,160 --> 00:50:11,480 Where the rivers meet the sea, they deposit their bounty. 666 00:50:12,480 --> 00:50:14,840 These waters are bursting with life. 667 00:50:16,200 --> 00:50:18,480 This beach is about to add to it. 668 00:50:20,280 --> 00:50:24,160 At the moment, as you can see, this beach is just calm, 669 00:50:24,160 --> 00:50:27,880 like any other normal beach. And it's hard to believe that 670 00:50:27,880 --> 00:50:30,720 through the night and tomorrow morning, 671 00:50:30,720 --> 00:50:33,000 this entire beach will be alive 672 00:50:33,000 --> 00:50:36,440 and will erupt with baby olive ridley turtles. 673 00:50:37,640 --> 00:50:39,520 This is the largest mass nesting 674 00:50:39,520 --> 00:50:42,360 site in the world for the olive ridley turtle. 675 00:50:43,760 --> 00:50:46,200 It's vital to the survival of the species. 676 00:50:49,120 --> 00:50:52,880 It's considered so important that the local government post 677 00:50:52,880 --> 00:50:55,000 guards to protect the young turtles. 678 00:50:59,600 --> 00:51:02,960 Olive ridley turtles spend their lives out at sea. 679 00:51:04,680 --> 00:51:07,120 But each year, at one particular time, 680 00:51:07,120 --> 00:51:10,800 hundreds of thousands of females return here. 681 00:51:10,800 --> 00:51:15,680 It's the beach they hatched on, and they too will lay their eggs here. 682 00:51:15,680 --> 00:51:19,400 It's an event that is known as the arribada. 683 00:51:19,400 --> 00:51:21,160 It means the arrival. 684 00:51:27,960 --> 00:51:29,400 Once the eggs are laid... 685 00:51:31,000 --> 00:51:32,640 ..she returns to the sea. 686 00:51:37,000 --> 00:51:39,400 Leaving the eggs to incubate in the sand. 687 00:51:41,360 --> 00:51:44,560 They'll take between 40 and 60 days to grow. 688 00:51:49,560 --> 00:51:52,880 I'm here to see hundreds of thousands of baby turtles 689 00:51:52,880 --> 00:51:54,520 bursting out of the sand. 690 00:51:56,960 --> 00:51:58,960 As night draws in, 691 00:51:58,960 --> 00:52:01,240 the first turtles begin to hatch. 692 00:52:02,760 --> 00:52:04,480 These two little fellas 693 00:52:04,480 --> 00:52:07,800 are the first two that I've seen this evening. 694 00:52:07,800 --> 00:52:10,480 They've just literally popped out of a hole, just to the right 695 00:52:10,480 --> 00:52:14,520 of my foot here, and are now slowly taking their very first steps 696 00:52:14,520 --> 00:52:17,560 towards the ocean, which is just here. 697 00:52:17,560 --> 00:52:19,280 And it's just lovely to watch. 698 00:52:21,000 --> 00:52:24,200 My first baby turtle makes it to the sea, 699 00:52:24,200 --> 00:52:26,000 but this is just the beginning. 700 00:52:35,040 --> 00:52:38,600 The hatching is so important that we have to use a camera 701 00:52:38,600 --> 00:52:40,440 that films by moonlight alone. 702 00:52:44,000 --> 00:52:47,120 It's such a big moment for this little turtle. He's clearly just 703 00:52:47,120 --> 00:52:51,640 taking his time to look around and decide which way he thinks is best. 704 00:52:53,000 --> 00:52:54,960 We believe that they follow the light. 705 00:52:54,960 --> 00:52:57,360 And often when they come out at night like this, 706 00:52:57,360 --> 00:52:59,760 the moon and the reflection of the moon on the sea 707 00:52:59,760 --> 00:53:02,320 is the way...is how they know which way to go. 708 00:53:03,440 --> 00:53:07,280 Light pollution inland makes some of the young head the wrong way. 709 00:53:12,480 --> 00:53:15,360 Across the beach, hundreds of nests start to move. 710 00:53:18,760 --> 00:53:22,320 Scientists have discovered that the turtles co-ordinate 711 00:53:22,320 --> 00:53:26,080 hatching by calling to each other while they're still in the eggs. 712 00:53:30,600 --> 00:53:33,480 Most of the turtles hatch under cover of darkness. 713 00:53:41,800 --> 00:53:44,160 As dawn breaks, I can see why. 714 00:53:45,720 --> 00:53:48,000 They are easy pickings for predators. 715 00:53:51,000 --> 00:53:54,600 Like jungle crows and Brahminy kites. 716 00:54:03,320 --> 00:54:06,320 Even those that make it to the sea aren't safe. 717 00:54:06,320 --> 00:54:08,760 Sharks and other threats await. 718 00:54:10,800 --> 00:54:12,840 Of all the turtles born here, 719 00:54:12,840 --> 00:54:15,400 only one in 1,000 will reach maturity. 720 00:54:17,840 --> 00:54:20,800 It's the reason that there are over a million young. 721 00:54:22,320 --> 00:54:24,920 But it's not just predators that are a hazard. 722 00:54:27,360 --> 00:54:31,000 This poor little turtle's really well caught up in this fishing net, 723 00:54:31,000 --> 00:54:32,960 and I'm trying to free him. 724 00:54:34,480 --> 00:54:37,560 But I've just got to be really gentle, he's so fragile 725 00:54:37,560 --> 00:54:40,920 that I'm desperately trying not to hurt him while I do this. 726 00:54:43,120 --> 00:54:44,840 This could take me a long time. 727 00:54:46,080 --> 00:54:49,120 Here we go, got his little fin free. 728 00:54:49,120 --> 00:54:51,200 Yay! 729 00:54:52,720 --> 00:54:56,640 The local fishermen stop work during the arribada and the hatching. 730 00:54:59,120 --> 00:55:01,880 And it's not just the fishermen who are helping. 731 00:55:03,840 --> 00:55:08,000 Chetan Rao has spent the last year trying to understand this phenomenon. 732 00:55:10,360 --> 00:55:13,080 There's a few folk on the beach with buckets, can you tell me 733 00:55:13,080 --> 00:55:15,120 what they're doing, what their purpose is? 734 00:55:15,120 --> 00:55:17,960 A lot of these hatchlings start probably and instead of moving 735 00:55:17,960 --> 00:55:20,520 towards the sea, they end up going towards the other side. 736 00:55:20,520 --> 00:55:23,000 - Away from the beach. - Away from the beach, yes. - Right, OK. 737 00:55:23,000 --> 00:55:27,080 So a lot of these locals have volunteered themselves to come here 738 00:55:27,080 --> 00:55:30,280 and sort of pick up hatchlings which are disoriented and 739 00:55:30,280 --> 00:55:32,000 release them close to the water 740 00:55:32,000 --> 00:55:33,920 so that they can all can go back safely. 741 00:55:33,920 --> 00:55:36,200 So these guys are volunteers from the local village? 742 00:55:36,200 --> 00:55:38,600 Yes, they're all local villagers who are here. 743 00:55:38,600 --> 00:55:41,400 They'll pick up any hatchling that they find that's not 744 00:55:41,400 --> 00:55:44,840 going the right direction, and just lead it towards the sea. 745 00:55:51,280 --> 00:55:53,680 - So these baby turtles we see today... - Yeah. 746 00:55:53,680 --> 00:55:56,640 How long will it be before they return here and how do 747 00:55:56,640 --> 00:55:59,720 they know that this is their beach? How do they know to come here? 748 00:55:59,720 --> 00:56:03,640 They return after a span of 15 to 16 years, 749 00:56:03,640 --> 00:56:05,680 when they're sexually mature. 750 00:56:05,680 --> 00:56:09,160 But how they come back is probably part of 751 00:56:09,160 --> 00:56:10,640 an inbred homing instinct. 752 00:56:10,640 --> 00:56:13,120 You know, like, they know where they were born. 753 00:56:13,120 --> 00:56:14,360 That's incredible to think, 754 00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:17,920 cos hopefully these turtles will go, they'll swim for hundreds, 755 00:56:17,920 --> 00:56:21,600 thousands of miles round the ocean. And you're saying in 15 years plus, 756 00:56:21,600 --> 00:56:24,440 they'll come back to this beach and lay their eggs. 757 00:56:24,440 --> 00:56:26,680 - Exactly. - That's incredible, you know. 758 00:56:26,680 --> 00:56:29,240 It is, it is. It's one of nature's great mysteries. 759 00:56:29,240 --> 00:56:30,680 - Great mysteries. - Yeah. 760 00:56:34,040 --> 00:56:38,760 As the baby turtles enter the water, the sun rises on a new day. 761 00:56:41,600 --> 00:56:45,320 The people here are doing everything they can to make sure this 762 00:56:45,320 --> 00:56:49,040 beach continues to be somewhere that babies can hatch in safety. 763 00:57:04,400 --> 00:57:09,400 India has shown us sights found nowhere else in the world. 764 00:57:09,400 --> 00:57:13,320 We've witnessed spectacles on a scale we would never have imagined. 765 00:57:14,960 --> 00:57:17,760 And everywhere we visited, we've met people. 766 00:57:18,880 --> 00:57:20,640 People who don't just want to help, 767 00:57:20,640 --> 00:57:24,480 but who know the true value of the world around them. 768 00:57:24,480 --> 00:57:29,400 Because in India, people and nature go hand in hand. 769 00:57:29,400 --> 00:57:31,240 It's a relationship that dates back 770 00:57:31,240 --> 00:57:33,560 to the beginning of this civilisation. 771 00:57:34,880 --> 00:57:39,240 A relationship forged in the religions and cultures of India. 772 00:57:39,240 --> 00:57:43,520 A gift from the past that can help to ensure that what makes India 773 00:57:43,520 --> 00:57:46,720 so special today will still be here tomorrow. 774 00:57:50,840 --> 00:57:54,040 Maybe that's the true wonder of India. 775 00:57:54,040 --> 00:57:57,800 In a country of over a billion people, there is still a place here 776 00:57:57,800 --> 00:58:01,280 for some of the most extraordinary wildlife on Earth.