Original subtitles

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ANNOUNCER: WHEN YOU SEE THIS SYMBOL YOU KNOW YOU'RE

WATCHING TELEVISION THAT'S EDUCATIONAL AND INFORMATIONAL.THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

DYLAN: I'M DYLAN DREYER.

TODAY WE'RE ON AN EPIC ADVENTURE TO THE MAGICAL

WORLD OF THAILAND.

WE'LL EXPLORE SOME OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL LANDSCAPES

ON PLANET EARTH AND MEET THE PROUD MEN AND WOMEN

WHO LIVE ON THE SHORES OF PARADISE.

WE'LL TEAM UP WITH CONSERVATIONISTS FIGHTING

TO PROTECT THAILAND'S AMAZING WILDLIFE;

FROM PLAYFUL BABY ELEPHANTS TO TINY BATS

THAT PACK A BIG BITE.

WE'LL SEARCH UNDERWATER CAVES,

WANDER ANCIENT FORESTS AND DISCOVER A WAY OF LIFE

LIKE YOU'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

THE JOURNEY STARTS RIGHT NOW.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: OUR JOURNEY THROUGH THAILAND BEGINS IN

THE ENCHANTED KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK.

IT'S BELIEVED THAT THIS PARK MAY BE HOME TO AS

MUCH AS 5 PERCENT OF ALL SPECIES ON EARTH.

IT'S FAMOUS FOR TOWERING LIMESTONE ROCK FORMATIONS

THAT RISE OUT OF THE SEA.

IT'S A WORLD BRIMMING WITH BEAUTY AND ADVENTURE AND

MUCH MORE FRAGILE THAN IT MAY APPEAR.

HIDDEN BEHIND THESE MAGNIFICENT ROCK

FORMATIONS AWAITS A WORLD BRIMMING WITH ADVENTURE;

THE OLDEST AND MOST SPECIES-RICH FORESTS ON

OUR PLANET.

WELCOME TO THAILAND.

[MUSIC, SOUNDS OF ANIMALS]

DYLAN: THESE CONSERVATIONISTS HAVE A

LONG JOURNEY AHEAD OF THEM.

KRIANGSAK SRIBUROD, NICKNAMED JO,

AND HIS TEAM ARE ON THEIR WAY TO THE HEADWATERS OF

THE KHLONG SAN RIVER.

JO IS A BIOLOGIST AND HE'S RESPONSIBLE FOR SOUTHERN

THAILAND'S WILDLIFE.

JO: I'M A LITTLE CONCERNED,

THE LARGE RESERVOIR IN THE MIDDLE OF THE PARK DIVIDES

THE FOREST.

THE BIG MAMMALS CAN NO LONGER WANDER BACK AND

FORTH.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: ON THE WAY TO THEIR DESTINATION THEY

STOP IN A SMALL BAY WHERE AN ELEPHANT NAMED BANANA

LEAF LIVES.

BANANA LEAF IS 6 YEARS OLD AND PREFERS TO EAT,

SURPRISE SURPRISE, BANANAS.

JO: IT WAS 5 YEARS AGO WHEN A BIG HERD OF

ELEPHANTS HEARD A GUNSHOT AND PANICKED.

THIS LITTLE ONE COULDN'T KEEP UP THE PACE.

MY MEN FOUND HIM ALL BY HIMSELF.

DYLAN: JO AND THE TEAM RAISED THIS LITTLE

ELEPHANT AFTER HIS FAMILY WAS KILLED BY POACHERS.

WHEN HE NO LONGER NEEDED TO BE BOTTLE-FED THEY

RELEASED HIM INTO THE FOREST.

NOW THEY HOPE ANOTHER ELEPHANT HERD WILL TAKE

HIM IN.

A LITTLE FURTHER OFF AN ELEPHANT HERD IS TAKING TO

THE WATER, BUT THESE ANIMALS ARE ON THE

OPPOSITE LAKE SHORE FAR FROM BANANA LEAF.

JO IS WORKING ON HOW HE CAN BRING BANANA LEAF AND

THIS HERD OF ELEPHANTS TOGETHER,

BUT FIRST HE NEEDS TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE

NATURAL PATTERNS OF THE ELEPHANTS LIVING INSIDE

THE PARK.

[MUSIC - SOUNDS OF THUNDER]

DYLAN: KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK IS LOCATED IN THE

SOUTH OF THAILAND.

AT ITS HEART IS A MIGHTY RESERVOIR.

AT ITS NORTHERN FRINGES ARE THE NEIGHBORING

SANCTUARIES.

RUGGED LIMESTONE ROCKS CHARACTERIZE THE NATIONAL

PARK'S LANDSCAPE.

THEY ENCLOSE THE RESERVOIR THAT WAS CREATED IN THE

MID-1980'S.

TOGETHER THE LAKE AND MOUNTAINS FORM A HARSH

BEAUTY UNPARALLELED IN SOUTHEAST ASIA.

[MUSIC - SOUND OF BOAT]

DYLAN: PREYWAN BUAREE IS ONE OF THE FEW PEOPLE WHO

IS ALLOWED TO LIVE INSIDE KHAO SOK NATIONAL PARK.

PREYWAN IS THE BEST DIVER AT THE LAKE.

WHEN HE GOES HUNTING UNDERWATER WITH HIS

SELF-MADE HARPOON HE CAN HOLD HIS BREATH LONGER

THAN ANYONE ELSE.

PREYWAN: DOWN BELOW I'M SOMETIMES AFRAID OF A DARK

GREEN FIGURE; IT'S ONLY A FIGMENT OF MY IMAGINATION

BUT THE FEAR IS REAL.

DYLAN: NOBODY VENTURES AS FAR INTO THE DEEP AS

PREYWAN; UP TO 100 FEET DOWN WITH A SINGLE BREATH.

PREYWAN HAS TO CATCH A LARGE NUMBER OF FISH EVERY

DAY, AROUND 44 POUNDS IN TOTAL.

SOMETIMES HE SPENDS THE WHOLE DAY IN THE WATER

FROM SUNRISE TO SUNSET TO MAKE HIS CATCH.

PREYWAN LIVES WITH HIS FAMILY IN A FLOATING

VILLAGE.

HE SHARES A SMALL RAFT HOUSE WITH HIS WIFE,

HIS TWO YOUNGER DAUGHTERS AND HIS GRANDCHILD.

SHORTLY AFTER PREYWAN'S ARRIVAL THE GIRLS BEGIN

GUTTING THE FISH.

THEY HELP OUT WHENEVER THEY CAN.

GIRL 1: I WANT TO JOIN THE POLICE FORCE.

GIRL 2: I WANT TO BE A SCIENTIST.

DYLAN: THE LIMESTONE MOUNTAIN RANGE IS COVERED

WITH RAINFORESTS.

NUMEROUS RIVERS BUSTLING WITH COUNTLESS TINY

CREATURES CUT THROUGH THE SOFT LIMESTONE.

BUT THESE CREATURES MUST BE ALERT,

ESPECIALLY WHEN SUBIN PINIT SNEAKS THROUGH THE

SHALLOW WATERS.

SUBIN: THEY FLEE QUICKLY, AND WHEN THEY SPOT OUR

LIGHTS AT NIGHT THEY'RE EVEN FASTER.

DYLAN: LIKE MOST VILLAGERS LIVING ON THE EDGE OF THE

NATIONAL PARK, SUBIN LOVES FROGS.

FOR HIM FROGS ARE A CHEAP MEAL.

SUBIN: I FEEL SORRY FOR THEM,

BUT THEY'RE FOOD.

DYLAN: FROGS WERE NOT PART OF THE DAILY DIET WHERE

SUBIN'S WIFE, A-LAI, GREW UP.

NEVERTHELESS, SHE KNOWS EXACTLY WHICH HERBS AND

SPICES ARE ESSENTIAL FOR A TASTY FROG DISH.

A-LAI: I DON'T LIKE FROG.

I DON'T WANT TO EAT THEM, I CAN COOK THEM.

DYLAN: THE FROG DISH REMINDS SUBIN OF HIS YOUTH

IN THE FOREST.

HE OFTEN LONGS FOR THE TRANQUILITY OF THE WOODS.

SUBIN: I MISS JUST BEING OUT IN NATURE.

I LIKE GOING INTO THE FOREST.

DYLAN: YOU MAY BE SURPRISED TO LEARN THAT

FROGS ARE CONSUMED BY PEOPLE AROUND THE WORLD

FROM THAILAND TO FRANCE TO THE UNITED STATES.

IN THE FRENCH-SPEAKING PARTS OF LOUISIANA NEAR

NEW ORLEANS FROG LEGS ARE ACTUALLY CONSIDERED A

CAJUN DELICACY AND ALMOST EVERYONE SAYS THEY TASTE

LIKE CHICKEN.

COMING UP NEXT, WE'LL EXPLORE THAILAND'S RICH

CULTURAL TRADITIONS AND WITNESS AN ANCIENT

CEREMONY WITH A FEW MODERN TWISTS.

AND LATER WE'LL CLIMB UP A TREACHEROUS MOUNTAIN PATH

INTO A DEEP CAVE TO FIND ONE OF THE MOST UNLIKELY

TREASURES ON EARTH.

THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY,

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

OUR ADVENTURE THROUGH THAILAND CONTINUES AS WE

CHECK BACK IN WITH WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONISTS

JO AND HIS TEAM.

JO IS HOPING TO BETTER UNDERSTAND THE MIGRATION

PATTERNS OF THE LARGE ANIMALS THAT LIVE IN KHAO

SOK NATIONAL PARK.

NEARLY ALL ANIMALS HERE ARE THREATENED BY CLIMATE

CHANGE, POLLUTION AND HUMAN POACHERS,

ESPECIALLY ELEPHANTS.

JO AND HIS TEAM ARE DOING WHAT THEY CAN TO FIGHT

BACK.

JO AND HIS MEN ARE LOOKING FOR SUITABLE PLACES TO SET

UP THEIR CAMERAS TO COLLECT VISUAL DATA ON

ELEPHANTS AND OTHER ANIMALS MIGRATING THROUGH

THE JUNGLE.

JO: LOOK, THERE'S A WILD BOAR.

IT'S FEEDING ON THE TREE'S FRUIT.

IT'S STILL PRETTY YOUNG, ITS TUSKS HAVEN'T GROWN

YET.

DYLAN: THE WILD BOAR IS NOT THE LEAST BIT SHY,

IT'S PROBABLY NEVER SEEN HUMANS BEFORE.

JO: LOOK AROUND FOR A GOOD SPOT TO SET UP THE CAMERA

TRAPS.

DYLAN: MANY ANIMALS PASS BY HERE;

IT APPEARS TO BE AN IDEAL SPOT FOR JO'S CAMERAS.

A MOTION SENSOR TRIGGERS THE CAMERAS DAY AND NIGHT.

JO: WE RECKON AT LEAST 40 ELEPHANTS LIVE HERE BUT

THERE COULD BE MORE.

OUR RESEARCH GOES TO FIND OUT IF THE NUMBER OF YOUNG

ANIMALS BORN EVERY YEAR IS INCREASING.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: JO CHECKS THE CAMERAS SEVERAL TIMES,

IT'S WORKING.

BEFORE MOVING ON THE MEN REMOVE ANY TRACES THAT

MIGHT DISTURB THE ANIMALS.

SOMETHING VERY SPECIAL IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN IN THE

PARK; THE SUMMONING OF THE FOREST'S SPIRIT.

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS FAMILY PLAN TO ATTEND THE

CEREMONY WHICH ONLY SELDOM TAKES PLACE.

MAN: IT'S VERY IMPORTANT, THE SPIRIT PROTECTS US.

WHEN I CLIMB INTO MY BOAT I PRAY TO THE FOREST

SPIRIT THAT EVERYTHING WILL GO WELL.

DYLAN: THE CEREMONY IS ALSO AN OPPORTUNITY TO ASK

THE SPIRIT FOR FAVORS.

THEY SAY THAT IF IT'S IN THE RIGHT MOOD THE SPIRIT

MAY EVEN FULFILL SOME WISHES.

WOMAN: I WANT TO WISH FOR MY GRANDCHILD TO GET WELL

AND THAT WE'LL CATCH ENOUGH FISH TO PAY OFF OUR

DEBTS.

DYLAN: IT'S A 2-HOUR JOURNEY TO THE SITE.

[ADVENTUROUS MUSIC]

DYLAN: THE VILLAGE PRIEST,

PRASAN, HAS ALREADY STARTED BUILDING A SHRINE

FOR THE FOREST'S SPIRIT.

MANY OF THE PEOPLE GATHERED HERE LOST THEIR

HOMES WHEN THE RIVER WAS DAMMED.

PRASAN: ALL THAT'S LEFT OF OUR VILLAGE IS A NAME.

BUT WE STILL RESPECT THE MOUNTAIN AND HONOR THE

FOREST SPIRIT.

DYLAN: WHILE THE MEN ARE BUSY BUILDING THE WOMEN

ARRANGE THE OFFERING CUPS AND FILL THEM WITH ARECA

NUTS.

THE FISHERMAN AND HIS FAMILY SET OUT IN

BRILLIANT SUNSHINE, NOW THEY'RE ARRIVING IN

POURING RAIN.

A FEW FINAL ADJUSTMENTS AND THE SHRINE IS READY

FOR THE CEREMONY.

THE MUSIC HELPS THE SPIRIT FIND ITS WAY TO THE

SHRINE.

[LOCAL MUSIC - ROOSTER CROWING]

DYLAN: AFTER A WHILE ONE OF THE MEN FALLS INTO A

TRANCE.

THE SPIRIT HAS TAKEN POSSESSION OF HIM.

THE TRADITIONAL DANCE SERVES TO KEEP THE SPIRIT

IN A GOOD MOOD.

FINALLY THE SPIRIT BLESSES THE FISHERMAN'S SMALL BOY.

SUCH AN OPPORTUNITY DOESN'T COME EVERY DAY.

WOMAN: I'M HAPPY MY GRANDCHILD RECEIVED A

BLESSING.

I BELIEVE EVERYTHING WILL NOW GET BETTER FOR US,

BECAUSE THE FOREST'S SPIRIT PROTECTS EVERYBODY

HERE.

DYLAN: AND JUST TO MAKE SURE EVERYTHING TURNS OUT

WELL THE CEREMONY ENDS WITH A BANG.

THE FOREST'S SPIRIT LOVES NOISE.

DON'T GO AWAY THERE'S SO MUCH MORE OF THAILAND TO

EXPLORE WHEN THE JOURNEY CONTINUES.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY,

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

THE IMPRESSIVE ROCK ISLANDS OF THAILAND'S KHAO

SOK NATIONAL PARK WERE IDEAL HIDEOUTS FOR PIRATES

WHO BURIED THEIR TREASURE DEEP WITHIN THE CAVES.

BUT THERE IS A DIFFERENT KIND OF TREASURE HIDDEN ON

THE ISLE OF NOK PAU AND YOU'LL PROBABLY NEVER

GUESS WHAT IT IS.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: THE FISHERMAN LOM IS IN CHARGE OF PROTECTING

HIS VILLAGE'S TREASURE.

HE HASN'T BEEN UP TO THE CAVE WHERE IT LIES FOR TWO

WEEKS.

THE ASCENT ONLY TAKES AN HOUR BUT EACH STEP IS MORE

CHALLENGING THAN THE PREVIOUS.

THE LIMESTONE IS SHARP AND CRAGGY,

AND AFTER THE RAIN THE THICK VINES ARE SLIPPERY

AND DIFFICULT TO GRIP.

LOM: IT'S EXTREMELY DANGEROUS.

SOMEONE ONCE FELL HERE AND WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED.

HE DIDN'T HAVE ENOUGH STRENGTH TO HOLD ON TO THE

VINES.

DYLAN: THE GROUP'S OLDEST MEMBER IS 76;

HE ALWAYS MAKES IT.

MAN: I WORK HARD, I DON'T JUST LIE AROUND.

DYLAN: THEY REACH THE ENTRANCE TO THE CAVE

SYSTEM.

THE VILLAGE'S TREASURE IS WELL HIDDEN.

IT HANGS FROM THE CAVE'S CEILING.

BELIEVE IT OR NOT THEIR TREASURE IS THE EDIBLE

SWIFTLET'S NEST.

IN CHINA THESE NESTS ARE A DELICIOUS DELICACY AND

FETCH OVER $1,000 DOLLARS PER POUND.

THE BIRDS CONSTRUCT THEIR NESTS WITH THEIR SALIVA.

FIRST A BAMBOO LADDER MUST BE FIRMLY FIXED.

ONLY THE YOUNGEST AND LIGHTEST CAN CLIMB THE

12-METER HIGH LADDER, OTHERWISE THE RUNGS COULD

GIVE WAY.

MAN: WE COULDN'T SCRATCH OFF MANY NESTS TODAY,

THERE ARE STILL BABY BIRDS IN MANY OF THEM.

WE'LL HAVE TO WAIT UNTIL THEY'VE LEFT AND THEN

WE'LL RETURN.

DYLAN: THE JOURNEY CONTINUES RIGHT AFTER

THIS.

ANNOUNCER: WE'LL BE RIGHT BACK TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

.

ANNOUNCER: WE NOW RETURN TO THE MORE YOU KNOW ON NBC.

♪ MUSIC ♪

DYLAN: WELCOME BACK TO JOURNEY,

I'M DYLAN DREYER.

WE'VE BEEN FOLLOWING WILDLIFE CONSERVATIONISTS,

JO AND HIS TEAM, WHO ARE TRYING TO PROTECT

ENDANGERED ANIMALS IN THAILAND'S KHAO SOK

NATIONAL PARK.

NOW THEIR JOURNEY TAKES THEM DEEP UNDERNEATH THE

JUNGLE FLOOR TO INVESTIGATE THE MOST

DIVERSE AND EXTRAORDINARY MAMMALS ON EARTH,

BATS.

JO AND HIS MEN ARE HEADING TO THE NAMTALOO CAVE

HIDDEN DEEP WITHIN THE FOREST.

THAT'S WHERE THEY SPOTTED AN UNFAMILIAR BAT A FEW

WEEKS AGO.

TODAY THEY'LL TRY TO CATCH A SPECIMEN.

A RIVER RUNS THROUGH THE CAVE.

IN SOME PLACES IT'S SHALLOW,

THEN SUDDENLY IT DROPS OFF.

JO'S MEN HAVE REACHED THE CAVE'S DOME WHERE MOST OF

THE BATS LIVE.

FIRST THEY COUNT THE ANIMALS.

EVEN WITHOUT LIGHT THE BATS CAN FIND THEIR WAY

USING ECHOLOCATION.

THEY PLAN TO CATCH THE BATS WITH A NET.

THEIR ONLY CHANCE OF LURING THE BATS INTO THE

TRAP IS IN COMPLETE DARKNESS.

THEY'RE IN LUCK.

JO: THEY HAVE CLAWS ON THEIR WINGS WHICH GET

ENTANGLED IN THE NET.

YOU HAVE TO BE EXTREMELY CAREFUL FREEING THEIR

TEETH FROM THE NET BECAUSE THAT'S WHEN THEY'RE MOST

LIKELY TO BITE YOU.

DYLAN: JO'S ASSISTANTS MEASURE THE ANIMALS WHILE

JOE IDENTIFIES THE SPECIES.

EVERY CATH IS PRECISELY DOCUMENTED DOWN TO THE

LAST BAT.

AT LAST THE CREATURES ARE RELEASED AND FLY BACK INTO

THE DEPTHS OF THE CAVE SYSTEM.

JO AND HIS MEN RETURN TO THE HEADWATERS OF KHON

SAI.

FOR THE PAST FEW MONTHS HE HAS BEEN EVALUATING THE

PHOTOS FROM HIS CAMERAS.

NOW HE'S EAGER TO SEE THE NEW SHOTS.

A SURPRISE AWAITS HIM.

JO: LOOK HERE, AN ELEPHANT.

OUR FINDINGS SO FAR INDICATE THAT THE NUMBER

OF ELEPHANTS LIVING HERE IS INCREASING.

ELEPHANTS ARE LIKE FRIENDS TO ME;

WHENEVER I SEE THEM I FEEL LIKE PART OF A FAMILY.

THESE ANIMALS LIVE IN COMMUNITIES;

THERE'S A FATHER AND A MOTHER,

A BROTHER AND A SISTER AND FRIENDS.

WHENEVER I SEE ELEPHANTS I FEEL CONNECTED TO THEM.

DYLAN: THANKS TO HARD WORK FROM CONSERVATIONISTS LIKE

JO AND HIS TEAM THE AMAZING WILDLIFE IN KHAO

SOK NATIONAL PARK HAS A FIGHTING CHANCE AT

SURVIVAL AND THE FRAGILE ANCIENT BEAUTY OF THAILAND

CAN THRIVE.

I HOPE YOU ENJOYED TODAY'S JOURNEY.

UNTIL WE MEET AGAIN, SAFE TRAVELS.

♪ CREDITS ♪