All language subtitles for gne.gro.puorGVM.CAA.562x.VTDH.p0801.2fo1.dnalrednoW.serutaN.aidnI.CBB

India.

A vibrant, bustling world.

Home to over a billion people.

But if you know where to look,
the most spectacular wildlife...

..ancient cultures...

..and extreme landscapes
can be found.

I'm Liz Bonnin.

I'm here to explore
India's spectacular

wildlife in one of the most
bio-diverse places on Earth.

I've spent years studying wildlife,

but every time I return to India,
I discover something new.

I completely underestimated

how extraordinary and eye-opening
this was going to be.

Actor Frieda Pinto was born here.

She wants to share the remarkable
bond between India's people

and the natural world.

You always see that there is a
connection between man and animal.

Wow!

And from the highest peaks on Earth,

mountaineer Jon Gupta explores
India's most extreme landscapes.

My passion is mountains.

And there is nowhere
in the world like the Himalayas.

We're travelling the length
and breadth of this subcontinent

to reveal the hidden wonders
of India's natural world.

- These are...
- The wonders of India.

India is a place that's captivated
me ever since my first visit.

And I suppose it's made
all the more special

because I have a family connection.

My great-grandparents
came from India.

And every time I return, I know
I'm going to discover something new

that will stay with me
for the rest of my life.

'I want to start this journey with
one of India's biggest surprises.

'It comes in the form of one of this
country's most iconic animals.

'The big cats.'

India may be known as the land
of the tiger, but up until 1970,

another big cat was the national
animal of this country - the lion.

'India is home to the world's
last Asiatic lions.

'A rare subspecies that once ranged
from here to the Mediterranean.

'I've tracked tigers across India,
but I've never seen an Asiatic lion.

'This is the only place
I have the chance to do so.'

This is the home of India's
last remaining Asiatic lions -

the Gir Forest.

'A national park that's
580 square miles of broadleaf scrub

'in the northwest of the country.

'At one time, there were said to
be as few as 12 lions left.

'Park director Dr Sandeep Kumar
and his team have worked

'tirelessly to ensure the number
is now over 500 and rising.

'After two hours on the road,
I get my first sight.

'Two young males soaking up
the early-morning sun.'

Look at that! Look at that!

They are just beautiful.

So immediately, you can
see two of the main features that

differentiate the Asiatic
to the African lion.

The belly fold, and the mane
is much shorter, isn't it?

And it doesn't surround
the face in the same way? Yeah.

'The belly fold is one of the best
ways to identify Asiatic lions.

'It serves no purpose, but is a
trait that was retained

'in those lions that travelled here
from Africa.

'At three to four years old,
these males are not quite adult yet.

'They've only recently
left their mother.

'And they must now display their own
strength and independence.'

What are they doing?

Basically, they are telling how,

"If there is anybody want to
challenge me, please come."

Yeah. They are beginning
to assert themselves.

Yeah. Establishment.

Basically, they will not compete
with each other.

Both of them will try to fight
with the other lion.

'African lions can form
coalitions like this, too.

'Working together to
protect their territory

'and the prides they can associate
with for several years.

'But these two will never
live with a pride.

'For Asiatic males, it's all about
protecting territory.

'But what about the females?

'If we can find them,
we might even see cubs.

'In Africa, they would be in prides
up to 30 strong.

'They have to be to take down
large prey, like wildebeest.

'But here,
we're looking for a smaller group,

'since their prey
is usually smaller.'

Now, you can see there are cubs
and lioness. Where?

Just in front of this tree here.

Wow! How old are the cubs?

They are just four months old.

'This is typical of lions in India.

'A couple of females
with a few cubs.'

The cub in the middle is passed out.
He is not budging.

These two are the males.
OK. The two awake ones.

And the sleeping one is a female.

OK. Basically, male cubs will
keep on behaving like a smart guy.

Moving head and... They're more
active, curious. Yeah, yeah.

They're more foolish, probably.

I now understand what you mean
about Asiatic females.

'These lionesses are incredibly
muscular and powerful.'

And so, it's all about how
they have to hunt their prey.

'In this dense-forested habitat,

'the females don't need to
chase their prey any great distance.

'They're built to take them
down quickly.

'Not that these lions show
any interest in anything more

'than keeping out of the sun.

'But in an instant,
everything changes.

'And these remarkable hunters
become opportunist ambush predators.

'A large Indian antelope
called a nilgai has unwittingly

'strayed a little too close.

'The females are on the alert.

'The lions are using the terrain
to their advantage.

'Creeping into a dry riverbed,
hoping to ambush the nilgai.

'This time, the nilgai escapes.

'This has been a fascinating trip.

'I wasn't sure I'd even see
Asiatic lions,

'let alone get close to them,
or witness them in action.'

They are absolutely perfect.

Such a privilege to get so close
to these extremely-rare animals.

'With Sandeep and his team dedicated
to helping them, these lions,

'once the symbol of India,
will continue to have a home here.

'Freida Pinto is almost 2,000 miles
away, heading to meet another

'animal you wouldn't necessarily
expect to find in India.

'And the people dedicated
to protecting it.'

In the far-east of India, the state
of Assam holds another surprise.

'I'm not here to see India's
cheeky monkeys,

'but another member
of the primate family.

'One of our closer relatives
and India's only ape,

'the hoolock gibbon.'

I did not know apes
actually existed in India.

'But more people need to hear about
these endangered animals

'because they have
an enchanting skill.

'Every morning, they sing.

'Their sanctuary is only
eight square miles.

'For just over 100 gibbons, it's
a tiny semi-evergreen forest island

'surrounded by the modern world -
tea plantations and towns.

'I've come to meet Deben Borah,
a warden here.

'He has dedicated his life

'to protecting this one small
gibbon population.'

Deben has been here since 1985.

And he's been working in the forest
right since that time.

So no wonder he's our man,
he's our expert.

'I'm travelling with wildlife
cameraman, Sandesh Kadur.

'He and Deben have collaborated
to film these gibbons for years.

'Sandesh's camera is the best way
for me to get a close look

'at these gibbons,
as they live high in the canopy.'

You're going to see a great view
right here.

Aw!

'Gibbons are the only apes
that sing.

'Every morning,

'this forest comes alive
with a complex range of calls.

'Deben knows every one.'

Ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho-ho!

Woockoo-woockoo-woockoo-woockoo!

'Hoolock gibbons are monogamous.

'This is a family
with a three-year-old.

'The babies are born pure white.

'They turn brown and darken to black
if they are males, like this one.

'Females stay golden brown,
like his mother.'

And the gibbons also recognise him.

He's part of the family!

'Before the gibbons sing,
they have breakfast.

'Feeding off the fruits
at the top of the trees.

'When this family notice us,
they swing over.

'They may regard Deben
as one of the family...

'..but they'd still like us
to give them space.'

It did poop on you!

Don't be grossed out,
this is gibbon poo. And guess what?

It's all vegetarian.
It's only fruit.

'Hoolocks spent their lives up
to 100-feet high in the canopy.

'They have specially-adapted joints
for gripping and swinging.

'They are the fastest
non-flying animals in the forest.

'They can move through the trees
at 35mph.

'So when they set off to find
other fruit trees,

'it's a struggle just to keep up.'

We're following the gibbons now.

They're taking us
for a little bit of a walk.

They're really making us
work very hard for their singing.

'Across the northeast,
forests have made way for homes,

'industry and roads.

'The number of gibbons
has fallen to 2,600.

'But Deben's forest has been
protected for over 100 years.

'In 1997, it became the only
sanctuary named after gibbons.

'It's the mother who's
easiest to spot.'

There she is.

'It just needs one family
to start singing

'and the others will all join in.

'Deben and I decide to try
and get them going.'

'Our gibbons choose to ignore us.

'Just a few minutes later, something
quite extraordinary happens.'

'The forest starts to fill

'with the sound of other
gibbon families singing.'

'Locals call this
the Singing Forest.

'It's thanks to Deben
and his colleagues

'that India continues to hear
the songs of her only ape.'

A thousand miles to the northwest,
it's like being in another world.

I'm in the middle
of a collision of continents.

This is where the Indian subcontinent
crashed into Asia

40 million years ago,
pushing the seabed up.

It's the world's biggest
crumple zone.

The Himalayas.

'I'm 4,000 metres up in the air,
and these are just the foothills.

'When I climbed Everest, I was
almost 9,000 metres above the sea.'

This range is the roof of the world

and its winds and waters touch every
part of the Indian subcontinent.

It is the youngest and the highest
mountain range in the entire world.

'I've climbed the Himalayas
many times in Nepal.

'But I've never visited
the Indian side.

'There's a reason
I needed to come here.'

My grandfather was born in Shimla,
a town further along the Himalayas.

For me to finally be here,
seeing what he would've seen

growing up as a child,
is really special to me.

'So for my first visit to India,
I want to see how these mountains

'have a dramatic effect
on its natural wonders

'and shape life across
the whole subcontinent.

'The word Himalaya means,
"the abode of snow".

'It's a good name.

'These mountains bestow
a precious gift upon India.

'Water.

'This is the source of fresh water

'for a fifth of the entire
population of the world.

'15,000 glaciers feed five
of the largest rivers in Asia.

'For millions of Indians,
one stands above all others.'

Over there is Chakumba,
which means, "Four Pillars".

It lies at the head
of the Gangotri Glacier,

which feeds the River Ganges.

'If the mountains are
the driving force of India,

'the Ganges is its engine.

'The River Ganges originates in
the highest mountain range on Earth

'and ends in the world's largest
river delta, at the Bay of Bengal.

'Almost half-a-billion people
depend on its life-giving waters

'and countless species of animals
would perish without it.

'No wonder Hindus worship the river.

'Millions flock to holy places
all along her banks.

'Varanasi is considered
the most sacred.

'This holy river has its humble
origins in the countless tiny streams

'formed by the melting snow and ice
of the Himalayas.

'But as the streams grow, the power
of the water begins to exert itself.

'This is truly a force of nature.'

I'm just sat here
and I'm getting buffeted by the wind

and absolutely drenched.

'The waters cut paths through
the Himalayan rock,

'shaping this landscape.

'But these waters do not yet
carry the name Ganges.

'Each time one river joins another,
it's marked as a holy place.

'These sacred confluences
are called Prayags.

'The most important of all is here.'

This place is called Devprayag,
and it means, "God's confluence".

These two rivers either side of me

come together just here to start
the beginning of the River Ganges.

'It is a lifelong ambition of every
Hindu to bathe in the Ganges.'

The water here is holy.

People come from all around
the country to swim here,

to purify their soul
and get rid of their sins.

'So I think I should give it a go,
too.'

Whoo! It's pretty chilly, but
it's actually incredibly refreshing.

And it feels wonderful.

'This is how Indians
prepare for a journey - by washing.

'For Hindus, the Ganges connects
India's past and present.

'It's a place where they can pay
homage to their ancestors.

'Many people scatter
the ashes of relatives in the river.

'Others make offerings of petals
as a mark of gratitude.'

But the Himalayas aren't
India's only mountains.

I'm travelling far to the south
to India's other great range.

The Western Ghats.

These lower, forested hills stretch
from Mumbai, all the way south.

They peak at just under 2,700 metres
above sea level,

but they're one of the most
bio-diverse places on Earth.

India is well-known for its tea.

Assam and Darjeeling
are household names.

It produces over a million tonnes
of it a year.

A quarter of all Indian tea
grows here.

Thousands work in the plantations
that carpet these slopes.

But this part of the Western Ghats
is called the Anaimalai.

It means, "Elephant Hills".

For centuries, the forests here

have provided a safe home
to India's largest land animal.

'I've come to discover what happens
when one of India's iconic animals

'has to share this land with
the demands of the tea industry.'

There's elephant droppings
all over this road.

'Asian elephants are easily
distinguished by their smaller ears,

'dented foreheads and the fact
that only the males have tusks.

'The Western Ghats are home to

'the largest population of elephants
in India. Around 10,000.

'But as trees have made way for tea,
so the forest has become fragmented.

'The elephants still need to get
from one patch of forest

'to the next to find food.

'Which gives rise to one
of India's unique sites.

'Something I've wanted to see from
the moment I first heard about it.

'Elephants in the tea.'

I think I see one.
Where-where-where-where-where?

Look there, to the left.
The swap is here. Swamp? Yes.

You see that there?

No. Yes! Elephant! Ha-ha-ha-ha!

There she is.

'My guide is Ganesh Raghunathan.

'He's been working with
the elephants here for three years.

'We need to approach
this elephant carefully.

'She seems calm, but if we startle
her, it could be very dangerous.'

(We've been upwind of her,

(but the wind is just changing
direction,

(so we've got to be really
careful that once

(she figures out we're here,
that she doesn't get stressed.)

(Ah, she's a beauty!) (Yeah.)

So, the elephants don't destroy
the tea plantations, do they?

They don't feed on the tea?
No, they don't feed on the tea.

They walk along these paths.

In fact, you look at these
paths that are here,

it's something the elephants
have walked on for a long time.

Elephants have fixed travel routes
to source food and water,

using tracks established long
before the tea plantations appeared.

This is a landscape that these
elephants have been moving

through for hundreds of years
and they haven't changed their

habits, they've, sort of, adapted
to how the landscape has changed?

The elephants do this every day
and wherever they appear,

people keep a watchful eye.

Their migration routes are so
firmly established in a herd,

passed on from the elder
individuals to the youngest.

It's not something that's
going to change.

Ganesh is part of a team tracking
the movement of the elephants

that live in several
herds around the tea.

The more they understand
their behaviour,

the more they can keep
elephants and people apart.

Is she the matriarch?

Yes, she's the matriarch.
How hold is she?

Definitely over 40 years of age.

How old is he, then?

He's about seven to
ten years of age.

So, where are the rest
of the herd, right now?

They're about a kilometre
and a half in this direction.

Do they often separate?

They do that very often.
Why is that?

It's because...see, again, these
are all fragments of forest, right?

So this herd is about 23 in number -
the place wouldn't be able to

provide for all of them to
forage in one place. OK.

So, they break up, they
go in different directions

but they regroup very soon, as well.

Look, she's nudging him, she's
nudging him. "Get into that forest!"

But I want to know what happens
when elephants and people do meet.

Thousands work here.

If they know where the elephants
are, they can stay out of their way.

The problems are caused
by unexpected encounters.

A startled elephant can charge and
attack...they've even killed people.

This happened mostly after sundown,

so people would walk back home from
the bus stop, like a bus stop that

we have here and they didn't have
any clue where the elephants were.

It was mostly a surprise encounter.

Since 1994, we've had about 41
people who've lost their lives here.

But there's a determination
to make co-habitation work.

So, Ganesh and organisation called
The Nature Conservation Foundation

have devised an elephant
warning system.

It uses the mobile phone network to
send group texts instantly to

everyone that's signed
up to the service.

So, that's a facility where you
can send out one single text

message to a large number of people.

So, right now, I can send
out about 1,500 messages

to about 1,500 people in a
span of one second or so.

And just as vital is the up to the
minute information on elephant

sightings they can
send him every day.

So, how long has this
system been up and running

and have you noticed a
difference in the fatalities?

There used to be an average of
about three people who used to

lose their lives to
elephants every year.

Now, I think that's
dropped to about 1.5,

which is half of it.

When you started, did you anticipate
it would be such a success? No, no.

Really? No, we didn't anticipate
anything since we started.

Ganesh and the project he's working
on are proof of how modern

India is learning to live in
harmony with its natural world.

Elephants are complex
and intelligent animals.

Despite their size, they can be
incredibly delicate and gentle.

This is their home and thanks to the
passion of the people here,

these hills can continue to carry
the name of Elephant Hills.

Not all elephant stories
involve conflict.

I've come to Kaziranga, 160 square
miles of protected wilderness.

The largest national park in Assam,

for a once in a lifetime
opportunity.

One of the most wonderful things
about Indian wildlife is that

you never know when you're going to
be surprised with something new.

I just found out that a baby was
born, just a month ago,

and I am going to see it right now.

Elephants have been working animals
in India for 4,000 years,

hauling lumber and
carrying heavy goods.

In Kaziranga, they're used to
help people to see the park.

They're almost part of the family.

One of Kaziranga's working mothers
is willing to share her

family with me.

I'm accompanied once more by
wildlife cameraman Sandesh Kadur.

His knowledge will help me

understand how best to approach
the mother and her infant.

Just let her come to you,
let her come to you.

Baby's name is
Rapogi...beautiful one.

She's coming, the mother's coming.

She knows you have bananas, so
now you can probably feed her.

Just give her one? Yeah, give
her one at a time, go ahead.

OK. There you go, Mummy.

Just keep giving her one.

Look, look...and she lifts her legs,
so she doesn't trample the baby.

Let's see if we can get
the baby close to you.

Come around me, on my right.

On your right? Yeah.

The gestation period for a baby
elephant is 18 to 22 months.

The calf will actually be fully
developed by the 19th month but it

needs to stay in the womb,

so it can grow tall enough to
reach its mother to feed.

They are dependent on their mother's
milk for three to four years.

They're walking. They're
ready to go to the water now.

Elephants are not
just part of work...

..they're also part of worship.

All over India, you see evidence
of how important they are.

For Hindus, the god Ganesha
has the head of an elephant.

He's a symbol of strength
and the remover of obstacles.

You see his likeness everywhere.

There is even one in my Jeep.

It's a constant reminder of
just how important animals

and the natural world are
to the culture of India.

To me, elephants are the best
example of the ancient

relationship with animals.

This is why getting to meet this
mother's precious newborn is

so exciting!

I know you want to come!

That's what you want to do?

Break time. Time out.

Is the baby peeing? Yup.

Time out, she needs a little pee.

A little pee!

Hi.

I can only get this close because
the mother has decided to

trust me and Rapogi is so young
her trunk can't hurt me.

If only she'd take my hand.

Wow!

This is clearly one of the most
beautiful mother, baby experiences

I've ever had, this up close.

To have the baby just trust you

and to come and wrap its little
trunk around you, you know

that it's going to accept you as
its play mate for a little while.

In Kaziranga, the working elephants
live almost like wild elephants.

When they're not working
they're free to roam.

It provides a wonderful example
of the quality that bonds

people to the wildlife here...

respect.

Respect is something you have to show
when entering India's mountains too.

Many of the wonders that India
offers vary with the seasons.

Spring, in the Himalayas,

is a time when shepherds bring their
flocks to high altitude pastures.

As the sun warms the hillsides and
temperatures rise to 30 degrees,

a unique valley bursts into life.

It lies hidden amongst
India's tallest peaks.

Over there is India's second highest
mountain, Nanda Devi, it is

believed to be the home to
Shiva's wife, Parvati.

The name Nanda Devi means
Goddess of Bliss.

The peaks that surround the mountain
are said to protect her.

They also conceal a hidden wonder,
few have been able to witness.

Roads towards it can be washed away

and it takes days of
trekking to reach it.

In winter, it's snowbound...

..but in spring, when
the snows retreat,

this valley is unique.

Rolling meadows of alpine blooms.

This is the Valley of Flowers.

From June to September, around 500
species of wild flower bloom here,

33 square miles of them.

Orchids, poppies, primulas,
marigold, daisies and anemones.

A cacophony of colour
carpeting slopes

that are 3,600 metres
above sea level.

Many of the plants are
endemic to these mountains.

As with so much of India's
natural world,

there's a Hindu legend associated
with the creation of this valley.

Herbs, found here, saved the
life of the god Rama's brother.

To celebrate, the gods showered
flowers from heaven...

..giving the valley its
unique appearance.

This place of Hindu legend is
now a World Heritage Site.

But this hidden treasure
was not easily

revealed to the world outside India.

Expeditions tried to reach it
but the valley remained hidden

until 1931, when three British
mountaineers stumbled across it,

returning from an expedition.

They wrote, "Others will visit
it, analyse it and probe it...

"But whatever their opinions, to me,
it will remain a valley of flowers."

"A valley of peace and
perfect beauty, where the

"human spirit may find repose."

From unexpected Alpine blooms to
the animal everyone associates

with India.

One that has always carried with
it a deep cultural significance.

The tiger is the guardian
of the forest.

He created the rains, regenerates
life, brings fertility.

No other animal has quite
so much attributed to it.

And perhaps that's because,
unlike much of her wildlife,

tigers can be found across
almost the whole of India.

India has 48 tiger reserves but the

tiger is an endangered animal.

There are just over 2,000
Bengal Tigers left in the wild.

There is no greater sight
than seeing one hunt.

It's no secret that I'm somewhat
obsessed with tigers

and there is nothing like seeing one
in the wild but when it comes to

emulating the spirit of the tiger,
South India is the place to be.

Southern India is home to
a spectacular celebration,

the Puli Kali, the Tiger Dance.

As someone who is so passionate
about tigers,

I simple have to see it!

No-one's quite sure how this local
tradition started but some say

it began over 200 years ago,

when a maharaja wanted a dance to
celebrate the spirit of the wild.

And there's no animal that embodies
that better for Indians than

the tiger.

So, how many painters in total
get the honour of making these

wonderful works of art.

25, 30 people. Just 30?

A-ha, and how long have you been
doing it, how many years?

I have ten years. Ten
years...and is it difficult?

When you started, was it like, oooh!

I was shaking, body shaking.
The wobbly belly!

And do you develop your own style to
be distinct from the other artists?

So, this is different to the other
mouth because the belly's bigger?

So you make the mouth bigger. I see.

I knew the belly was important!

The bigger the belly,
the better the tiger.

I even get the chance
to have a go myself.

So beautifully done.

I don't want to let the side down.

I get to paint a tiger
on someone's belly!

We're performing in the ground
of a temple, so it's

important that we receive a blessing
before going ahead with the dance.

Limbered up, painted
up, looking the part.

I think we're ready for the dance.

I've seen tigers hunt,
I've seen them prowl

but I've never seen
them quite like this.

The dance is a seasonal event,
performed once a year

at the harvest festival of Onam,
around the beginning of September.

The biggest can have
up to 900 dancers

and they can dance for hours on end.

I fell under the spell of a tiger
on my first visit to India.

The female I set eyes on then
had such an impact on me that

when I returned home I took up
my studies in wild animal biology.

Tigers have been part
of my life ever since.

They're clearly a part of the
lives of these dancers too.

That was incredible!

It's just so lovely to see so much
dedication, so much passion,

so much energy in a dance like this.

And when you think the tiger is
on the brink of extinction, it's so

heart-warming to see people who
are so dedicated to revering,

celebrating and protecting
the tiger here.

Brilliant!

This is a celebration with
animals at its heart

and finally there may be real
cause for celebration,

some studies are reporting that
tiger numbers seem to be recovering.

Back in the northeast
of the country,

I've come to a land that's famous
for its climate throughout India.

A place I've known about since I
was a seven-year-old schoolgirl,

Meghalaya.

When I was in school,

in India, I learnt about this little
town in the northeast of India,

in the state of Meghalaya, called
Cherrapunji and the interesting fact

of this place was that it rained
almost every day of the year.

My geography textbook would proudly
tell me that Cherrapunji

holds the world record for most
rain in a calendar month...

..over 30 feet.

Cherrapunji can get more rain in a
month than Britain gets in a year.

Of course, it doesn't rain every day

but this a land carved out by water,
full of chasms and raging torrents.

You'd think that no-one could live
here but Indians have always

worked with nature, using what is
available to overcome obstacles.

So, this is home to a wonder that
dates back hundreds of years,

yet is still in daily use...

..living bridges made
from the roots of trees.

By the way, this is one single tree.

Not just this, this and
this, one single tree.

It's hard to believe, right?

The trees are fig trees,
chosen because of the way

they produce a series of secondary
roots from higher up the trunk.

These act as added
supports for the trunk.

The roots grow quickly, taking
hold in thin soil and around rocks.

They are ideal trees
for these bridges.

There are quite simply
more roots to use.

I don't think I've seen
anything like this before.

This is probably one of the most
spectacular things nature has

ever shown to me.

I don't think I have stood
on a bridge that is made

out of the roots of a tree
that is 400 years old.

In Meghalaya, you have these
root bridges almost everywhere

and it was actually grown
by man in order to overcome

the challenge of crossing the raging
rivers, the raging torrents,

to get from one place to the
other, for trade, for example.

Unlike the bridges I know of, it
is a very, very strong bridge

and it's only going to
get stronger in time.

As the tree grows, the roots that
form the bridge get thicker

and stronger.

New roots are used to
maintain the bridge.

This skill may be ancient but
the local villagers still use it

to maintain old bridges
and even grow new ones.

It's a skill they proudly pass
on to the younger generation,

like Vaskam Walang who grew
up in the local village

and was taught by the elders.

Vaskam, my friend, I
hear you're an expert

at training the roots of these
living bridges. How long have

you been doing this for?

I've been doing it no less
than five, six years.

I learnt from the villagers
and first of all,

the villagers have to plant the tree
first and when the roots come

out they train the roots to
come outside of the river.

You say, they plant
the tree first? Yes.

They don't just pick a tree that
already would already have the

roots that they could train? No.

That's a lot of dedication.

OK, so they plant the tree,
the roots start growing,

then what's the next phase?

What do they do next?

They direct it by putting
this beetle nut trunk...

This is a beetle nut trunk?
Yes, this is a beetle nut trunk.

And because it's hollow, it's
useful to pass the roots...Wow,

that's interesting.

So, these are beetle nut
trees right here, right? Yes.

By using beetle nut trunks to train
the roots in the right direction,

the structure of the bridge
is brought to life.

It takes skill but most
of all it takes patience.

And how long does it
take to become this.

Maybe around ten, 15
years to become.

Wow, maybe then I should try
one, right? Yeah, you can do it.

So, let's take the thin one,
like this one's good? OK.

Keep it inside. Keep it inside.
All the way through, right?

Yeah, all the way through.

That's safe and secure now? Yeah.

OK, ten years, I'll be
back in ten years.

These bridges have been a
vital part of what's known

locally as the beetle nut trade.

It's ground into a powder
called paan and chewed.

A delicacy of the Northeast that
reached the rest of India,

thanks to these bridges.

But there is something puzzling
me about this particular bridge.

I wondered why they
needed two bridges.

It took 400 years to train and grow
the first one, so why spend another

200, 300 years to build the second
one or simply because in the

monsoon season, which
is June to October,

the lower part of the bridge is

actually fully submerged,
it's under water.

And if you think about the force of
the water during the monsoons, the

bridge still survives, the bridge
still stands strong and just gets

stronger in time.

But of course, the people of these
villages needed the second

bridge to continue their
day today activities.

Another important fact to know
is that none of this has been

written down, it's just been
passed on by word of mouth,

through family traditions.

For all that you know, this could
possibly be even 1,000 years old.

You don't know, you just
know that it's very old.

This has been extraordinary, to
see how inventive people are...

..how they work with nature
to create solutions

has been incredible.

From the far reaches of the north
to the very south of India...

..for the last of
our natural wonders.

An iconic bird of the rainforest
with an extraordinary

breeding behaviour.

The best time to see
it is in the spring.

The crack of dawn and we've come
to a coffee plantation to try

and spot one of the
most iconic, bizarre

and spectacular birds
of the rainforest

and just as we were walking up
this track we spotted the male,

that's now in that
tree just ahead of me.

The bird I'm here to see is
the Great Pied Hornbill.

Hornbills make a special nest.

To protect their eggs, they
choose a hollow inner tree.

The female is sealed up, using dung.

She'll stay there for four months.

Twice a day, the male will bring
food for her and their young.

Hornbills mate for life.

Their nests can be hard to find,

unless you've been studying them
for 15 years, like Divya Mudappa.

They're such big birds!

I knew they were big but when you
see them with your own eyes.

Look at that!

Their colourings are
impossibly perfect

for something natural.

The shadings of yellow and then
the black and white feathers

are just so beautiful.

He's on the move, he's going
to go across to the nest.

Does he have food in his bill?

In his gullet. In his gullet.

So, he regurgitates it for the
female? That's right, yeah.

I don't even need the
binoculars, he's so big!

Once he flies over, there
he is, there he is!

He's regurgitating.

So, how can you tell what
he's regurgitating?

Just by watching it and looking
at the shape of the fruit.

These are magnificent creatures.

Their wingspan can fully
extend to five feet.

Each nest will normally
contain one or two young.

They're not born with
the distinctive

casques on their bills, theses take
about five years to fully develop.

The bright yellow colour
looks artificial

but it comes from a preen gland
secretion, which the male spreads

onto his primary feathers, giving
them their distinctive colour.

The male brings all sorts
of fruits to the nest

but he'll also seek out small
insects and other flying creatures.

This one even has a bat in its beak.

I can see the bill of the female.

They close up the entrance...
That's right.

..to protect from predators,
that's something else, isn't it?

She doesn't get to stretch her
wings for, like, months.

In fact, she might moult
when she's sitting in there

and get a new set of feathers.

That's dedication for you!

This really unusual growth on top of
the bill, it's hollow and it's very

lightweight, it's made of hollow
cells, supported by two walls.

And it acts as an amplification
chamber, so that

when they call, in the forest,
the sound travels even further.

And just before mating season,
sometimes you'll see males

butting or clashing their casques
together in mid-air, so that they

can win the female.

It makes, for their
name, the hornbill

and there's no question, it's
quite a bizarre structure.

These magnificent
birds are often called

"the gardeners of the rainforest",

because they play such a vital
role in the eco-system

as seed dispersers.

They feed on so many of the
fruit trees around the forest

and as they fly, they
drop all of the seeds,

all across the landscape.

I can't get enough of his head!

The unusual casque, the shape
of the beak, the shadings,

they're such stunning creatures!

He's off.

The sound of the wings through
the forest at dawn, I mean,

there's nothing more
glorious, is there?

No, my hair stands on end
every time I hear it.

I got complete shivers as
he soared across the sky!

This is a land that
seems to have it all.

From the unexpected
lions of the Gir Forest

and the people's intimate connection
with the animals that live here...

Wow!

..to the magnificent Himalayas
that shape both the landscape

and its life.

These are the natural
wonders of India...

..and we've only just
scratched the surface.

Next time...

That's extraordinary!

It makes you emotional, right?

It's just, literally, popped out of a
hole and it's just lovely to watch.

Beautiful female behind me.

This is unbelievable!

See you later!

The Wonders of India.

OK, one, two, three...

The wonders of India!