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In the heart of Southeast Asia
is an ancient kingdom...
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..with over 3,000 kilometres
of coastline.
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But beyond its golden shores...
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..there are secret worlds.
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Home to mysterious creatures...
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..and forest giants.
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This is a fast-changing country...
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..where East and West collide.
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People and animals must work
together to survive.
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Forming unique relationships.
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A spiritual land...
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..full of magic and wonder.
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This is Thailand.
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Thailand's north
is a wild and rugged land.
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Cloaked in forest,
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hiding ancient communities
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and unexpected partnerships.
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Here, in the jungles of Phu Kao,
live some unusual primates.
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Phayre's leaf monkeys.
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They live up to their name,
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eating the leaves of around
100 different types of plant.
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But this low-calorie diet
means they've got to eat a lot.
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So, they need to keep moving.
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In all the hurry, youngsters risk
getting lost among the greenery.
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But babies are born bright orange,
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making them easier
for parents to spot.
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When he's a few months old,
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this baby will turn grey,
like his parents.
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But, for now,
he remains highly visible.
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Sisters and aunts share
in the childcare.
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It helps them practise
their parenting skills.
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But this new mother seems
reluctant to release her infant.
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Being this protective
doesn't allow her much time to rest.
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She's yet to learn the benefits
of sharing.
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On the move again.
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It's hard work travelling in the
tree tops with a baby in your arms.
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Feeding is more difficult, too.
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This mother is tired and hungry.
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And with others keen
to care for her baby...
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..she accepts their help.
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Now, she can concentrate on
the important task
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of eating more leaves,
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knowing her baby is in safe hands.
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In this remote region of Thailand,
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strong partnerships have long formed
an essential part of life.
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Northern Thailand
is a diverse landscape.
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Almost two-thirds of it
is dominated by forested mountains.
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This green veil hides some
of the world's rarest creatures.
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Like the leopard...
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the Malayan tapir...
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..and the binturong.
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Isolation has also protected
ancient communities,
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where people and nature
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forge surprising alliances.
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Thailand's northern mountains began
to form 50 million years ago,
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when Indian and Eurasian
plates collided
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and the highest peak was born.
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Doi Inthanon is known as
"The Roof of Thailand".
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It stands over 2,500 metres high.
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Temperatures here
drop to near freezing,
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bathing the morning forest
in cool, moist air.
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Beneath this sea of mist
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lies an enchanting world
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of wild woods
and white-water streams.
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As water flows through this forest,
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it absorbs carbon dioxide
from the soil and air,
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making it more acidic.
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It eats away at the limestone rock
of the mountains,
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creating worlds within worlds.
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Over millions of years,
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streams and rivers
have carved a maze of caverns.
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So far, more than 4,000
have been discovered.
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Tham Lod Cave is 50 metres tall.
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Thousands of Cook's swifts nest
in its cathedral-like vaults.
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But they can't nest in peace.
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A predator prowls these walls.
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This cave racer snake
is two metres long,
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helping it bridge gaps
to scale this cavern.
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To escape the snake,
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the swifts build their nests
in the most inaccessible places.
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At night, they keep dead still,
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hoping the danger passes.
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When dawn breaks over the mountains,
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the swifts can once more
take to the safety of the air.
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As they leave the cave,
their droppings rain down.
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Insect remains in the guano may be
appealing to the carp,
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but others also take advantage
of this fertile sprinkling.
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Anpa visits the cave most days.
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The spirits of the cave
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can see me collecting the guano.
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I hope to please the spirits
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by cleaning the cave
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I make merit
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In Buddhism,
heavenly favour can be earned
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by small acts of respect
or kindness
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known as "making merit".
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Anpa's ritual of collecting this
guano also has earthly benefits.
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It's time to plant the garlic
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I use the quano as ferrtiliser
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This will make the garlic plants
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good and healthy
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and more resistant
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to insect and disease
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This natural alliance reaffirms
Anpa's spiritual beliefs,
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as well as providing
valuable nitrogen
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and phosphorus for the soil.
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Traditional small-scale farming
in the mountains
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requires a close
connection with nature.
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So, too, does modern-day practice.
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In north-eastern Thailand,
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where there was once forest,
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there is now farmland.
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And people here still maintain
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an important relationship
with wildlife.
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Mr Tanon is on a personal mission.
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By bending and breaking the spines
of banana palm leaves,
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he creates new homes for a rare
and secretive mammal.
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Among these dry, dead leaves,
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lives the painted bat.
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Painted bats have adopted
this unusual roosting site...
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..because there's a short supply
of natural forest in this region.
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I think they are beautiful
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I try to conserve them for the children
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for future generations
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These bats were a rare sight.
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But 16 years ago, a breeding
population was rediscovered here.
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It's easy to see why they are known
locally as the "butterfly bat".
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For Mr Tanon, the reward for this
partnership
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is simply to see the natural
beauty of these bats on the wing.
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Sometimes all it takes
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is one person to make a difference.
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In northern Thailand,
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the lives of animals and people
are deeply entwined
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and the natural world
is an integral part of religion.
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Under the full moon, there's
one event that happens each year,
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symbolising the letting go
of past problems
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and welcoming new hope
for the future.
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In Buddhist culture,
sky-borne lanterns
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represent a move away
from darkness into the light.
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The festivals of
Yi Peng and Loy Krathong
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bring families
and friends together.
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Celebrating the elements of nature,
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they honour Phra Mae Khongkha -
the water goddess.
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"Loy", in Thai, means "to float"
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and small baskets, or "krathongs",
fill the village river.
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These elaborate rituals
help communities to live in harmony
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and show respect
for the natural world.
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The connection between people
and nature is a complex one.
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And there's one creature with which
the people of northern Thailand
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have had an enduring relationship.
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But it has not always
been a happy one.
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The Asian elephant.
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These giants can weigh up
to five tonnes.
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So, you don't want to cross paths
with one in thick jungle.
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This is an elephant this woman
knows well.
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She was rescued by Lek
from a life of toil and hardship.
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The felling of the forests for
hardwood timber
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was once common in northern
Thailand,
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and elephants
were used as tractors.
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When logging was made illegal
in 1989,
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many elephants were forced to earn
their keep in the tourist industry.
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I saw a bull elephant in the jungle
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when I was a teenager
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He was wounded from hauling logs
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but still forced to keep working.
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The look in his eyes
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changed my life forever.
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Now, Lek is working
to change the lives
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of Thailand's domesticated
elephants.
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She's rescuing them
from illegal logging sites,
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circuses and tracking camps,
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and giving them a new life.
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Caboo suffered an injury in a
logging camp
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when she was two years old.
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But she had to carry on working
for another 23 years -
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until Lek came to her rescue.
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The elephants roam here without
chains, meeting others,
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and forging new bonds.
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Lek's sanctuary also enables
visitors to meet these giants.
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In the wild, Asian elephants live in
family groups of related females.
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But these individuals have welcomed
Lek to be part of the herd.
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When I stay with the herd
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I am not afraid
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I feel part of the herd
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they accept me
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I feel that they are my family
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Elephants are highly intelligent
and emotional animals.
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And after years
of psychological trauma,
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these individuals are now putting
their trust in Lek.
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In Thailand,
there isn't always the space
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to release large numbers of
them back into the wild.
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So, these elephants are likely to
spend the rest of their days
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in this sanctuary.
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With Lek's love and dedication,
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they'll get the care they need,
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and now have a second chance
at life.
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In Thailand's northern mountains,
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there are a few places where great
tracts of forest still remain.
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Especially on the border
with Myanmar.
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It's the largest area of protected
land in mainland Southeast Asia.
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At its heart, the wilderness
of Huai Kha Khaeng,
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is home to some of Thailand's
rarest and most elusive creatures...
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..such as banteng.
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They normally
live deep within the forest,
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but, during the dry season,
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come out into the clearings to feed
on the last remaining grasses.
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These wild cows are believed
to be the ancestors
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of all cattle in Southeast Asia.
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Each herd is comprised of a male,
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several females,
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and their playful calves.
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Huai Kha Khaeng
is one of the few places
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where numbers seem to be growing.
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Sambar deer also like to graze here
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and are useful sentinels,
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alert to the sounds of the forest.
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They need to be.
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Large predators live here, too.
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Armed rangers are here to protect
the rarest of them all.
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The Indochinese tiger.
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It is estimated there are only 200
of these tigers left in Thailand.
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And they face extinction
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due to habitat loss and poaching.
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The rangers pass on any information
they find to scientists...
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..who are also working hard
to prevent the tigers' decline.
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It's a great collaboration
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between the Department
of National Parks,
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Wildlife And Plant Conservation,
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and the Wildlife
Conservation Society.
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But it's tough work for everyone.
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Tigers are almost impossible
to find.
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The best way for Som Pot
and the tiger research team
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to work out how many live here
is by using camera traps.
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They've revealed that here
in Huai Kha Khaeng -
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just four hours' drive
from Bangkok -
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there's a significant
tiger population.
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Many Thai people are unaware
these secretive cats
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still exist in their country.
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To know where
to put the camera traps,
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the team need to understand
the tigers' territory.
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To do that, they follow
a number of key individuals
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using satellite collars.
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Today, Som Pot's tracking
one particular tiger.
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Its satellite collar shows it keeps
returning to the same place.
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It's a good chance to
get vital camera-trap footage.
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The tiger has made a kill...
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..a male sambar deer.
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They must work quickly,
with minimal disturbance.
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Later that night, the tiger returns.
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Camera-trap footage has been vital
for documenting the tigers here.
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Tiger stripe patterns
are like fingerprints -
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unique to each individual.
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The database shows around 70 tigers
roamed these forests.
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Numbers have almost doubled
in a decade
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and that's because of people like
Som Pot and his team.
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00:32:41,840 --> 00:32:46,320
Restoring natural harmony in the
forests of northern Thailand
257
00:32:46,320 --> 00:32:49,080
is also vital for preserving the
spiritual lives
258
00:32:49,080 --> 00:32:50,800
of the people that live here.
259
00:32:56,920 --> 00:33:00,480
These men are from the
Black Lahu hill tribe.
260
00:33:01,960 --> 00:33:06,280
Their ancestors lived in the
Himalayan foothills
261
00:33:06,280 --> 00:33:10,600
for over 2,000 years, settling here
within the last century.
262
00:33:13,200 --> 00:33:15,800
They believe spirits dwell
in this forest.
263
00:33:22,200 --> 00:33:25,800
For Papa,
cooperating with them is vital.
264
00:33:26,532 --> 00:33:29,159
My wife Nalor
265
00:33:30,561 --> 00:33:33,843
she has been very unwell
266
00:33:38,160 --> 00:33:43,240
The Black Lahu have a unique
relationship with nature,
267
00:33:43,240 --> 00:33:47,040
with an animist faith
that predates Buddhism.
268
00:33:51,560 --> 00:33:55,760
This tree will become a bridge
to the spirit world.
269
00:34:01,760 --> 00:34:03,680
An offering is made.
270
00:34:07,160 --> 00:34:11,320
Papa believes this cord will pull
his wife's lost soul
271
00:34:11,320 --> 00:34:15,080
along the tree trunk
back from the forest.
272
00:34:22,600 --> 00:34:25,600
By tying the cord around her wrist,
273
00:34:25,600 --> 00:34:29,920
the spirit doctor reconnects Nalor
with her soul.
274
00:34:30,960 --> 00:34:34,080
A Lahu will never cut a spirit cord,
275
00:34:34,080 --> 00:34:37,120
wearing it until it falls off.
276
00:34:39,840 --> 00:34:44,600
This sacred connection with the
forest is cause for celebration.
277
00:34:54,840 --> 00:35:00,280
By dancing, the Lahu show their joy
to their creator spirit, Gui Sha.
278
00:35:04,640 --> 00:35:07,400
The Lahus' spiritual relationship
with the forest
279
00:35:07,400 --> 00:35:11,080
protects their loved ones
and strengthens the community.
280
00:35:54,440 --> 00:35:57,120
These remote mountain worlds
281
00:35:57,120 --> 00:36:00,240
not only hide ancient traditions,
282
00:36:00,240 --> 00:36:03,520
they also hide age-old showdowns.
283
00:36:06,880 --> 00:36:09,600
Up here lurks one of
northern Thailand's
284
00:36:09,600 --> 00:36:11,560
more surprising creatures.
285
00:36:13,680 --> 00:36:15,200
The big-headed turtle.
286
00:36:17,560 --> 00:36:22,120
As his name suggests,
he has an enormous head,
287
00:36:22,120 --> 00:36:24,320
with super-sized jaws.
288
00:36:32,320 --> 00:36:36,360
Food can be hard to come by
in this fast-moving water,
289
00:36:36,360 --> 00:36:40,760
but as he only needs to eat every
few days, there's no real urgency.
290
00:36:42,240 --> 00:36:44,160
And he knows where he's going.
291
00:36:49,160 --> 00:36:54,320
Long claws and a muscular
tail propel him upstream.
292
00:37:02,240 --> 00:37:05,120
He's a little on the slow side,
293
00:37:05,120 --> 00:37:06,760
but it helps him save energy.
294
00:37:12,640 --> 00:37:15,640
He's got to where he wants to be.
295
00:37:15,640 --> 00:37:17,400
It's now a waiting game.
296
00:37:29,320 --> 00:37:33,760
Other ancient creatures are
drawn from the forest to the water.
297
00:37:45,200 --> 00:37:47,320
Freshwater crabs.
298
00:37:49,480 --> 00:37:53,000
It's likely their ancestors
ended up here,
299
00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:55,600
300km from the coast,
300
00:37:55,600 --> 00:37:59,600
when the mountains formed
millions of years ago.
301
00:38:30,760 --> 00:38:35,880
To a crab, the big-headed turtle
looks much like a rock...
302
00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:40,880
..and that's just what he wants.
303
00:38:53,760 --> 00:38:57,280
Now those jaws make sense.
304
00:38:57,280 --> 00:38:59,440
The ideal crab cracker.
305
00:39:14,800 --> 00:39:17,520
Over millennia,
remote forest streams
306
00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:20,960
have brought these unlikely
animals together.
307
00:39:24,840 --> 00:39:29,280
Thailand's mountainous north
is an ancient land...
308
00:39:32,280 --> 00:39:35,800
..but there are places where people
have had a big influence
309
00:39:35,800 --> 00:39:37,440
in recent years.
310
00:39:39,080 --> 00:39:43,760
Like here, in the hills of
Mae Hong Son.
311
00:39:43,760 --> 00:39:48,680
Commercial logging cleared parts
of this land,
312
00:39:48,680 --> 00:39:52,400
creating new opportunities
for other kinds of plant.
313
00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:06,360
Sunflowers now carpet
these mountains.
314
00:40:12,200 --> 00:40:15,880
They were first brought to Thailand
from Central America
315
00:40:15,880 --> 00:40:18,560
as garden plants
about 70 years ago.
316
00:40:19,520 --> 00:40:22,280
But no-one quite knows
how they got to the slopes.
317
00:40:24,000 --> 00:40:28,080
Up here, they spread like wildfire.
318
00:40:38,240 --> 00:40:41,600
Many tourists
come to admire the spectacle.
319
00:40:49,280 --> 00:40:52,880
The people of the North
have embraced this interloper...
320
00:40:59,320 --> 00:41:01,680
..adopting it as
a provincial mascot.
321
00:41:12,840 --> 00:41:18,840
The Mexican sunflower is now part of
the fabric of northern Thailand.
322
00:41:30,920 --> 00:41:34,000
Where farmland is replacing forest,
323
00:41:34,000 --> 00:41:37,080
wildlife finds new ways to flourish.
324
00:41:47,640 --> 00:41:52,680
Weaver ants have colonised
much of this man-made landscape.
325
00:41:57,440 --> 00:42:02,080
Hundreds of them work as a team
to build their home out of leaves,
326
00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:04,240
protecting them against
the elements.
327
00:42:20,640 --> 00:42:23,240
To lash the leaves together,
328
00:42:23,240 --> 00:42:25,880
gangs of workers pull as one.
329
00:42:29,520 --> 00:42:33,920
Bridges are built, helping ants
move quickly around the site.
330
00:42:49,480 --> 00:42:52,120
To hold their construction together,
331
00:42:52,120 --> 00:42:55,400
they rely on the youngest members
of the colony -
332
00:42:55,400 --> 00:42:57,280
grubs.
333
00:43:07,400 --> 00:43:10,560
When they're in their final stages
of development,
334
00:43:10,560 --> 00:43:12,240
they produce strands of silk...
335
00:43:15,160 --> 00:43:18,240
..and make the perfect glue gun.
336
00:43:35,480 --> 00:43:39,360
In just a few hours,
their new home is complete.
337
00:43:42,280 --> 00:43:45,280
Their nest happens
to be on a mango farm.
338
00:43:47,680 --> 00:43:49,800
But it's no ordinary orchard.
339
00:44:00,160 --> 00:44:04,360
Mr Bunchu has recruited this army
of miniature warriors
340
00:44:04,360 --> 00:44:05,920
to defend his fruit.
341
00:44:07,640 --> 00:44:09,680
They'll eat any pests.
342
00:44:12,160 --> 00:44:16,440
And by tying these strings between
mango trees,
343
00:44:16,440 --> 00:44:20,320
Mr Bunchu helps the ants
get to new foraging grounds,
344
00:44:20,320 --> 00:44:22,320
expanding their empire
345
00:44:22,320 --> 00:44:24,760
and protecting his orchard.
346
00:44:44,560 --> 00:44:49,280
Healthy ant colonies
mean fewer pesticides
347
00:44:49,280 --> 00:44:52,480
and the weaver ants
give the farmer something else.
348
00:44:55,000 --> 00:44:58,840
Mr Bunchu
likes to harvest their eggs.
349
00:45:26,520 --> 00:45:30,000
He takes only a little
from each nest,
350
00:45:30,000 --> 00:45:33,560
separating the ants
so they can return to the colony.
351
00:45:35,760 --> 00:45:38,880
These eggs are a Thai delicacy...
352
00:45:38,880 --> 00:45:41,320
and a favourite dish of the North.
353
00:45:51,240 --> 00:45:53,520
By working with wildlife,
354
00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:55,760
farmers in northern Thailand
355
00:45:55,760 --> 00:46:00,480
are able to benefit from nature's
bounty, and help it flourish.
356
00:46:16,560 --> 00:46:18,680
But the greatest rewards of all
357
00:46:18,680 --> 00:46:22,760
are found in the shadows of these
northern mountains.
358
00:46:22,760 --> 00:46:29,160
The soil here is watered by rivers
that flow down through this land,
359
00:46:29,160 --> 00:46:30,880
irrigating the rice fields.
360
00:46:38,920 --> 00:46:42,600
Thailand exports more than
9 million tonnes of rice a year.
361
00:46:51,760 --> 00:46:55,640
Every rice plant is vital
for Mr Thipuin's crop...
362
00:46:57,720 --> 00:46:59,480
..but there's constant threat.
363
00:47:01,280 --> 00:47:05,360
White-backed plant hoppers
invade the paddy fields.
364
00:47:10,840 --> 00:47:14,440
They suck the sap and stunt
the growth of the rice plants,
365
00:47:14,440 --> 00:47:16,000
reducing the yield.
366
00:47:18,960 --> 00:47:21,640
But living beneath these mountains,
367
00:47:21,640 --> 00:47:25,200
the farmers have their
own natural pest control.
368
00:47:31,080 --> 00:47:34,520
Every evening, it stirs.
369
00:47:55,000 --> 00:47:59,880
300,000 wrinkle-lipped bats emerge
370
00:47:59,880 --> 00:48:02,520
to hunt for insects on the wing.
371
00:48:25,800 --> 00:48:31,160
This living ribbon of bats
is a welcome sight for the farmers.
372
00:48:32,352 --> 00:48:36,005
The bats are good for the rice
373
00:48:37,945 --> 00:48:40,713
They help us by eating the insects
374
00:48:41,637 --> 00:48:45,137
They also defecate onto the paddy fields
375
00:48:45,137 --> 00:48:48,125
which helps to fertilise them.
376
00:48:53,520 --> 00:48:57,360
It's estimated that, by eating
white-backed plant hoppers,
377
00:48:57,360 --> 00:48:59,880
these bats rescue enough rice
378
00:48:59,880 --> 00:49:03,720
to feed 26,000 people
in Thailand each year.
379
00:49:07,200 --> 00:49:10,280
And by planting his rice
in the flight path,
380
00:49:10,280 --> 00:49:14,040
Mr Thipuin will benefit from
these hungry little helpers.
381
00:49:18,400 --> 00:49:22,440
In these northern mountains,
success and survival
382
00:49:22,440 --> 00:49:24,640
rely on working together
383
00:49:24,640 --> 00:49:28,160
and exploiting opportunities
when they arise.
384
00:49:29,880 --> 00:49:33,000
Ancient beliefs, modern ideas,
385
00:49:33,000 --> 00:49:35,440
and unexpected alliances
386
00:49:35,440 --> 00:49:39,720
all help to maintain
the natural harmony.
387
00:49:45,809 --> 00:49:49,802
THAI DIARIES
388
00:49:52,200 --> 00:49:55,480
The toughest challenge
for the northern Thailand team
389
00:49:55,480 --> 00:49:57,960
was filming Indochinese tigers.
390
00:49:59,280 --> 00:50:03,720
There are only about 350 left
in the wild.
391
00:50:03,720 --> 00:50:07,200
The only place
they stood any chance of success
392
00:50:07,200 --> 00:50:09,960
was in the forest of
Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary.
393
00:50:13,840 --> 00:50:17,240
Producer James Hemming teamed up
with the scientists
394
00:50:17,240 --> 00:50:18,640
who've devoted their lives
395
00:50:18,640 --> 00:50:21,120
to understanding the habits
of these creatures...
396
00:50:22,480 --> 00:50:26,840
..sometimes using quite unusual
tracking techniques.
397
00:50:26,840 --> 00:50:28,040
Yeah.
398
00:50:28,040 --> 00:50:30,440
Yeah, that's really...
399
00:50:30,440 --> 00:50:31,800
It's quite potent!
400
00:50:31,800 --> 00:50:34,960
Scent marks define tiger territory.
401
00:50:34,960 --> 00:50:36,680
They're like signposts,
402
00:50:36,680 --> 00:50:40,040
providing vital clues
to their whereabouts.
403
00:50:44,280 --> 00:50:45,680
Two different tigers?
404
00:50:48,000 --> 00:50:52,920
Even so, finding them
is far from easy.
405
00:50:54,080 --> 00:50:57,360
The team have only got
three weeks in this forest,
406
00:50:57,360 --> 00:51:00,040
which is four times
the size of Greater London.
407
00:51:09,000 --> 00:51:12,240
James is going to need more
than a sniff to succeed.
408
00:51:14,120 --> 00:51:15,520
Wow!
409
00:51:15,520 --> 00:51:16,760
Yeah.
410
00:51:18,600 --> 00:51:20,600
Camera traps are his best chance
411
00:51:20,600 --> 00:51:23,920
of getting footage
of these elusive animals.
412
00:51:25,000 --> 00:51:26,560
The cameras need to be rigged
413
00:51:26,560 --> 00:51:30,400
at key locations in the forest where
they'll be triggered by motion.
414
00:51:33,040 --> 00:51:34,760
And to film a passing tiger,
415
00:51:34,760 --> 00:51:37,880
it's really important to
get the frame size right.
416
00:51:37,880 --> 00:51:39,280
Pretty good.
417
00:51:40,440 --> 00:51:41,920
Yeah. It's all good.
418
00:51:41,920 --> 00:51:43,640
Cool. OK.
419
00:51:46,960 --> 00:51:51,360
For the scientists, camera traps
have also proved essential.
420
00:51:51,360 --> 00:51:56,040
Not just for research, but in
helping police with anti-poaching.
421
00:51:56,040 --> 00:51:59,680
In 2015, camera-trap images
proved that a tiger
422
00:51:59,680 --> 00:52:04,320
which once roamed these forests,
had been illegally poached.
423
00:52:04,320 --> 00:52:07,120
It led to the prosecution
of three men.
424
00:52:12,000 --> 00:52:15,440
The crew aren't relying
just on camera traps.
425
00:52:15,440 --> 00:52:18,080
Wildlife cameraman Graham MacFarlane
426
00:52:18,080 --> 00:52:21,160
and guide Kwanchi,
are also in the field.
427
00:52:21,160 --> 00:52:25,360
A tiger could be ten metres from you
and you wouldn't see it.
428
00:52:33,560 --> 00:52:36,520
This place is covered
with animal prints.
429
00:52:36,520 --> 00:52:39,120
There's elephant, loads of deer.
430
00:52:39,120 --> 00:52:41,960
It's a really good sign,
all prey for the tiger.
431
00:52:41,960 --> 00:52:44,760
I've got a really good feeling
about this place.
432
00:52:47,760 --> 00:52:50,680
And there's a fresh tiger track,
just down there.
433
00:52:50,680 --> 00:52:54,200
(Great news. Well spotted, Kwanchi!)
434
00:52:54,200 --> 00:52:57,640
Graham is using
a more traditional method,
435
00:52:57,640 --> 00:53:00,840
waiting it out in a hide
near a spring.
436
00:53:00,840 --> 00:53:03,680
So, I've got my camera there,
my seat,
437
00:53:03,680 --> 00:53:06,400
my little window out on the world.
438
00:53:10,720 --> 00:53:13,520
As Graham settles in,
439
00:53:13,520 --> 00:53:16,840
the camera traps start
to bring in results.
440
00:53:32,000 --> 00:53:35,240
A leopard is caught on camera.
441
00:53:35,240 --> 00:53:37,800
But no sign of tigers.
442
00:53:39,880 --> 00:53:44,200
A few days later, scientist Som Pot
may have found the breakthrough
443
00:53:44,200 --> 00:53:48,960
that James needs - the rotting
remains of a tiger kill.
444
00:53:50,560 --> 00:53:53,680
"Come to Thailand!" they said.
"Full of beaches(!)"
445
00:53:56,600 --> 00:53:59,320
The tiger could return at any time,
446
00:53:59,320 --> 00:54:01,880
so the team need to work swiftly.
447
00:54:01,880 --> 00:54:05,680
I really hope this works.
It could be the best chance we have
448
00:54:05,680 --> 00:54:08,000
of actually filming a tiger here.
449
00:54:08,000 --> 00:54:10,600
Now all they can do is wait.
450
00:54:16,280 --> 00:54:19,120
Patience is also key for Graham.
451
00:54:21,040 --> 00:54:23,200
Another day in the office.
452
00:54:23,200 --> 00:54:26,000
Still no tiger. I'm not going to
give up yet.
453
00:54:33,920 --> 00:54:36,600
As it's the height
of the dry season,
454
00:54:36,600 --> 00:54:39,760
the spring is proving to
be a busy place.
455
00:54:48,240 --> 00:54:50,360
A Malay tapir.
456
00:54:50,360 --> 00:54:52,600
Such an unusual-looking animal.
457
00:54:55,920 --> 00:54:59,280
But this binturong
has Graham baffled.
458
00:54:59,280 --> 00:55:02,440
I shall have to look that one up
in the mammals book.
459
00:55:02,440 --> 00:55:04,240
That's is pretty cool, though.
460
00:55:06,440 --> 00:55:10,080
And there are signs
that predators may be close.
461
00:55:10,080 --> 00:55:13,840
I just saw one of those barking
deers with a massive scar.
462
00:55:13,840 --> 00:55:16,840
I can only imagine
it was a...lucky escape.
463
00:55:16,840 --> 00:55:18,880
Possibly from a tiger.
464
00:55:21,760 --> 00:55:23,600
It makes me nervous.
465
00:55:25,800 --> 00:55:28,320
Graham is right to be nervous.
466
00:55:28,320 --> 00:55:31,720
A ranger was recently attacked
here by a tiger.
467
00:55:33,200 --> 00:55:38,120
But, right now, there's a far bigger
threat that no-one had anticipated.
468
00:55:42,360 --> 00:55:44,160
A forest fire.
469
00:55:44,160 --> 00:55:45,400
Out of control.
470
00:55:46,680 --> 00:55:50,080
James and the team are forced
back to base.
471
00:55:58,160 --> 00:56:01,160
It's weird, because
it was quite sunny earlier...
472
00:56:02,320 --> 00:56:05,480
..and now with the wind's picked up,
and it's so smoky.
473
00:56:07,360 --> 00:56:10,120
The langurs all left
at the same time.
474
00:56:10,120 --> 00:56:12,120
They went that way.
475
00:56:12,120 --> 00:56:13,160
So, I guess...
476
00:56:15,560 --> 00:56:18,400
..if the fire does come this way,
I'll head that way, too.
477
00:56:22,240 --> 00:56:24,800
Graham's time in the hide is over.
478
00:56:28,880 --> 00:56:30,640
Back at the headquarters,
479
00:56:30,640 --> 00:56:34,440
the fires are now dangerously close
to James and the team.
480
00:56:36,520 --> 00:56:41,480
It's suddenly become, within, like,
ten minutes, incredibly smoky.
481
00:56:41,480 --> 00:56:43,200
We're actually having to evacuate.
482
00:56:46,480 --> 00:56:49,680
Pretty worried, to be honest.
It's just so unpredictable.
483
00:56:58,120 --> 00:57:00,320
Holy Moley...
484
00:57:07,760 --> 00:57:10,760
The team managed to get out safely,
485
00:57:10,760 --> 00:57:14,280
and despite the fires,
the camera traps were saved.
486
00:57:18,160 --> 00:57:19,400
Wow...
487
00:57:23,280 --> 00:57:26,200
Look... I mean,
look at the size of him.
488
00:57:26,200 --> 00:57:28,040
Fantastic. Wow...
489
00:57:31,160 --> 00:57:34,280
It's lucky that we got this?
Yes! Really?
490
00:57:36,720 --> 00:57:39,080
Healthy. Really healthy.
491
00:57:39,080 --> 00:57:41,960
Good body condition.
Which is great.
492
00:57:41,960 --> 00:57:45,840
This must mean there's plenty
of animals to, you know, hunt.
493
00:57:55,320 --> 00:57:57,760
I'm over the moon
that we actually managed to,
494
00:57:57,760 --> 00:57:59,440
you know, get the footage.
495
00:57:59,440 --> 00:58:03,240
Thank you very much. It was great.
You're welcome.
496
00:58:04,320 --> 00:58:07,360
Over the course
of the last 20 years,
497
00:58:07,360 --> 00:58:09,840
tiger numbers have increased here.
498
00:58:09,840 --> 00:58:14,920
And there is new hope for
Thailand's biggest land predator.