1 00:00:04,000 --> 00:00:06,240 The tiger. 2 00:00:06,240 --> 00:00:08,880 Feared, revered and hunted 3 00:00:08,880 --> 00:00:12,120 to the very brink of extinction. 4 00:00:14,720 --> 00:00:19,400 Within 20 years, wild tigers may be gone for ever, 5 00:00:19,400 --> 00:00:21,800 but there could be a last chance to save them. 6 00:00:23,840 --> 00:00:28,120 Now an international team of scientists... Wow. 7 00:00:28,120 --> 00:00:30,960 ..explorers and film-makers 8 00:00:30,960 --> 00:00:34,440 have come to the Himalayas to search for a hidden population. 9 00:00:34,440 --> 00:00:36,800 Our job is to find out if there are tigers here 10 00:00:36,800 --> 00:00:38,640 and if there are, how they're doing, 11 00:00:38,640 --> 00:00:42,080 because tiger conservation worldwide is in a critical condition. 12 00:00:42,080 --> 00:00:45,000 This mission will push the team to the limit. 13 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:49,720 They'll take on the world's most challenging mountains... 14 00:00:49,720 --> 00:00:52,560 My lungs are burning. 15 00:00:52,560 --> 00:00:54,920 My legs are burning. 16 00:00:55,920 --> 00:00:58,640 ..face the planet's most extreme weather... 17 00:01:00,480 --> 00:01:01,800 Jeez! 18 00:01:01,800 --> 00:01:04,440 ..and explore the mightiest rivers. 19 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:13,800 What they find here will be crucial. 20 00:01:15,720 --> 00:01:18,400 For the tiger, it's a matter of survival. 21 00:01:21,560 --> 00:01:23,960 For the team, 22 00:01:23,960 --> 00:01:26,480 it could be the discovery of a lifetime. 23 00:02:01,160 --> 00:02:04,720 The team has travelled to the Himalayas, 24 00:02:04,720 --> 00:02:08,240 to the remote mountain kingdom of Bhutan. 25 00:02:10,880 --> 00:02:14,080 It's been closed to outsiders for decades. 26 00:02:17,040 --> 00:02:19,480 Almost nothing is known about tigers here. 27 00:02:19,480 --> 00:02:23,040 The team must find out whether there's just a handful, 28 00:02:23,040 --> 00:02:24,640 or a thriving population. 29 00:02:33,440 --> 00:02:35,200 In charge of the expedition 30 00:02:35,200 --> 00:02:39,320 is one of the world's leading tiger experts, Dr Alan Rabinowitz. 31 00:02:39,320 --> 00:02:44,920 This expedition is one of the first, if not the first, outside attempt 32 00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:47,800 to figure out what is happening in here with the tiger, 33 00:02:47,800 --> 00:02:52,040 with other wildlife that the tiger needs to survive, 34 00:02:52,040 --> 00:02:55,400 and perhaps, just perhaps, 35 00:02:55,400 --> 00:02:59,640 this vast land, this lost land of the tiger 36 00:02:59,640 --> 00:03:02,840 could be the tiger's last hope. 37 00:03:08,480 --> 00:03:12,240 Joining Alan are biologist Dr George McGavin 38 00:03:12,240 --> 00:03:15,480 and explorer and naturalist Steve Backshall. 39 00:03:16,720 --> 00:03:19,640 It's just perfect, absolutely perfect tiger habitat. 40 00:03:19,640 --> 00:03:22,720 Probably could do with a little bit more open kind of areas 41 00:03:22,720 --> 00:03:24,640 to stand any chance of seeing them. 42 00:03:24,640 --> 00:03:28,200 They're fantastically difficult to actually get a sighting of. 43 00:03:28,200 --> 00:03:32,360 I love that feeling you get in a country for the first time, 44 00:03:32,360 --> 00:03:35,280 and you get that smell, you can smell it. 45 00:03:42,440 --> 00:03:46,600 This riverbank will be the expedition headquarters 46 00:03:46,600 --> 00:03:48,560 for the next three weeks. 47 00:03:58,440 --> 00:03:59,640 The rugged terrain 48 00:03:59,640 --> 00:04:02,840 will make wildlife exceptionally difficult to find. 49 00:04:02,840 --> 00:04:04,920 They've brought the latest technology 50 00:04:04,920 --> 00:04:06,640 for filming and surveillance. 51 00:04:08,120 --> 00:04:09,720 That's about half of it. 52 00:04:11,800 --> 00:04:15,480 Alan... Hello. ..in charge of the camp. 53 00:04:15,480 --> 00:04:18,200 Steve is optimistic. 54 00:04:18,200 --> 00:04:19,720 Tigers need three things. 55 00:04:19,720 --> 00:04:22,120 They need an abundant source of large prey, 56 00:04:22,120 --> 00:04:24,640 they need dense vegetation and they need water, 57 00:04:24,640 --> 00:04:26,600 and here you've got all three of them. 58 00:04:28,240 --> 00:04:30,720 It may look good, but tigers are now so rare, 59 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:33,720 there's no guarantee they'll find them. 60 00:04:33,720 --> 00:04:36,320 The team has its work cut out. 61 00:04:40,600 --> 00:04:44,240 Even expert tracker Steve Backshall has called in specialist help. 62 00:04:44,240 --> 00:04:49,360 For the first time, he'll be working with a highly trained sniffer dog 63 00:04:49,360 --> 00:04:51,400 all the way from the States. 64 00:04:51,400 --> 00:04:53,520 Hi, Bruiser! 65 00:04:53,520 --> 00:04:56,880 This guy here is our best chance of finding tigers. 66 00:04:56,880 --> 00:05:00,880 Justine Evans is a leading BBC Wildlife camerawoman. 67 00:05:00,880 --> 00:05:03,760 She has 20 years' experience and eyes like a hawk. 68 00:05:03,760 --> 00:05:07,240 If tigers are here, she'll spot them. 69 00:05:07,240 --> 00:05:09,240 We're going to throw some time at it. 70 00:05:09,240 --> 00:05:12,480 We've got all the cameras - day, night, thermal, everything. 71 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:14,480 We're just going to see what we can get. 72 00:05:14,480 --> 00:05:15,520 Oh! 73 00:05:16,680 --> 00:05:22,280 Look at that. Oxford University biologist Dr George McGavin 74 00:05:22,280 --> 00:05:25,680 is the only person not looking for tigers, 75 00:05:25,680 --> 00:05:27,960 but his job is just as vital. 76 00:05:27,960 --> 00:05:32,480 My role is to assess the health of the forest 77 00:05:32,480 --> 00:05:35,880 to see if it's a fit place for a tiger to be. 78 00:05:38,240 --> 00:05:41,320 Head of the expedition, Dr Alan Rabinowitz, 79 00:05:41,320 --> 00:05:44,280 has dedicated his life to saving the tiger. 80 00:05:46,640 --> 00:05:49,520 The tiger is the largest cat in the world. 81 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:52,280 It's one of the most magnificent species 82 00:05:52,280 --> 00:05:54,680 to ever walk the face of our earth. 83 00:05:54,680 --> 00:06:01,640 To even think that it could be lost from this earth in our lifetime 84 00:06:01,640 --> 00:06:04,680 or shortly after, to me, is just an unthinkable thought. 85 00:06:04,680 --> 00:06:06,920 It's just unthinkable. 86 00:06:08,720 --> 00:06:14,400 But over the last century, 98% of tigers have been lost. 87 00:06:14,400 --> 00:06:17,520 The last of them are trapped in isolated areas 88 00:06:17,520 --> 00:06:22,960 where they and their prey have become easy targets for poachers. 89 00:06:22,960 --> 00:06:28,920 Wild tigers need space. Without it, they rapidly die out. 90 00:06:28,920 --> 00:06:31,720 The best hope lies with the small populations 91 00:06:31,720 --> 00:06:35,080 clinging to existence along the edge of the Himalayas. 92 00:06:35,080 --> 00:06:38,640 The solution I have for saving tigers 93 00:06:38,640 --> 00:06:42,680 is to connect these isolated populations 94 00:06:42,680 --> 00:06:46,360 through corridors, through linkages in the landscape 95 00:06:46,360 --> 00:06:50,160 so that genetically, biologically, these animals could move 96 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:55,520 between isolated fragments, and thus the isolated fragments 97 00:06:55,520 --> 00:06:58,120 become part of a larger whole. 98 00:06:58,120 --> 00:07:01,000 Bhutan is the missing link. 99 00:07:01,000 --> 00:07:02,880 Alan's plan can only succeed 100 00:07:02,880 --> 00:07:06,440 if there's a flourishing population of tigers here, 101 00:07:06,440 --> 00:07:09,000 something not even he knows. 102 00:07:11,720 --> 00:07:16,880 Bhutan is the last country left in the world throughout tiger range 103 00:07:16,880 --> 00:07:20,440 that we have not had really good systematic studies of tigers done. 104 00:07:20,440 --> 00:07:25,640 We have no idea how many tigers are in the country, where they exist, 105 00:07:26,200 --> 00:07:28,200 and yet where Bhutan is situated 106 00:07:28,200 --> 00:07:32,520 is critically important if we're going to save tigers. 107 00:07:32,520 --> 00:07:35,160 What are the first things that we need to get doing? 108 00:07:35,160 --> 00:07:37,440 We have to go out and find tiger evidence. 109 00:07:37,440 --> 00:07:41,480 Their pugmarks, their tracks, their scrapes, their sprays, 110 00:07:41,480 --> 00:07:44,240 and by setting up camera traps. 111 00:07:44,240 --> 00:07:46,800 I can put the pieces of the puzzle together, 112 00:07:46,800 --> 00:07:48,880 but you have to give me those pieces. 113 00:07:54,080 --> 00:07:59,880 Steve will be on the case with big-cat scientist Claudia Wultsch 114 00:07:59,880 --> 00:08:01,800 and her dog, Bruiser. 115 00:08:01,800 --> 00:08:04,440 I'm quite looking forward to working with Bruiser. 116 00:08:04,440 --> 00:08:07,400 This is the first time I've looked for animals using a dog. 117 00:08:07,400 --> 00:08:09,440 It seems a strange way of doing things, 118 00:08:09,440 --> 00:08:12,720 but he does have a remarkable sense of smell and he'll be able to 119 00:08:12,720 --> 00:08:15,640 pick up things that we would never have a chance to find, 120 00:08:15,640 --> 00:08:19,400 and all the evidence he manages to bring in will be incredibly valuable 121 00:08:19,400 --> 00:08:21,600 for learning what's going on in this area. 122 00:08:25,840 --> 00:08:29,160 Camerawoman Justine Evans will try a different tack. 123 00:08:29,160 --> 00:08:36,000 She's going to stake out tigers from the top of a very tall tree. 124 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:39,480 We're loading up the elephants to go out to a big, dry riverbed. 125 00:08:39,480 --> 00:08:42,560 Oops. It's a bit slower with the elephants, 126 00:08:42,560 --> 00:08:44,720 but they carry all the weight. 127 00:08:44,720 --> 00:08:47,000 Along with her daily essentials, 128 00:08:47,000 --> 00:08:51,640 she's taking four specialist cameras to spot tigers day and night. 129 00:08:51,640 --> 00:08:55,560 This is the first time I've had to saddle up an elephant. 130 00:08:55,560 --> 00:08:57,600 I hadn't thought about the logistics. 131 00:08:57,600 --> 00:08:59,520 Lucky I brought bungee cords along. 132 00:08:59,520 --> 00:09:02,080 Never go anywhere without bungee cords. 133 00:09:02,080 --> 00:09:07,000 We want a tiger. Just a fleeting glimpse in the bushes. 134 00:09:07,000 --> 00:09:10,360 Good luck. Bye. 135 00:09:12,400 --> 00:09:14,840 Justine will have to keep her wits about her. 136 00:09:14,840 --> 00:09:18,080 She's a long way from medical help, and no-one knows 137 00:09:18,080 --> 00:09:20,640 what dangerous creatures lurk in this forest. 138 00:09:33,760 --> 00:09:37,160 Steve and Claudia are also treading carefully. 139 00:09:43,120 --> 00:09:44,880 Oh, what was that? 140 00:09:46,280 --> 00:09:48,160 Hey! Come here. Bruiser, come on. 141 00:09:48,160 --> 00:09:52,960 Very clear elephant tusk driven up into there, look. 142 00:09:54,920 --> 00:09:56,440 Little bit nerve-racking 143 00:09:56,440 --> 00:10:00,120 to think of an animal that powerful just wandering around the forest. 144 00:10:00,120 --> 00:10:03,560 Could walk round a corner, and it could be right there in front of us. 145 00:10:06,080 --> 00:10:07,640 There's no choice. 146 00:10:07,640 --> 00:10:12,240 The only trails through the forest are the ones made by wild elephants. 147 00:10:14,200 --> 00:10:16,600 They keep Bruiser close. 148 00:10:16,600 --> 00:10:21,000 He's one of a few dogs trained to find big cats, 149 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,080 and he does it by sniffing out their droppings, or scats. 150 00:10:25,720 --> 00:10:28,280 Bruiser's just coursing ahead of us 151 00:10:28,280 --> 00:10:33,000 with his nose down close to the ground, searching out those scents. 152 00:10:34,600 --> 00:10:38,040 I'm really just hoping that we'll come across a scat 153 00:10:38,040 --> 00:10:41,560 that is definitive, that you have to say is going to be a tiger. 154 00:10:43,560 --> 00:10:45,000 Bruiser, let's go. 155 00:10:46,800 --> 00:10:52,120 Bruiser can sniff out even the tiniest remains of a cat's scat. 156 00:10:52,120 --> 00:10:56,160 Steve and Claudia have to work out which species it belongs to. 157 00:10:56,160 --> 00:10:59,400 Oh, look what he's found. What did you find? 158 00:10:59,400 --> 00:11:02,640 Such a good boy. Bruiser, come down. 159 00:11:02,640 --> 00:11:05,560 Bruiser's rewarded with his favourite toy. 160 00:11:05,560 --> 00:11:08,720 Good boy! Good boy! 161 00:11:09,880 --> 00:11:12,040 (Good boy, Bruiser.) 162 00:11:12,040 --> 00:11:16,920 Well, that's absolutely full of interesting stuff. 163 00:11:16,920 --> 00:11:20,000 Lots of little feathers here. 164 00:11:20,000 --> 00:11:23,400 In fact, most of what I can see looks like bird to me. 165 00:11:23,400 --> 00:11:25,840 What do you think? Could be clouded leopard. 166 00:11:25,840 --> 00:11:27,480 Clouded leopard, absolutely. 167 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:32,720 This isn't tiger scat, we can say that for 100% certainty, 168 00:11:32,720 --> 00:11:35,840 but it could be from a leopard or a clouded leopard, 169 00:11:35,840 --> 00:11:38,400 both of which are pretty exciting for us. 170 00:11:40,040 --> 00:11:42,760 Bruiser's on great form. 171 00:11:42,760 --> 00:11:46,040 But evidence that tigers live here might be harder to find. 172 00:11:50,040 --> 00:11:54,040 Tigers are one of the most elusive animals on the planet. 173 00:11:54,040 --> 00:11:59,360 The team will have to use a variety of methods to track them down. 174 00:11:59,360 --> 00:12:04,400 Alan's placing remote video cameras on trails made by wild animals. 175 00:12:04,400 --> 00:12:06,920 He hopes that tigers are using them. 176 00:12:09,440 --> 00:12:11,720 Anything passing in front of the camera 177 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:14,120 will trigger a ten-second recording. 178 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:22,280 I have high hopes for this. 179 00:12:25,640 --> 00:12:29,640 For Alan, the stakes could not be higher. 180 00:12:29,640 --> 00:12:33,280 After 20 years trying to save the tiger, 181 00:12:33,280 --> 00:12:35,560 this could be his last crusade. 182 00:12:35,560 --> 00:12:39,560 He has an incurable form of leukaemia. 183 00:12:39,560 --> 00:12:43,040 'I don't think about it all the time, 184 00:12:43,040 --> 00:12:45,560 'and yet it's always there all the time.' 185 00:12:45,560 --> 00:12:48,720 It gives a sense of urgency to my life. 186 00:12:48,720 --> 00:12:51,760 There were times before I was diagnosed with leukaemia 187 00:12:51,760 --> 00:12:55,680 that I thought "OK, you know, I'm getting older. 188 00:12:55,680 --> 00:13:00,520 "Probably ten years or so, I'll slow down." 189 00:13:00,520 --> 00:13:02,080 There is no slowing down. 190 00:13:02,080 --> 00:13:04,400 There's only speeding up now, 191 00:13:04,400 --> 00:13:07,920 because I don't have the time and the tigers don't have the time. 192 00:13:15,480 --> 00:13:20,680 With as few as 3,000 left, any wild tiger the team finds in Bhutan 193 00:13:20,680 --> 00:13:23,400 would be a precious discovery. 194 00:13:29,920 --> 00:13:34,840 Alan knows from experience that even though the forest looks promising, 195 00:13:34,840 --> 00:13:38,200 it's far from certain that tigers have a future here. 196 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:46,880 The health of the forest is everything. In the past, 197 00:13:46,880 --> 00:13:48,840 people thought, "If there's forest, 198 00:13:48,840 --> 00:13:51,960 "it's good potential tiger habitat, there must be tigers." 199 00:13:51,960 --> 00:13:55,080 Unfortunately, it took us quite a few years to realise 200 00:13:55,080 --> 00:13:57,680 just what the forest looks like is not enough. 201 00:13:57,680 --> 00:13:59,920 You need to look at everything. 202 00:13:59,920 --> 00:14:04,280 You need to look at the birds, you need to look at the insects, 203 00:14:04,280 --> 00:14:07,280 you need to look at the whole chain of life 204 00:14:07,280 --> 00:14:12,800 through that forest and say, "This is truly an intact system." 205 00:14:12,800 --> 00:14:17,440 In charge of this forest's health check is Dr George McGavin, 206 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:20,240 aided by a team of local scientists. 207 00:14:20,240 --> 00:14:24,240 Rebecca Pradhan and her colleague will rig mist nets 208 00:14:24,240 --> 00:14:27,440 to catch and record the birds of the forest. 209 00:14:30,400 --> 00:14:34,880 This net is mainly for the smaller to medium-size of birds. 210 00:14:34,880 --> 00:14:40,640 Dr Kashmira Kakati is an expert on smaller jungle cats. 211 00:14:42,280 --> 00:14:45,120 She'll carefully position her remote cameras 212 00:14:45,120 --> 00:14:47,320 to discover which species live here. 213 00:14:52,120 --> 00:14:55,640 It's like a really big, exciting treasure hunt in the forest. 214 00:14:55,640 --> 00:14:58,920 You go put these things out and when you're picking them up, 215 00:14:58,920 --> 00:15:01,240 you're just waiting to see what you've got. 216 00:15:01,240 --> 00:15:02,960 It's really, really thrilling. 217 00:15:06,520 --> 00:15:09,760 George's lifetime passion is insects. 218 00:15:09,760 --> 00:15:13,720 His survey starts close to home, in Justine's elephants' bed. 219 00:15:13,720 --> 00:15:18,320 Oh, ho, ho, bingo! 220 00:15:18,320 --> 00:15:19,920 Bingo! 221 00:15:21,600 --> 00:15:23,680 Look at that! 222 00:15:23,680 --> 00:15:25,600 Look at that. 223 00:15:25,600 --> 00:15:28,840 Now, they don't come much bigger than that. 224 00:15:28,840 --> 00:15:31,680 Now, that's what I call a dung beetle. 225 00:15:31,680 --> 00:15:34,520 That is an absolute monster. 226 00:15:34,520 --> 00:15:37,320 This is 227 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,640 the biggest dung beetle 228 00:15:40,640 --> 00:15:43,320 I've ever found. 229 00:15:43,320 --> 00:15:45,640 He's got these huge hind legs, 230 00:15:45,640 --> 00:15:49,080 big spiny legs for pushing through the dung. 231 00:15:49,080 --> 00:15:52,280 I find it very hard to actually hold this. 232 00:15:52,280 --> 00:15:54,400 If I try to hold it in my hand like that, 233 00:15:54,400 --> 00:15:57,400 watch, I'm holding it quite hard, 234 00:15:57,400 --> 00:16:01,040 and it's just able to power its way out there. 235 00:16:01,040 --> 00:16:03,640 Look, see. There, it's free. 236 00:16:03,640 --> 00:16:05,560 They're immensely strong. 237 00:16:05,560 --> 00:16:07,320 You are beautiful! 238 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:12,320 I know not everybody agrees with me, but I think you're rather beautiful. 239 00:16:12,320 --> 00:16:15,960 George will record every species the expedition finds, 240 00:16:15,960 --> 00:16:18,800 from beetles to tigers. 241 00:16:18,800 --> 00:16:22,240 It's all part of a report for the Prime Minister of Bhutan. 242 00:16:25,040 --> 00:16:28,280 Finding tigers in the lowlands around base camp 243 00:16:28,280 --> 00:16:29,680 would be a good start, 244 00:16:29,680 --> 00:16:34,040 but to create a corridor that will protect tigers across the region, 245 00:16:34,040 --> 00:16:37,000 the team needs to find them throughout the country. 246 00:16:38,640 --> 00:16:42,000 Just north of base camp, the Himalayas begin, 247 00:16:42,000 --> 00:16:45,040 and rise rapidly to over 7,000 metres. 248 00:16:46,680 --> 00:16:49,280 Most of the country is mountainous. 249 00:16:57,160 --> 00:16:58,920 Jagged peaks and thin air 250 00:16:58,920 --> 00:17:03,680 are the last place anyone would expect to find tigers, 251 00:17:03,680 --> 00:17:07,360 but the team's heard extraordinary rumours. 252 00:17:09,160 --> 00:17:13,600 The final member of the expedition has gone to investigate. 253 00:17:13,600 --> 00:17:17,080 Gordon Buchanan has filmed big cats all over the world, 254 00:17:17,080 --> 00:17:20,120 but never anywhere like this. 255 00:17:20,120 --> 00:17:24,360 It's amazing to think of the other places that I've seen tigers. 256 00:17:24,360 --> 00:17:29,040 Down in India, just 200 miles away, but very, very different habitat. 257 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:30,840 We're up in the Himalayas here. 258 00:17:30,840 --> 00:17:33,520 It feels so different and I will be flabbergasted 259 00:17:33,520 --> 00:17:36,160 if we find tigers up in these mountains. 260 00:17:36,160 --> 00:17:40,880 Gordon's going to live rough for the next two weeks, 261 00:17:40,880 --> 00:17:44,680 on a mission that will test his endurance to the limit. 262 00:18:03,040 --> 00:18:05,400 We've been following the river all morning, 263 00:18:05,400 --> 00:18:09,200 but unfortunately we're about to start climbing up the mountain, 264 00:18:09,200 --> 00:18:11,600 so it's going to get a lot tougher from now on. 265 00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,400 This is the foal of one of the ponies. 266 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:24,160 He's just along to learn the ropes. 267 00:18:24,160 --> 00:18:26,520 Poor little thing's just lagging behind, 268 00:18:26,520 --> 00:18:28,720 so I'm giving him a bit of a helping hand. 269 00:18:30,920 --> 00:18:34,160 With every step, the air is getting thinner. 270 00:18:35,680 --> 00:18:38,920 The journey will be far too tough for the mules. 271 00:18:38,920 --> 00:18:42,160 Before long, Gordon will be on his own. 272 00:18:50,600 --> 00:18:52,520 Good boy, Bruiser. What did you get? 273 00:18:52,520 --> 00:18:54,280 Near base camp, Bruiser's been 274 00:18:54,280 --> 00:18:56,600 hot on the trail of big cats all morning. 275 00:18:56,600 --> 00:19:00,000 We're getting there. OK, Bruiser, let's go. 276 00:19:01,320 --> 00:19:05,480 He's found leopard and clouded leopard scat, but no signs of tiger. 277 00:19:05,480 --> 00:19:07,440 Now he's flagging. 278 00:19:08,960 --> 00:19:11,080 You've got to feel sorry for the dog. 279 00:19:11,080 --> 00:19:16,480 He must be crazy, crazy hot, trekking through this. 280 00:19:16,480 --> 00:19:20,280 It's so hot and humid, Bruiser can only be worked in short shifts. 281 00:19:26,360 --> 00:19:30,680 Further down the trail, they startle something. 282 00:19:30,680 --> 00:19:32,880 Uh-oh. Bruiser, come here, hey. 283 00:19:32,880 --> 00:19:35,400 Bruiser! Good boy. 284 00:19:36,240 --> 00:19:38,200 Wow, look at that. 285 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:44,960 There's a group of golden langurs in the tree just ahead of us 286 00:19:44,960 --> 00:19:47,680 and as we approached and they saw the dog, 287 00:19:47,680 --> 00:19:51,640 their first response was a kind of barking alarm call, 288 00:19:51,640 --> 00:19:53,600 warning the others he was coming by. 289 00:19:53,600 --> 00:19:54,880 (Good boy, Bruiser.) 290 00:19:57,720 --> 00:20:00,600 They're just looking down at us curiously. 291 00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:05,600 Golden langur monkeys rarely spend time on the ground 292 00:20:05,600 --> 00:20:08,880 in case they're taken by large predators 293 00:20:08,880 --> 00:20:11,600 like leopards, or even tigers. 294 00:20:11,600 --> 00:20:14,720 There are only 5,000 or so left in the wild. 295 00:20:14,720 --> 00:20:19,520 A group like this, with young, is an exceptional sight. 296 00:20:28,720 --> 00:20:32,280 It just shows, really, that you need to preserve the habitat here 297 00:20:32,280 --> 00:20:34,600 not just for the tiger, but for all the other 298 00:20:34,600 --> 00:20:37,840 really, really valuable endangered species that live here. 299 00:20:52,160 --> 00:20:55,920 On the forest floor, the remote cameras are doing their job. 300 00:21:04,640 --> 00:21:07,160 Macaques, enjoying a meal of pondweed. 301 00:21:19,960 --> 00:21:21,600 Buffalo... 302 00:21:23,160 --> 00:21:25,800 ..who use the camera as a scratching post. 303 00:21:35,080 --> 00:21:37,400 A herd of wild elephants. 304 00:21:39,040 --> 00:21:40,680 They're curious... 305 00:21:43,640 --> 00:21:45,440 and rather camera-shy. 306 00:21:48,880 --> 00:21:50,800 GLASS SHATTERS, BUZZING 307 00:21:52,320 --> 00:21:56,240 Four hours from base camp, Justine's elephants 308 00:21:56,240 --> 00:22:00,000 have delivered her safely to the tree chosen for the tiger stakeout. 309 00:22:05,600 --> 00:22:09,480 This is the tree that we're going to spend the night up in. 310 00:22:09,480 --> 00:22:14,880 I think to really stand any chance of seeing a glimpse of a big cat, 311 00:22:14,880 --> 00:22:18,360 the only way is to be able to see a huge view, 312 00:22:18,360 --> 00:22:22,360 because otherwise, they're too canny. 313 00:22:22,360 --> 00:22:25,600 If I can see 200 metres, 300 metres away, 314 00:22:25,600 --> 00:22:28,800 there's a chance that it might not be aware of my presence. 315 00:22:28,800 --> 00:22:31,000 And I've got really long lenses, 316 00:22:31,000 --> 00:22:34,520 so I will be able to see it, even though it can't see me. 317 00:22:37,920 --> 00:22:42,160 She'll be staying out in the jungle day and night. 318 00:22:42,160 --> 00:22:44,000 High up is the safest place to be. 319 00:22:55,160 --> 00:22:57,720 The elephants head for camp 320 00:22:57,720 --> 00:23:01,360 and Justine settles down for her first night of surveillance. 321 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:13,240 Back at base, everyone returns before dark. 322 00:23:13,240 --> 00:23:17,000 It's safe and relatively luxurious. 323 00:23:17,000 --> 00:23:18,800 Ah! 324 00:23:23,600 --> 00:23:26,960 For dinner, there's fish curry 325 00:23:26,960 --> 00:23:29,080 and a few unwanted guests on the side. 326 00:23:31,120 --> 00:23:34,080 You're attracting a hell of a lot of bugs. 327 00:23:34,080 --> 00:23:36,680 Lots of things are hatching out now, 328 00:23:36,680 --> 00:23:41,360 so I reckon in the next couple of nights it'll be really alive. INSECT BUZZES 329 00:23:41,360 --> 00:23:44,200 Hello? INSECT BUZZES LOUDLY 330 00:23:44,200 --> 00:23:47,120 Ow! God, that was loud. 331 00:23:48,160 --> 00:23:51,440 Kashmira has already recovered one of her remote cameras 332 00:23:51,440 --> 00:23:53,760 and Steve's been called to the kit tent. 333 00:23:53,760 --> 00:23:57,320 Hi, Kashmira. I heard you've got something good on your camera traps. 334 00:23:57,320 --> 00:24:00,000 Nice-looking barking deer. 335 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:01,720 Fantastic. Anything else? 336 00:24:01,720 --> 00:24:03,360 Then... 337 00:24:05,920 --> 00:24:07,880 No way! Isn't it exciting? 338 00:24:07,880 --> 00:24:10,160 It's a clouded leopard. 339 00:24:10,160 --> 00:24:12,360 What a beautiful shot! 340 00:24:12,360 --> 00:24:15,680 This is fantastic. 341 00:24:15,680 --> 00:24:17,800 This is absolutely sensational. 342 00:24:17,800 --> 00:24:21,560 This is exactly the same riverbed where we found what we 343 00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:24,160 took to be clouded leopard scat. 344 00:24:24,160 --> 00:24:27,800 The clouded leopard is one of the most elusive, difficult animals 345 00:24:27,800 --> 00:24:31,240 in the whole world to film, and this is conclusive evidence that 346 00:24:31,240 --> 00:24:35,000 there is one living not more than a couple of miles away from camp. 347 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:37,840 Looking for tracks and signs is detective work. 348 00:24:37,840 --> 00:24:41,040 It's almost like putting all the parts of the puzzle together. 349 00:24:41,040 --> 00:24:43,960 And to find, you know, this at the end of it - 350 00:24:43,960 --> 00:24:47,880 conclusive proof that it all added up to the right signs - 351 00:24:47,880 --> 00:24:49,960 is just incredibly exciting. 352 00:24:54,080 --> 00:24:57,040 The rare clouded leopard raises their hopes 353 00:24:57,040 --> 00:24:59,440 that there will be other big cats here too. 354 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:08,960 THUNDER CRACKS 355 00:25:08,960 --> 00:25:12,040 But they hadn't counted on an early monsoon. 356 00:25:15,160 --> 00:25:18,160 This is total madness. Just a couple of seconds ago 357 00:25:18,160 --> 00:25:20,880 there was absolutely nothing, completely calm. 358 00:25:20,880 --> 00:25:24,320 And from nowhere, a massive gust of wind and look at this! 359 00:25:24,320 --> 00:25:28,480 Full-on hailstones just come pelting down. 360 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:30,040 It's like wandering around 361 00:25:30,040 --> 00:25:32,920 in a cloud of bullets just falling from the heavens. 362 00:25:38,320 --> 00:25:42,080 Deep in the jungle, the remote cameras are triggered by the rain 363 00:25:42,080 --> 00:25:44,640 and the animals running for cover. 364 00:25:48,440 --> 00:25:51,000 30 metres up her tree, Justine's stranded. 365 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:57,800 This is the worst that can happen. 366 00:25:57,800 --> 00:26:00,600 We've been listening to this storm all evening, 367 00:26:00,600 --> 00:26:02,680 hoping that it was going to pass us by, 368 00:26:02,680 --> 00:26:06,760 but it's just hit, the whole, full strength of it, 369 00:26:06,760 --> 00:26:08,640 right above our heads. 370 00:26:08,640 --> 00:26:11,080 Even the crickets are scurrying for cover. 371 00:26:14,880 --> 00:26:19,000 Oh! It's not a good situation. 372 00:26:28,120 --> 00:26:30,320 The lightning is right overhead now. 373 00:26:31,960 --> 00:26:33,840 This is rain. 374 00:26:33,840 --> 00:26:36,000 THUNDER CRACKS LOUDLY 375 00:26:36,000 --> 00:26:37,840 Jeez! 376 00:26:47,240 --> 00:26:49,800 Base camp is in danger of blowing away. 377 00:26:58,320 --> 00:27:00,320 Going to tether everything down, 378 00:27:00,320 --> 00:27:03,600 try and keep it from taking off, which is what it's doing now. 379 00:27:29,360 --> 00:27:32,440 Last night's storm disappeared as quickly as it arrived. 380 00:27:35,400 --> 00:27:37,240 Justine survived... 381 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:40,200 ..just. 382 00:27:44,040 --> 00:27:47,400 After the storm, the forest is alive with birds. 383 00:27:47,400 --> 00:27:51,160 Justine's spied some hornbills on the other side of the clearing. 384 00:27:52,720 --> 00:27:54,480 (This hornbill's just flown in. 385 00:27:56,040 --> 00:27:58,360 (It's having a good, long look around.) 386 00:28:01,760 --> 00:28:05,240 Hornbills eat fruit, small mammals and reptiles. 387 00:28:06,840 --> 00:28:09,960 Throughout Asia, they're renowned targets for hunters 388 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:13,400 Their presence suggests there's less poaching here than elsewhere. 389 00:28:23,040 --> 00:28:25,880 Nearer base camp, the mist nets 390 00:28:25,880 --> 00:28:28,160 have caught something just as dazzling. 391 00:28:28,160 --> 00:28:29,600 Hey, what else have you got? 392 00:28:29,600 --> 00:28:33,360 Blue-throated Barbet. Blue-throated Barbet. 393 00:28:33,360 --> 00:28:36,240 Oh, that's... God that is stunning! 394 00:28:36,240 --> 00:28:39,360 What a splendid-looking chap. 395 00:28:39,360 --> 00:28:43,520 Every bird's vital statistics are recorded. 396 00:28:45,480 --> 00:28:47,080 CAMERA CLICKS 397 00:28:47,080 --> 00:28:50,720 He's a star. A pygmy kingfisher poses for its place in the report, 398 00:28:50,720 --> 00:28:54,760 which George will ultimately present to the government of Bhutan. 399 00:28:57,400 --> 00:28:59,640 While Bruiser's on down time, 400 00:28:59,640 --> 00:29:03,480 Steve gets called out to something in the long grass near camp. 401 00:29:06,920 --> 00:29:08,880 Oh, it's big, really big! 402 00:29:11,600 --> 00:29:14,360 That's the tail, 403 00:29:14,360 --> 00:29:16,560 which means the head is just... 404 00:29:16,560 --> 00:29:18,440 there. 405 00:29:18,440 --> 00:29:21,880 Oh, wow. 406 00:29:21,880 --> 00:29:24,440 This is an Indian rock python. 407 00:29:24,440 --> 00:29:26,720 OK, I just need to get a better grip on him, 408 00:29:26,720 --> 00:29:29,920 I'm a little bit high at the moment and he can get a bite on me. 409 00:29:29,920 --> 00:29:31,400 There, that's it. 410 00:29:31,400 --> 00:29:33,360 He's not venomous, 411 00:29:33,360 --> 00:29:35,800 but he could put a really unpleasant bite into you. 412 00:29:35,800 --> 00:29:38,280 It's easily the largest snake found round here. 413 00:29:38,280 --> 00:29:41,160 There have been specimens of these that have been found 414 00:29:41,160 --> 00:29:42,520 up to six metres long, 415 00:29:42,520 --> 00:29:46,400 and it's a snake that is inextricably linked with a tiger. 416 00:29:46,400 --> 00:29:49,320 It's something that a tiger will actually feed on, 417 00:29:49,320 --> 00:29:52,320 also these big snakes take the same sort of prey as the tiger do. 418 00:29:52,320 --> 00:29:55,680 Let's let him go. 419 00:29:57,960 --> 00:29:59,960 It's evidence that the conditions here 420 00:29:59,960 --> 00:30:02,760 are ideal for tigers. 421 00:30:09,320 --> 00:30:10,880 In the north of Bhutan, 422 00:30:10,880 --> 00:30:15,160 Gordon remains unconvinced by tales of tigers living so high up. 423 00:30:20,160 --> 00:30:24,160 We're heading up further into what is snow leopard territory, 424 00:30:24,160 --> 00:30:28,040 but I am intrigued to see if we can find evidence of tigers beyond this. 425 00:30:28,040 --> 00:30:31,840 I would be amazed if there are tigers living up here. 426 00:30:31,840 --> 00:30:35,960 If they are here, they've adapted to live at this elevation 427 00:30:35,960 --> 00:30:39,320 because tigers are supposed to live way, way down there. 428 00:30:39,320 --> 00:30:43,960 While the mules rest, Gordon explores trails 429 00:30:43,960 --> 00:30:48,080 etched into the mountainside by generations of nomadic herders. 430 00:30:52,960 --> 00:30:54,880 If tigers are living up here, 431 00:30:54,880 --> 00:30:57,680 they would make use of these same paths 432 00:31:02,080 --> 00:31:04,280 He searches for three hours. 433 00:31:07,240 --> 00:31:10,880 I haven't seen anything. The things I'm looking for, 434 00:31:10,880 --> 00:31:13,440 the first thing I've been looking for is the prey, 435 00:31:13,440 --> 00:31:15,440 what are the tigers feeding on up here. 436 00:31:15,440 --> 00:31:19,960 But in the absence of that, looking for their tracks 437 00:31:19,960 --> 00:31:22,640 along this loose, dusty soil. 438 00:31:22,640 --> 00:31:26,760 Tigers, when they're patrolling, they make these scrapes on the ground, 439 00:31:26,760 --> 00:31:30,560 they urinate against bushes, you can smell that, they scratch on trees. 440 00:31:30,560 --> 00:31:31,880 There is none of that. 441 00:31:31,880 --> 00:31:35,240 I haven't seen one piece of evidence that backs up the rumours 442 00:31:35,240 --> 00:31:38,560 that there are tigers up here and I keep on telling myself 443 00:31:38,560 --> 00:31:40,960 these are rumours that there are tigers here, 444 00:31:40,960 --> 00:31:45,800 but there are also rumours in Bhutan that there are yetis. 445 00:31:45,800 --> 00:31:49,840 So I'm beginning to wonder whether here at all. 446 00:32:00,600 --> 00:32:04,840 It's beginning to look like a wild goose chase. 447 00:32:04,840 --> 00:32:07,360 But the plight of the tigers is so desperate, 448 00:32:07,360 --> 00:32:10,200 Gordon won't give up until he's exhausted all leads. 449 00:32:22,120 --> 00:32:27,720 In the south, the search for tigers has come to an abrupt halt. 450 00:32:27,720 --> 00:32:29,720 Another heavy rainstorm 451 00:32:29,720 --> 00:32:34,000 is washing away any telltale footprints or scat. 452 00:32:34,000 --> 00:32:36,880 This is pretty hopeless now. 453 00:32:36,880 --> 00:32:40,280 Down here is just a running stream so there is absolutely nothing 454 00:32:40,280 --> 00:32:42,800 going to hold there and unless we were to come across 455 00:32:42,800 --> 00:32:46,280 an area where the tiger had been within minutes beforehand, 456 00:32:46,280 --> 00:32:50,040 which really isn't going to happen, our mission is over for today. 457 00:32:50,040 --> 00:32:53,640 So I think we need to head back to camp, get dry, get the dog dry. 458 00:32:53,640 --> 00:32:55,960 He's looking a bit miserable, isn't he? 459 00:33:02,200 --> 00:33:03,760 Let's go. 460 00:33:08,520 --> 00:33:12,600 These delays are the last thing the team needs. 461 00:33:12,600 --> 00:33:15,800 Time is running out for the tiger. 462 00:33:15,800 --> 00:33:21,480 The Chinese medicine market for tiger bones and body parts is booming. 463 00:33:25,800 --> 00:33:30,400 As tigers become rarer, the price on their heads just gets higher. 464 00:33:34,520 --> 00:33:37,920 They are an irresistible temptation for poachers. 465 00:33:45,080 --> 00:33:48,720 Alan has frequently witnessed the aftermath of their dirty work. 466 00:33:48,720 --> 00:33:53,560 But seeing these images for the first time can be deeply shocking. 467 00:33:53,560 --> 00:33:56,760 I wanted to show you some of the things we have found 468 00:33:56,760 --> 00:34:00,960 in the 10 to 20 years I have been studying tigers, 469 00:34:00,960 --> 00:34:04,480 and what's still happening right now. 470 00:34:04,480 --> 00:34:10,200 Tigers have just become so valuable today on the Chinese medicinal market 471 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:13,280 that people are going after every individual tiger. 472 00:34:14,720 --> 00:34:18,760 Oh, for God's sake! What's happened there? 473 00:34:18,760 --> 00:34:23,400 They just killed the tiger and took its entire skeleton out. 474 00:34:23,400 --> 00:34:25,000 The rest was trashed. 475 00:34:32,240 --> 00:34:37,040 Again, the same, in Russia. Here they decided to take the whole tiger. 476 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:41,840 The largest cat in the world. 477 00:34:41,840 --> 00:34:44,720 By every count, one of the most magnificent species 478 00:34:44,720 --> 00:34:46,560 to ever walk the face of our earth. 479 00:34:46,560 --> 00:34:49,640 Look what people do to it. 480 00:34:49,640 --> 00:34:51,440 I have to get angry. 481 00:34:51,440 --> 00:34:53,920 This can't happen, this can't go on, 482 00:34:53,920 --> 00:34:57,160 but they're not going to kill every tiger on my watch 483 00:34:57,160 --> 00:35:01,000 and on the watch of others who feel so strongly 484 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:06,400 that this animal has every right to survive and should survive. 485 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:19,640 Some of these are so disgusting... 486 00:35:23,800 --> 00:35:26,200 ..that I just don't want to see them. 487 00:35:29,960 --> 00:35:31,880 How anybody could do... 488 00:35:31,880 --> 00:35:34,720 I don't know how you stand it. 489 00:35:34,720 --> 00:35:38,640 I couldn't do this. I couldn't do this job. 490 00:35:39,920 --> 00:35:41,440 It's hard. 491 00:35:52,240 --> 00:35:54,040 I wish you hadn't shown me those. 492 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:56,440 George, it stinks, it really does. 493 00:36:03,080 --> 00:36:06,960 They must hope that Bhutan offers any remaining tigers 494 00:36:06,960 --> 00:36:08,920 a safe place to stay hidden. 495 00:36:16,920 --> 00:36:20,840 Tigers are not easy to find, not in a natural area. 496 00:36:20,840 --> 00:36:25,280 People think, "If you're not seeing tigers, why don't you go to place where you can see tigers?" 497 00:36:25,280 --> 00:36:29,520 Well, frankly, any place where you can go and see tigers easily 498 00:36:29,520 --> 00:36:32,280 is not the most natural area for tigers. 499 00:36:32,280 --> 00:36:36,800 This is a truly, wild, natural landscape for the tiger. 500 00:36:39,520 --> 00:36:44,960 Tigers roam over hundreds of miles, and avoid humans wherever they can. 501 00:36:44,960 --> 00:36:50,080 If they do live in these thick forests, they would rarely be seen. 502 00:36:50,080 --> 00:36:53,200 But for the Himalayan tiger corridor to be successful, 503 00:36:53,200 --> 00:36:56,920 the expedition must discover a healthy population in Bhutan, 504 00:36:56,920 --> 00:37:01,200 from the southern lowlands up into the mountains. 505 00:37:04,320 --> 00:37:08,640 At altitude, finding them is even more of a challenge. 506 00:37:12,160 --> 00:37:15,720 Gordon has been searching the mountain ridge all day. 507 00:37:15,720 --> 00:37:20,160 He's about to set up camp when one of the porters spots something of interest. 508 00:37:22,600 --> 00:37:24,680 Oh, yeah, just down here. 509 00:37:24,680 --> 00:37:27,880 The yak carcass. 510 00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:34,280 Most big cats start feeding from the rear. 511 00:37:34,280 --> 00:37:39,440 If you look, the front half is intact and the back half is almost completely gone. 512 00:37:39,440 --> 00:37:42,960 That might be a big clue as to what happened to it. 513 00:37:42,960 --> 00:37:46,360 If there is a big cat up here and there were yaks grazing around here, 514 00:37:46,360 --> 00:37:50,840 what they would do is lurk on the tree line and wait for a yak to get close enough. 515 00:37:50,840 --> 00:37:56,640 They'd just charge out, grab it and then drag it back in to somewhere like this. 516 00:37:56,640 --> 00:38:01,240 What I'd be looking for on a fresh kill, is puncture marks on the neck. 517 00:38:01,240 --> 00:38:06,040 And, actually, the hair is quite badly disturbed around there, but... 518 00:38:08,960 --> 00:38:10,680 There's a deep hole in there. 519 00:38:10,680 --> 00:38:13,200 Actually, there's a very deep hole. 520 00:38:13,200 --> 00:38:14,800 Oh! 521 00:38:14,800 --> 00:38:16,520 Come and have a look. 522 00:38:16,520 --> 00:38:18,760 I've found something here which... 523 00:38:21,280 --> 00:38:25,640 It could really mean that a tiger took this. A big puncture wound. 524 00:38:25,640 --> 00:38:29,360 It looks maybe a little bit too big for a leopard. 525 00:38:29,360 --> 00:38:33,560 Often, when they attack, it's only one tooth that actually punctures. 526 00:38:35,160 --> 00:38:39,160 It's like a bullet hole, exactly where a tiger would attack. 527 00:38:39,160 --> 00:38:43,920 It would grab onto it and swing round and grab under the neck. 528 00:38:43,920 --> 00:38:47,120 Quite often the puncture wound is located behind the ear, 529 00:38:47,120 --> 00:38:49,040 which is exactly where this one is. 530 00:38:55,400 --> 00:38:59,440 The gruesome remains are an intriguing discovery. 531 00:38:59,440 --> 00:39:03,200 Gordon will rig the surrounding area with his remote cameras. 532 00:39:06,200 --> 00:39:09,400 He'll return to check them at the end of the expedition. 533 00:39:24,040 --> 00:39:28,520 Near base camp, Alan's camera traps have been whirring away for a week. 534 00:39:30,160 --> 00:39:32,800 They've recorded everything that's walked past. 535 00:39:35,440 --> 00:39:39,320 It's always very, very exciting looking at these pictures. 536 00:39:39,320 --> 00:39:42,240 It's like going into a candy store and not being sure of 537 00:39:42,240 --> 00:39:44,360 exactly what kind of candy is in there. 538 00:39:44,360 --> 00:39:47,560 And hoping your favourite candy is there. 539 00:39:53,280 --> 00:39:54,920 A big bird of some type. 540 00:39:58,560 --> 00:40:00,400 Oh, a macaque. 541 00:40:03,240 --> 00:40:05,560 Oh, beautiful. Water buffalo. 542 00:40:07,960 --> 00:40:11,880 Lots of animals for a tiger to feed on. 543 00:40:11,880 --> 00:40:15,040 Just wait for the tiger to come around the corner. 544 00:40:25,760 --> 00:40:27,160 Oh! 545 00:40:27,160 --> 00:40:30,040 Look at that. That's a beauty. 546 00:40:30,040 --> 00:40:32,080 Drinking water. 547 00:40:32,080 --> 00:40:34,280 Beautiful shot. 548 00:40:34,280 --> 00:40:37,800 It's not a tiger, but a rare leopard. 549 00:40:37,800 --> 00:40:41,560 We didn't have a tiger this time, but we have some great pictures. 550 00:40:41,560 --> 00:40:44,880 People don't understand, unless they've been in other areas where 551 00:40:44,880 --> 00:40:48,240 so much of the animals have been killed off, how special this is. 552 00:40:58,120 --> 00:41:03,840 In Bhutan, where Buddhist respect for wildlife is strong, hunting is rare. 553 00:41:05,480 --> 00:41:08,120 Animals are safer here than elsewhere. 554 00:41:13,560 --> 00:41:17,760 Civets search for food under the cover of darkness. 555 00:41:20,880 --> 00:41:25,560 It's the best time for species like the leopard cat, 556 00:41:25,560 --> 00:41:29,160 and the leopard, to hunt. 557 00:41:37,720 --> 00:41:40,360 There's a good population of leopards here. 558 00:41:43,160 --> 00:41:48,320 And even rare form of leopard - a black panther. 559 00:41:51,760 --> 00:41:55,240 But still no tigers. 560 00:42:02,080 --> 00:42:05,960 High up in her tree, Justine hopes for better luck. 561 00:42:05,960 --> 00:42:08,400 She's scanning the darkness with a heat-sensing camera. 562 00:42:08,400 --> 00:42:12,240 It will pick out animals in the cool of the forest night. 563 00:42:17,640 --> 00:42:19,360 I can see something. 564 00:42:19,360 --> 00:42:21,680 It's amazing how it glows. 565 00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:28,200 This is the first mammal I've seen on a thermal camera. 566 00:42:28,200 --> 00:42:32,360 She switches to her infrared camera for a more detailed look. 567 00:42:35,600 --> 00:42:37,440 Great. 568 00:42:37,440 --> 00:42:41,680 Great, great, great - it's a Sambar deer. It's a female. 569 00:42:42,920 --> 00:42:45,920 The Sambar deer is a great find. 570 00:42:45,920 --> 00:42:49,640 It's one of the tiger's favourite prey. 571 00:42:49,640 --> 00:42:52,000 She's looking nervous. 572 00:42:52,000 --> 00:42:54,360 I guess if you're a Sambar deer, 573 00:42:54,360 --> 00:42:56,760 you'd spend your whole life being nervous. 574 00:43:02,160 --> 00:43:03,800 There's another deer. 575 00:43:06,640 --> 00:43:11,960 I'm really glad to see these Sambar deer, because it means that there's quite a good population around, 576 00:43:13,520 --> 00:43:18,280 which does raise our chances somewhat of seeing tiger. 577 00:43:18,280 --> 00:43:22,280 Justine will keep her tiger vigil all night. 578 00:43:24,560 --> 00:43:28,520 At base camp, everyone is desperate for some rest. 579 00:43:30,840 --> 00:43:32,760 Goodnight, Bruiser. Goodnight. 580 00:43:35,840 --> 00:43:37,440 All except George. 581 00:43:37,440 --> 00:43:40,760 Darkness is when his favourite creatures appear. 582 00:43:43,320 --> 00:43:46,240 Oh, my goodness. 583 00:43:46,240 --> 00:43:49,520 This is a beautiful moon moth. 584 00:43:49,520 --> 00:43:55,160 And it's a male and you've got these long hind wing tails. 585 00:43:55,160 --> 00:43:57,560 Absolutely gorgeous. 586 00:43:57,560 --> 00:44:00,920 What a sight to see. 587 00:44:00,920 --> 00:44:03,880 I'll just bend it round, and you can see how stunning... 588 00:44:06,400 --> 00:44:07,720 Look at that. 589 00:44:07,720 --> 00:44:14,320 Is that not just the prettiest moth you've ever seen in your life? 590 00:44:14,320 --> 00:44:18,960 That is one of the best things I've seen so far. 591 00:44:21,240 --> 00:44:26,720 George is also drawn to little glowing lights in the forest. 592 00:44:26,720 --> 00:44:30,760 There's fireflies all over here, they're absolutely fantastic, look. 593 00:44:30,760 --> 00:44:33,040 And these aren't, of course, flies. 594 00:44:33,040 --> 00:44:36,600 They are little beetles and they emit this cold, 595 00:44:36,600 --> 00:44:40,400 greenish glow from a special organ on the underside of their abdomen. 596 00:44:40,400 --> 00:44:44,200 I do remember a book I had when I was a kid, saying that you could 597 00:44:44,200 --> 00:44:48,320 read a book if you had enough fireflies or glow-worms in a jar. 598 00:44:48,320 --> 00:44:52,440 First, he has to catch them. 599 00:44:53,960 --> 00:44:55,840 Oh! Ah! 600 00:44:55,840 --> 00:44:57,760 Don't lose them! 601 00:44:57,760 --> 00:45:02,120 I reckon I've got about 50 fireflies in here, 602 00:45:02,120 --> 00:45:04,400 at least 50. 603 00:45:09,560 --> 00:45:11,760 Well, when you've got them in the jar... 604 00:45:11,760 --> 00:45:14,240 Oh, wow. 605 00:45:14,240 --> 00:45:18,680 That is just fabulous! 606 00:45:18,680 --> 00:45:21,320 Let me see. 607 00:45:21,320 --> 00:45:24,680 Switch off your light and see if we can do this. 608 00:45:24,680 --> 00:45:28,120 It's like a little disco show. 609 00:45:30,040 --> 00:45:36,680 Around the world in 80 days. 610 00:45:36,680 --> 00:45:39,480 I think you would ruin your eyesight. 611 00:45:39,480 --> 00:45:42,720 But George's night shift has not been in vain - 612 00:45:42,720 --> 00:45:44,960 he's proven one thing for sure. 613 00:45:44,960 --> 00:45:48,000 This is a very special place. 614 00:45:48,000 --> 00:45:50,120 It does seem to be incredibly rich, 615 00:45:50,120 --> 00:45:55,080 and it's these armies of small insects that feed birds and other animals, 616 00:45:55,080 --> 00:45:59,760 which in turn feed the higher carnivores, including cats. 617 00:45:59,760 --> 00:46:04,440 I know the word "pristine" is often used, but in this regard, 618 00:46:04,440 --> 00:46:08,240 I think for this forest, it really is accurate. 619 00:46:08,240 --> 00:46:12,320 All that's missing from the picture are the tigers themselves. 620 00:46:22,080 --> 00:46:26,320 If anyone knows how tigers might survive in these hostile conditions, 621 00:46:26,320 --> 00:46:27,600 it's the yak herders. 622 00:46:27,600 --> 00:46:29,560 Gordon needs to find them. 623 00:46:42,480 --> 00:46:44,200 It's just started snowing. 624 00:46:44,200 --> 00:46:48,080 Just hoping it doesn't get too heavy, because these paths are so narrow 625 00:46:48,080 --> 00:46:50,320 and the ledges are really quite steep. 626 00:46:50,320 --> 00:46:53,120 I'm really up against it here. 627 00:46:54,840 --> 00:46:59,200 It's minus five, and Gordon faces an uncomfortable obstacle. 628 00:47:01,880 --> 00:47:03,880 No way. 629 00:47:03,880 --> 00:47:05,560 There is a bridge there, 630 00:47:05,560 --> 00:47:10,000 but the bridge is long gone. It's lovely, crystal clear water. 631 00:47:10,000 --> 00:47:14,680 Hey, hey. It's fine, it's fine! 632 00:47:20,160 --> 00:47:22,400 With hours of tough walking ahead, 633 00:47:22,400 --> 00:47:25,120 freezing cold, wet boots are not an option. 634 00:47:40,840 --> 00:47:43,840 Oh, that's painful. 635 00:47:43,840 --> 00:47:47,320 Oh, that's cold! 636 00:47:47,320 --> 00:47:51,480 So I was going to cross it as fast as I could, but you can't cross 637 00:47:51,480 --> 00:47:54,200 a river full of slippery boulders very quickly. 638 00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:57,800 It just got colder and colder and now my feet are kind of on fire. 639 00:47:59,800 --> 00:48:02,120 I'm getting a little bit worried. 640 00:48:02,120 --> 00:48:04,920 I just want to get to camp. 641 00:48:16,680 --> 00:48:21,040 100 miles downstream, Steve and the dog team are widening their search. 642 00:48:28,280 --> 00:48:31,040 They're scouring the river banks. 643 00:48:31,040 --> 00:48:34,160 Actually, let's go out to the edge. 644 00:48:36,560 --> 00:48:39,960 Almost immediately, Bruiser comes to a stop. 645 00:48:43,560 --> 00:48:45,080 Show me, Bruiser. 646 00:48:47,280 --> 00:48:48,560 Ah, here we go. 647 00:48:48,560 --> 00:48:51,160 He just found it and I can see it now. 648 00:48:51,160 --> 00:48:52,440 Bruiser, step back. 649 00:48:52,440 --> 00:48:55,840 Wow, that's pretty cool. 650 00:48:55,840 --> 00:49:00,400 It's by far the largest scat Bruiser's found. 651 00:49:00,400 --> 00:49:05,480 He's found some tiger scat. And this is some Sambar deer, you think? 652 00:49:05,480 --> 00:49:08,680 Yes. That's almost exclusively hair, isn't it? 653 00:49:08,680 --> 00:49:12,080 You can tell the size, it's not small. There's a lot of it around. 654 00:49:12,080 --> 00:49:13,960 Look at this here. There's more here. 655 00:49:13,960 --> 00:49:16,040 This is just absolutely phenomenal. 656 00:49:16,040 --> 00:49:18,920 I can't believe that right here, a tiger has been 657 00:49:18,920 --> 00:49:22,520 within the last couple of weeks, just walking down this beach. 658 00:49:22,520 --> 00:49:24,040 I mean, it's incredible. 659 00:49:24,040 --> 00:49:26,160 Well done! 660 00:49:26,160 --> 00:49:29,600 Well done, Bruiser! That's amazing. 661 00:49:29,600 --> 00:49:34,120 It's the evidence the dog team have been longing to find. Good job, Bruiser. 662 00:49:34,120 --> 00:49:37,520 Bruiser's rewarded with extra play time. 663 00:49:39,400 --> 00:49:42,360 And a long cool down. 664 00:49:42,360 --> 00:49:45,120 But Steve doesn't want to get his hopes up 665 00:49:45,120 --> 00:49:47,760 until Alan has given his expert opinion. 666 00:49:49,640 --> 00:49:52,440 This looks like Sambar deer. 667 00:49:54,160 --> 00:49:58,040 This is the kind of piece to the puzzle that you need, and you want. 668 00:49:58,040 --> 00:50:02,160 You want faecal material with the tiger's favourite prey in it. 669 00:50:02,160 --> 00:50:04,640 That's neat, that's exciting. 670 00:50:04,640 --> 00:50:07,040 This pile of hair is an amazing find. 671 00:50:07,040 --> 00:50:08,600 It's the first proof 672 00:50:08,600 --> 00:50:12,960 there's a tiger within striking distance of base camp. 673 00:50:15,200 --> 00:50:19,080 They'll leave the camera traps running for a few more days. 674 00:50:26,400 --> 00:50:30,720 4,000 metres up, and after two days relentless trekking, 675 00:50:30,720 --> 00:50:35,120 Gordon and translator, Phup, reach the yak herders. 676 00:50:35,120 --> 00:50:38,000 Hopefully, they'll have some answers. 677 00:50:39,840 --> 00:50:42,040 Have you lost any of your yaks recently? 678 00:50:42,040 --> 00:50:44,360 SPEAKS IN NATIVE TONGUE 679 00:50:49,960 --> 00:50:53,240 A big cat has killed one of his favourite bulls. 680 00:50:53,240 --> 00:50:55,240 And was it close to the camp? 681 00:51:01,360 --> 00:51:04,880 Other side of the ridge in a forest. 682 00:51:04,880 --> 00:51:11,840 And he says it was attacked by the big cat and he sees all these 683 00:51:11,840 --> 00:51:16,640 bites all over his throat and his left shoulder has been smashed off. 684 00:51:16,640 --> 00:51:21,560 He has seen the pugmark. The pugmark that you saw, how big was it? 685 00:51:24,040 --> 00:51:26,000 If it's that size, it's definitely a tiger. 686 00:51:26,000 --> 00:51:28,080 How high is that? How many metres? 687 00:51:28,080 --> 00:51:30,920 What he said was 4,300 metres. 688 00:51:30,920 --> 00:51:34,720 It doesn't matter how many times he's seen a tiger pug mark. 689 00:51:34,720 --> 00:51:38,280 At 4000 metres, if he's seen one there, he's seen it. 690 00:51:38,280 --> 00:51:42,200 It's incredible, unbelievable that this man is telling us 691 00:51:42,200 --> 00:51:49,040 that he's found evidence of tigers, 4,000 metres plus. 692 00:51:49,040 --> 00:51:52,080 If the gentleman wants to come into... Thank you. 693 00:51:53,160 --> 00:51:58,800 Gordon now has a first-hand account, suggesting at least one tiger lives on these peaks. 694 00:52:00,800 --> 00:52:04,640 We still need proof of this. 695 00:52:04,640 --> 00:52:06,720 This is anecdotal evidence, 696 00:52:06,720 --> 00:52:12,200 not that I'm doubting what anyone is saying, but we need evidence. 697 00:52:12,200 --> 00:52:15,320 We need to see a tiger at this elevation for ourselves, 698 00:52:15,320 --> 00:52:18,000 either with our own eyes, or with camera traps. 699 00:52:20,640 --> 00:52:25,000 Gordon must plant his camera traps even higher. 700 00:52:25,000 --> 00:52:28,040 If he can show that tigers live in these mountains, 701 00:52:28,040 --> 00:52:32,120 it would massively expand the proposed Himalayan tiger corridor. 702 00:52:32,120 --> 00:52:35,680 It would be a huge boost to saving them in the wild. 703 00:52:47,000 --> 00:52:50,360 Ten days into the expedition, they've found a wealth of animals, 704 00:52:50,360 --> 00:52:52,760 which George will include in his report. 705 00:52:55,120 --> 00:52:57,960 Alan is bringing in his camera traps. 706 00:53:01,760 --> 00:53:05,960 Everyone piles into the dining tent to see the results. 707 00:53:07,160 --> 00:53:10,280 Oh! That's beautiful. 708 00:53:11,400 --> 00:53:14,600 Nice big chunk of tiger food, is what that is. 709 00:53:15,400 --> 00:53:18,880 ALL: Oooh! Very nice, more tiger prey. 710 00:53:18,880 --> 00:53:21,560 Tigers love these big wild pigs. 711 00:53:21,560 --> 00:53:25,200 Oh, that's very nice. Two big chunks of tiger food. 712 00:53:25,200 --> 00:53:28,920 Oh! Well, there's no mistaking that. 713 00:53:28,920 --> 00:53:31,200 Female? Male. 714 00:53:31,200 --> 00:53:33,520 Really? Oh, yeah! LAUGHTER 715 00:53:33,520 --> 00:53:39,000 Oh, yeah, so it is! Oh, lots of ellies and a baby elly. 716 00:53:39,000 --> 00:53:41,600 Very close to the camera, isn't it? 717 00:53:41,600 --> 00:53:44,600 Amazing. That's a great shot. 718 00:53:46,200 --> 00:53:49,360 But there's only one animal the team really wants to see. 719 00:53:49,360 --> 00:53:52,440 ALL: Ah! 720 00:53:52,440 --> 00:53:53,560 It sure is. 721 00:53:53,560 --> 00:53:56,480 It's a tiger! 722 00:53:56,480 --> 00:53:59,120 Look at that big boy. Look at it!. Play it again. 723 00:54:01,760 --> 00:54:04,240 It's what the expedition have been dreaming of, 724 00:54:04,240 --> 00:54:08,760 hard evidence that the world's largest cat is living in these forests. 725 00:54:08,760 --> 00:54:11,320 That is the most fantastic thing I've ever seen. 726 00:54:11,320 --> 00:54:14,040 It's just absolutely... What a magnificent animal. 727 00:54:16,480 --> 00:54:19,320 As they continue to watch, they're in for a surprise. 728 00:54:19,320 --> 00:54:22,040 ALL: Oh! 729 00:54:22,040 --> 00:54:23,320 That is beautiful. 730 00:54:23,320 --> 00:54:25,720 There's not just one, but two tigers, 731 00:54:25,720 --> 00:54:28,800 walking the trails a couple of miles from camp. 732 00:54:30,760 --> 00:54:32,640 Oh, that is beautiful. 733 00:54:34,840 --> 00:54:38,560 It's the first time Bhutan's precious tigers have been filmed. 734 00:54:41,560 --> 00:54:44,200 Man, oh, man! 735 00:54:45,320 --> 00:54:48,440 Do you see that, just right on that crack? 736 00:54:48,440 --> 00:54:53,320 Oh, look at that. Unbelievable. 737 00:54:54,680 --> 00:54:59,080 They're here, they're healthy, the forest's healthy. 738 00:54:59,080 --> 00:55:01,720 It's just incredible. 739 00:55:01,720 --> 00:55:04,720 To me, this is as good as it gets. 740 00:55:04,720 --> 00:55:08,520 I would rather see these kind of great shots 741 00:55:08,520 --> 00:55:14,400 at several different locations, followed by prey on the same trail, frankly, 742 00:55:14,400 --> 00:55:17,440 than I would having a moment seeing a tiger in the forest. 743 00:55:22,720 --> 00:55:24,640 The team now have three images 744 00:55:24,640 --> 00:55:27,040 of one of the rarest animals on the planet. 745 00:55:31,360 --> 00:55:33,600 It's a fantastic start. 746 00:55:33,600 --> 00:55:37,360 Now they can extend their search throughout the forests of Bhutan 747 00:55:37,360 --> 00:55:41,680 and begin to work out how many breeding pairs there are. 748 00:55:44,960 --> 00:55:48,280 Look at that! That is spectacular. 749 00:55:48,280 --> 00:55:50,440 Awesome. 750 00:55:56,520 --> 00:56:01,280 High in the Himalayas, Gordon is looking for places to set his remote cameras. 751 00:56:03,280 --> 00:56:06,800 The air is getting thinner. 752 00:56:09,480 --> 00:56:10,720 I just can't breathe. 753 00:56:10,720 --> 00:56:12,440 I feel as if I don't belong here. 754 00:56:12,440 --> 00:56:15,440 You've got hardly any breath. 755 00:56:15,440 --> 00:56:17,000 Every five steps, I need to... 756 00:56:17,000 --> 00:56:20,480 I feel as if I have to stop. 757 00:56:27,960 --> 00:56:30,760 This is downright painful. 758 00:56:30,760 --> 00:56:35,320 My lungs are burning. My legs are burning. 759 00:56:42,080 --> 00:56:45,320 Man, do I really want to do this? 760 00:56:45,320 --> 00:56:47,560 Jesus. 761 00:57:06,480 --> 00:57:11,920 Altitude sickness is a real danger, but Gordon summons his last ounce of will. 762 00:57:15,120 --> 00:57:19,560 At 5,000 metres, he rigs his final camera. 763 00:57:28,520 --> 00:57:30,320 He has given his all. 764 00:57:35,040 --> 00:57:39,360 From now on, the remote cameras will be his eyes in the clouds. 765 00:57:39,360 --> 00:57:42,480 He'll recover them at the end of the expedition, 766 00:57:42,480 --> 00:57:47,440 to see if they bear witness to the highest living tigers in the world. 767 00:57:49,920 --> 00:57:51,040 Next time: 768 00:57:51,040 --> 00:57:53,480 The team strikes out from base camp. 769 00:57:53,480 --> 00:57:55,760 And their mission to save the tiger 770 00:57:55,760 --> 00:57:59,440 takes Steve on a dangerous journey into the unknown. 771 00:57:59,440 --> 00:58:02,880 Down there is where we'll find some answers about the tiger. 772 00:58:02,880 --> 00:58:06,320 George meets the king of the jungle... 773 00:58:06,320 --> 00:58:07,920 Look at him! 774 00:58:07,920 --> 00:58:10,400 Absolutely magnificent. 775 00:58:10,400 --> 00:58:12,800 And Alan's master plan begins to take shape... 776 00:58:12,800 --> 00:58:14,440 Can we save tigers? 777 00:58:14,440 --> 00:58:16,880 Absolutely, we can save tigers. 778 00:58:16,880 --> 00:58:19,120 We will save tigers. 779 00:58:29,520 --> 00:58:32,000 Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd 780 00:58:32,000 --> 00:58:35,320 E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk