All language subtitles for Asia (2024) - S01E05 - Crowded Continent (1080p BluRay x265 Silence)

Across Asia, vast fertile lands

support an ever-growing
human population.

In Vietnam alone,
the number of people

has more than doubled
in the last 50 years.

This is the most densely
populated continent of all -

home to 4.7 billion...

...and counting.

More people live in Asia

than in the rest of the world
combined.

Yet, in this crowded continent,
human settlements

also offer unique opportunities
for those animals

that are bold enough
to seek them.

Bhopal, central India.

During festivals,
the city fills with light.

But in the shadows,
a predator is on the prowl...

...lured here by the promise
of easy prey.

A tiger.

Asia's largest big cat.

This female needs
to make a kill every week.

And the city
has rich hunting grounds.

The occasional loss
of livestock...

...Is tolerated by the humans
who live here.

And the tigress has learnt
to become invisible.

Timing is everything.

She uses the same routes
as the people...

...but never at the same time.

And her stealthy strategy
pays off.

She has cubs.

A litter of four.

Tiger mothers usually
have only two cubs.

Quadruplets are a sign
that she's doing well.

But now,
she's got her work cut out.

She must teach her mischievous
cubs how to go unnoticed.

These urban tigers have learnt
to thrive in the human world...

...by staying
out of the spotlight.

In Sri Lanka,
the largest of land mammals

takes a very different approach.

Asian elephants live
in higher densities here

than anywhere else on Earth.

To find enough food, they roam
for hundreds of miles.

But people are never far away.

That means new dangers...

...but also new opportunities.

Fruit is tastier
than leaves and grass.

And on this road you can often
pick up a full meal.

But there is one bull
who takes things a stage further.

He doesn't wait patiently
by the roadside.

Instead, he uses
his four-tonne body

to create a roadblock

and demand a toll.

When he receives a payment,
he lets them past.

His persuasive charm
has earned him a reputation.

He's even been given a name -
Raja.

He knows which vehicles aren't
worth bothering with...

...and which have the potential

to deliver a feast.

Raja's gentle nature
has won many hearts.

But other bulls here

don't share
his diplomatic skills.

Their more assertive approach
doesn't get them anywhere.

And now, despite the risks,
entire families are showing up.

Elephant numbers
are on the rise in Sri Lanka.

Persuading people
to hand over their food

will be an increasingly
valuable skill...

...one there is plenty of time
to learn.

This new behaviour
is only possible

because of
the mutual respect here.

Such tolerance exists among
people right across Asia...

...including here...

...Nara, in central Japan.

During the morning rush hour,

not all commuters
walk on two legs.

Sika deer are more than
comfortable in this town.

They're free to roam
wherever they please.

This mutual understanding
has existed for generations.

A deer is believed,
in ancient times,

to have brought into the town
a divine messenger

riding on its back.

Ever since, sika deer here
have been considered sacred.

And today, they're celebrities.

They are hand-fed with
special deer crackers.

But every autumn,
the peace is disturbed.

Males start fighting
for females...

...and become a danger
to people.

To avoid accidents,

their antlers are removed.

They will grow back in spring,
and their temporary loss

allow the deer
to live in the city

without risk of hurting anyone.

But those males looking for
a mate now have a problem.

This stag's search

has brought him
to the edge of the town.

A group of females.

Perfect.

But they are being guarded...

...by a male from out of town

with an intimidating set
of antlers.

This posturing
signals a challenge.

A slip now
could cost him an eye.

Lacking antlers,
he's dependent on strength...

...skill
and sheer determination.

Even without weaponry,
he has beaten his opponent.

And winners get a chance
with the females.

India.

Home to more people

than any other country
on Earth.

Over 1.4 billion.

Half the population
work in agriculture.

And here, in the foothills

of the Himalaya,

the millet crop
is ready for harvesting.

But a raid is being planned.

A troop of Himalayan langurs.

These fields contain
the best food for miles around.

The prospect of such
a good meal is irresistible.

The crops, however, are growing
on the other side of a river.

And the only bridge
is patrolled by dogs.

They regularly Kill
intruding monkeys.

The langurs' only option
is to brave the rapids.

The dogs are closing in.

The baby has to cling
onto its mother for dear life.

These monkeys have made it -
to a field full of food...

...much more nutritious

than the wild plants
that grow higher up.

But the langurs must be alert.

A male keeps watch.

The langurs take refuge
in the nearby trees.

But now they're trapped.

One wrong move could be fatal.

But langurs are clever.

They create a diversion.

The older adults
lead the dogs away...

...and the others
are able to escape.

The troop is reunited.

Everyone is home and safe.

Agriculture in India
has shaped the landscape

for thousands of years.

Irrigating crops requires
an extensive network

of channels, dams and canals.

These features
occasionally create

unexpected opportunities
for animals.

In Gujarat,
in the west of India,

shakes are on the move.

These are chequered keelbacks

and they have a particular
destination in mind.

This drainage channel
might not look like much,

but it will soon
be full of fish.

And the snakes seem 10 know it.

Fish travelling upstream
to reach reservoirs

must pass through a narrow gap.

There, the snakes await them.

But the only thing they seem
to be actually catching...

...Is each other.

They don't have long
to get their eye in.

The fish are only here
for a few days each year,

when water levels
are at their peak.

And now, there is competition.

That is just showing off.

Jackpot!

Finally, the snakes
have caught on.

And now
they're getting ambitious...

...going for even bigger fish.

But be careful
what you wish for.

Such a stir
from one simple structure.

Human developments inevitably
affect the landscape.

And here in Asia,
that influence

has become major
and extensive.

Across the continent, people
are building in all directions,

faster than anywhere else
on Earth.

In just a few decades,

Singapore has become
totally urban.

And it's still expanding.

Today, two-thirds
of the world's megacities

are in Asia.

And some have spread so far

that they've merged
with one another.

In Japan, Tokyo has joined
with nearby Yokohama

and created the planet's
largest built-up area.

This is what is now known
as a megalopolis.

37 million people
have their homes here.

Such cities are surely
the most unnatural

of our planet's habitats.

Taipei - the capital of Taiwan.

Here, an animal
normally found in forests

now lives surrounded
by the glass and concrete

of a modern school.

On the fifth floor,
inside the library,

he's built a nest...

...between a window
and its shutters.

It's quiet, warm,
and far from predators.

A great place for a squirrel
to sleep through the day.

But when he wakes up,
he has a problem.

Here,
there is very little food.

To get to a tree
where there might be some,

he must travel from
one building to another...

...and that is dangerous.

But this is
no ordinary squirrel.

He has a superpower.

He can fly!

He has skin stretching
between his limbs

that enables him to glide
for 150 metres or so.

But to reach his destination
will be difficult.

Each takeoff must be
from as high as possible...

...because with every glide

he inevitably loses height.

And travelling over the ground
is very dangerous indeed.

At last,
the trees are in sight.

Just one more busy road
to cross, and he'll be there.

Finally, a meal.

Another Taipei resident
manages to find all it needs

without having to commute.

A rhinoceros beetle

emerging in a city garden.

Males have only one thing
on their mind...

...sex in the city.

This may seem an unlikely place
to find a mate.

But there's something here

that all rhinoceros beetles
find irresistible.

Ash trees.

Lots of females
are already here,

feeding on the sweet sap.

This male approaches them
cautiously.

But he's not the first
to arrive.

And some
have much bigger horns.

Down...

...but not out.

Rhinoceros beetles
don't give up easily.

But these ash trees have been
planted closer together

than they usually grow
in the wild...

...which is why there are so
many rhinoceros beetles here.

And more males
means more battles.

With such a small horn,
the odds of winning are low.

Sometimes you have to rely
on stealth.

Waiting for the other males
to start fighting...

...and then sneaking past.

Finally, a female.

Rhinoceros beetles are one
of a select group of animals

able to thrive in Asian cities.

Bangkok,
the capital of Thailand,

has a population
of 10 million people.

Only 250 years ago,
this was all wetlands.

And between the skyscrapers,
remnants of that past remain.

This is Lumpini Park,

and here
swamp-dwellers still survive.

An Asian water monitor.

This young female is one
of the smallest in the park...

...So her life here isn't easy.

Males dominate.

Some are over
two metres long...

...and all are expert
at fishing.

There are 300 or so
living here -

as dense a population
of big lizards

as you can find anywhere...

...80 competition is fierce.

This small female
will need to be bold

if she's to get her fair share.

A catch as big as this
attracts a crowd.

Their forked tongues
enable them to detect a scent

from half a mile away...

...and soon many huge males
arrive.

The female is undaunted.

Despite her small size,
she barges straight in.

But as more males gather,
they squabble.

Her chances don't look good.

When you can't get a look-in,
other tactics might work...

...such as stealing.

This female now has
her very own fish head...

...and she's not giving it up.

There's so much food here that
these lizards are thriving...

...and seemingly
finding little difficulty

in living alongside humans.

That is not a common ability.

Most animals need
a more natural world,

and that is diminishing

as a consequence of
our ever-increasing numbers.

In Borneo, in just 50 years,

the human population
has tripled,

whilst the size of its forest
has halved.

And one of the island's
inhabitants,

which lives nowhere else,
has very special requirements.

Proboscis monkeys.

Their favourite food
are the leaves

of a particular species
of mangrove.

The youngest leaves
are the most nutritious,

so the monkeys
are constantly on the move,

looking for fresh growth.

As the forest shrinks,

these trees are becoming
more difficult to find.

Now their search for food

is bringing the monkeys
into the human world...

...that lies on the other side
of a 100m-wide river.

These pipes are the only bridge
across it for miles.

But the monkeys don't use it.

They can swim.

The baby struggles
to keep its head above water.

Made it!

But their journey
is far from over.

And now
they are in human territory.

To reach the trees
they are seeking,

the troop must cross

the outskirts of the city.

And that brings them
closer to people.

At last,
on the edge of the city,

their favourite leaves.

The dangerous journey
has paid off.

But a tiny, isolated patch
of mangroves like this

won't sustain them for long.

If they are to survive,

they will soon have to find
another patch somewhere.

Like so many animals
from the wilderness,

these monkeys face
an uncertain future.

But there is, however,
one species

that has become
increasingly dependent

on our towns and cities.

These swifts have just
travelled over 3,000 miles

from Sub-Saharan Africa
to Jerusalem,

in the far west of Asia.

In the heart
of this ancient city,

they nest in walls that have
stood here for 2,000 years.

The Western Wall.

It's one of the holiest sites
in Judaism,

and swifts doubtless
have nested here

ever since it was built.

The cracks between the stones
are just the sort of nest sites

that swifts like.

Across the Middle East,

these birds rely
on human structures.

And if they can, they return

to the same nest site
each year.

This one is waiting
for its partner to arrive.

They pair for life,

but only come together
for the short breeding season.

After nine months apart,
they are united once again.

This couple are
among the lucky ones.

They have a chance
of raising a family this year.

But some will never
find a home.

The urban world on which
they have relied is changing.

Old buildings
are being replaced

by cliffs of glass and steel.

There are no nooks and crannies
here.

With fewer places to nest,

swift populations
the world over are in decline.

But every pair
that breeds successfully

brings hope for the species.

In this nest, good news.

The parents
are now raising two chicks.

Growing youngsters
need feeding every hour.

Swifts do everything
on the wing,

from catching
thousands of insects

to collecting water,

a task which requires

very precise aerial manoeuvres.

In a few weeks, these chicks
will also take to the skies.

They may then remain
in the air, continuously,

for three years,

until they're mature enough

to return and breed themselves.

But as historic cities

are transformed
by modern structures,

the birds will face
an even greater challenge.

We should surely
leave enough space

for those few creatures
in the world

who still choose
to live alongside us.

Filming
animals living alongside people

took the Asia team
into new territories.

Whilst most
wildlife film-makers

work in the wilderness...

...they found themselves

in the busiest
and most built-up parts

of the continent.

The challenges of filming
animals in human habitats

don't come much bigger
than they did in Sri Lanka.

With elephants on a busy road,

the priority is
to keep everybody safe.

We did a recce yesterday
with Sam,

our incredibly experienced
guide,

and he...he's identified
two elephants

that are quite aggressive.

And just from that drive-by,
it's fairly evident

that they're quite aggressive!

That tusker's
body language

was completely different.

He felt stressed
being on the road.

And I felt stressed
being around him!

Just... Just completely
unpredictable.

Interactions between
people and elephants

can quickly escalate.

In Sri Lanka,

conflicts frequently result
in fatalities on both sides.

Rangers patrol these roads

and use firecrackers

to scare the more aggressive
elephants away.

But not all the bulls here
are the same.

The rangers introduce the crew

to one whose calm nature
makes him safer to film.

Oh, dude, perfect.

That was great.

That was an awesome shot.

Raja.

He's got a very
different temperament

to all the other elephants
we've seen.

He's the calmest out of all of
them, and the most confident.

Justine has 30 years
of experience

filming elephants
all over the world.

But she's never met an elephant
quite like Raja.

Today, he's decided to stand
right next to the vehicle,

in a shady spot,
which is a bit tricky,

because I don't know
where to put the camera.

It's proving difficult to
get him to keep his distance.

There's no food.

No food, Raja.
We don't have anything.

Look, nothing.

Usually, filming the close-ups
is the hardest part.

But here, it's the wide shots
that are tough.

Whilst Justine
works with Raja...

...Emma-Louise
wants to capture the action

from a different angle.

From inside a bus.

The challenge
with filming on a bus is that

it's always a completely
different scenario,

so no two buses are the same.

The interior's
completely different.

It's kind of getting a feel for
how most buses are laid out.

You have different conductors,
different drivers,

the elephants are on
different sides of the road.

So no matter how well
you think you've planned

for the camera moves
you want to do,

it's never the way you planned!

We're not allowed to direct
or instruct the conductors

or the driver at all,
because

they're driving a public bus
on a public highway,

so we can't ask them
to do anything.

Ah, wrong side, OK.

Meanwhile,
Justine has enlisted help

to get some much-needed
distance from Raja.

He's talking to Raja,
basically, saying,

"It's OK,
we don't have anything.

"Go back
to where you were."

Raja seems to look at him.

The way he speaks
is just gentle.

They seem to have
a relationship, these two.

Now, you see,
he's turned around.

He's going back to his patch.

Thanks to the ranger's
negotiating skills,

Justine can get to work
filming Raja at work.

I mean, compared
to all the other elephants,

he is the utter master
of road scavenging.

He's a bit of a legend.

After hours on the road,

the bus team feel like their
plan will never come together.

I think we've been
on about 38 buses now in total,

maybe 40.

You need the perfect position
of the elephant,

you need the perfect position
of the driver.

All the stars
just have to align.

Ah, this is a good bus
for that shot.

Finally...

...persistence pays off.

I love it
when a plan comes together.

I think that's awesome.

That's really good. Nice.

You want to see?

In Sri Lanka,
elephants and humans overlap

more than anywhere else
on Earth,

and so there will be
challenges.

The human-wildlife conflict,
or coexistence,

is a tricky one here,
like it is everywhere.

A fighting over resources.

But here, the relationship
is one of tolerance...

...an attitude which the Asia
team witnessed many times

whilst filming across
this spectacular continent.