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For centuries, we've known Arabia
as a desolate and forbidding land.

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WIND BLOWS

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A vast and barren desert,
where little survives.

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But there's one corner of Arabia
where life thrives.

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A mountain range that rises
dramatically from the ocean below.

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Once a year, this coast undergoes
an amazing transformation.

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Making it home to more wildlife
than anywhere else in Arabia.

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In the far south of Arabia, on
the border between Oman and Yemen,

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lies the Dhofar coast.

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BIRDSONG

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Here, beside the Indian Ocean,

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a range of mountains rises
1,000 metres from the shore.

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This remote region is home to
an amazing variety of wildlife.

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BIRDSONG

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It's January in Dhofar.

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The start of a year in which
a team of biologists

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will try to discover
what makes Dhofar so rich.

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Hadi and Khaled Al Hikmani
grew up on this escarpment.

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Now, as Omani government
researchers,

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they want to find out
just how many species live here.

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THEY CHATTER

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Using remote cameras,
triggered by an infrared beam,

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they hope to film
as many animals as they can,

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including one so rare,
locals call it a living ghost -

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the Arabian leopard.

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These cameras
will run throughout the year,

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opening a window
onto the private life

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of Dhofar's most elusive animals.

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But not all the creatures here
are so shy.

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A female Verreaux's eagle
is on patrol.

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She's a fussy eater.

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A Pygmy owl won't do.

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Her diet is so specialised, she
needs a partner to help capture it.

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They're searching for a prey
whose nearest living relative

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is the African elephant.

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The tusks are a giveaway.

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BIRD SQUAWKS

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A Rock hyrax.

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They feed on bushes on the cliff
face, safe from most predators.

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But these eagles use a tactic
rarely seen in the bird world.

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They go to work as a team.

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It won't be easy.

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Fan-tailed ravens don't like eagles
in their air-space.

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This is a test of aerobatic skills.

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A nesting kestrel doesn't want
the eagles around either.

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HYRAX CHITTERS

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The eagles split up.

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HYRAX CHITTER

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The female hugs the cliff edge...

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..while the male soars
in front of the sun...

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..hiding in the blinding light.

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But the hyrax have a unique
blue-tinted retina

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that acts like sunglasses,

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allowing them
to stare directly back.

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They don't let the male eagle
out of their sight.

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But the male was merely a decoy.

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His partner
has already made the kill.

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By working together, they've
captured their favourite meal.

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HYRAX TRILLS

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To feed themselves
and a hungry chick,

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the pair must kill
over ten hyrax a week.

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CHICK CHIRPS

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These little cousins of the elephant
are part of a rich food chain.

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But it's not only the mountains
of Dhofar where wildlife thrives.

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Just offshore...

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..is the Indian Ocean...

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..home to one of the rarest
animals on earth.

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It's February and the waters echo
with a song heard nowhere else.

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WHALE MOANS

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WHALE GROANS SOFTLY

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An Arabian humpback whale.

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There are less than 100
left on the planet.

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They're so special
they've become targets.

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WHALE SONG CONTINUES

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Researchers are now
on the hunt for whale DNA.

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The dart merely pricks the skin
and the whale barely feels a thing,

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but the scientists
have the sample they need.

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WHALE SONG

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The DNA results have
revealed something amazing

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about this population.

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SCIENTISTS CONFER

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These humpbacks have not bred
with any other whales

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for over 60,000 years.

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The last time
they met with others of their kind,

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sabre-toothed cats roamed the earth

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and the Arabian peninsula
was still joined to Asia by land.

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Using underwater microphones,

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scientists are recording whale songs
never heard before

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and think they may have discovered
a new race of whales.

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WHALES TRILL AND GROAN

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Perhaps the most remarkable
discovery about these whales

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is that they're the only humpbacks
in the world that don't migrate.

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All other humpbacks
breed in warm oceans,

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then travel to polar waters to feed.

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Only cold water carries
the nutrients they need.

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WHALE SONG

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But in 60,000 years,

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these humpbacks of the Arabian Sea
have never left.

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For these giants
to survive here year-round,

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cold water full of food
must arrive from somewhere.

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This holds the key, not just
for the humpbacks' survival,

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but for all life
in these coastal mountains.

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But for now, these waters remain
warm and barren,

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just like the Arabian coastline.

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It's April,

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and not a drop of rain has fallen in
the mountains for over six months.

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Arabia is so dry that not a single
river flows permanently

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on this entire sub-continent.

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The daytime temperature
reaches 45 degrees Celsius.

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WIND WHISTLES

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Shamal winds from the north

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bring no relief for those living
in the Dhofar mountains.

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Hadi and Khaled's families have
herded goats here for generations.

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They are Jabali people,
originally from Africa.

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At this time of year,
they travel far and wide

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to find grazing for their animals.

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Hadi and Khaled's village sits
on the top of the Dhofar escarpment.

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Khaled's mother carries a weapon
to protect her flock.

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GOAT BLEATS

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In these remote mountains, their
livestock are exposed to predators.

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And in the heat of early summer,

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it seems the predators
are becoming more bold.

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A neighbour has
called for Khaled's help.

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LIVESTOCK SQUAWKS

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As a government researcher,

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he's first on call when wildlife
comes into the village.

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Once a predator breaks in,

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there's usually only one outcome.

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The teeth marks suggest
a large carnivore.

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Losing one goat is bad.

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The loss of eight goats
will hit the family very hard.

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In the past,

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Khaled's village would've set out
to hunt this killer.

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Now Khaled wants to
hunt for answers.

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FLIES BUZZ

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He suspects the killer will return
to the scene of the crime.

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He sets a trap
with remote-control cameras.

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An image of the culprit may help
efforts to compensate farmers.

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Khaled is a goat herder himself,
as well as a biologist.

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On the one hand, he hopes to protect
rare carnivores in these hills.

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On the other, his family rely on him
to keep their goats safe.

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GOATS BLEAT

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It's a clear, starry night,
but there's no moon.

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When the village lights go out,
it's pitch black.

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Only by using a special
heat-sensitive camera

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can we witness the night's drama.

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GOATS BLEAT

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CRICKETS CHIRRUP

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The thermal camera
shows a cold, dark night

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dotted with warm-blooded mammals.

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To the human eye,
there's nothing but darkness.

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CAMELS GROAN

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The night-watchman can't see
the predators gathering.

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WOLF HOWLS

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Arabian wolves.

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WOLVES HOWL

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The Jabali often hear wolves,

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but no-one knew they came
so close to the village.

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They have rarely been seen
in groups bigger than four.

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This pack numbers 12 individuals,

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the largest ever recorded -

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a clear sign there's more food
for them in the Dhofar mountains

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than anywhere else in Arabia.

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But they may not be the only ones
feasting tonight.

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The party's over.

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ANIMAL SHUFFLES

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There's only one beast
not afraid to take on 12 wolves.

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A female striped hyena
moves into position.

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The scout can't see
the intruder in the darkness.

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And the hyena makes her move.

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One-on-one, a wolf is no match
for a hyena.

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She's not quick,
but she's immensely strong.

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With one bite,
she could crush a wolf's skull.

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THEY GROWL

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THEY SNARL

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In the darkness,
the wolves lose their nerve,

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and the thief helps herself.

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WOLF WHIMPERS

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Dhofar is one of the few places
on earth

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where wolves and hyenas
come face-to-face.

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But it won't be the rivalry
between the two species

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that affects their survival.

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It's the conflict
between predators and Jabali farmers

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that Hadi and Khaled
are most concerned about.

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BIRDSONG

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At dawn, Hadi and Khaled
download their cameras.

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The villagers heard wolves,

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but the appearance
of a striped hyena is a surprise.

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The video will be
a useful first step

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in resolving the locals' conflict
with predators.

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If they can identify
individual culprits,

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it may prevent indiscriminate
revenge.

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THEY CHAT

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00:21:38,620 --> 00:21:41,740
ANIMALS GROWL AND BARK

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The cameras not only capture
the behaviour of large carnivores,

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they shed light on some more obscure
night hunters.

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Honey badgers usually forage alone.

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In the mountains,
it appears they roam in packs.

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And then a sight of one the rarest
animals in the world...

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..an Arabian leopard.

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THEY CONFER

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These are the shots they're after.

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They set out to check their cameras,

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covering over 100 miles
of the Dhofar mountains.

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The cameras are capturing a rich
food chain, from top to bottom.

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Hadi and Khaled's results are
revealing a remarkable web of life.

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But what is the one thing
that connects all this wildlife

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and makes the Dhofar mountains
so rich?

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The answer lies in their position,
right by the Indian Ocean.

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It's May,
the hottest month of the year.

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And one predator knows that Dhofar's
riches come from the sea.

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An Arabian fox.

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00:24:14,220 --> 00:24:16,860
Tonight, this predator
from the mountains

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00:24:16,860 --> 00:24:20,060
will come face-to-face with
a creature from the Indian Ocean.

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ANIMAL SCUFFLES

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An ancient mariner has brought
treasure ashore to bury.

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00:24:34,900 --> 00:24:38,940
An animal that has changed little
since the time of the dinosaurs.

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A female green sea turtle.

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00:24:51,380 --> 00:24:54,900
She is here to do
what her ancestors have done

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for over 100 million years.

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With her hind flippers,

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she carefully digs a hole
of just the right depth.

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Her tears excrete salt
and keep sand out of her eyes,

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as she lays over 100 eggs.

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This is the only activity
that will ever bring her ashore.

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00:25:22,020 --> 00:25:23,740
And it has not gone unnoticed.

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Once her eggs are buried,
her job as mother is done.

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She returns to the sea
for another year...

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..but it's her buried treasure
that the thief is after.

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An egg is a nutritious meal
for this skinny fox.

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A second female arrives
to take her chances.

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Two more, and the turtles
are improving their odds.

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00:26:32,100 --> 00:26:34,020
But the fox isn't alone either.

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These foxes can dig up eggs
quicker than turtles can bury them.

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00:26:50,900 --> 00:26:53,860
Theirs is the most specialised diet
of any fox.

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90% of everything they eat in their
whole life will be turtle eggs.

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There is little the turtles can do
to defend their clutch,

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but they have one strategy
the foxes can never match.

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Numbers.

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Each year,
over 10,000 female turtles

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00:27:15,860 --> 00:27:19,020
lay over three million eggs
along this coast.

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It would take the foxes
over 50 years

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to eat this season's batch alone.

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00:27:46,340 --> 00:27:49,900
Riches from the Indian Ocean
are feeding the Arabian land.

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00:27:52,940 --> 00:27:56,860
Ultimately, all of Dhofar's riches
are sustained by the sea.

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And the sea itself is undergoing
a radical transformation.

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Warm surface waters
are being dragged away,

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sucked to the north
by the mighty Indian monsoon.

249
00:28:17,740 --> 00:28:21,780
An oceanic vacuum is created,
and something must fill the space.

250
00:28:27,260 --> 00:28:29,300
Cold water wells up from the depths,

251
00:28:29,300 --> 00:28:31,820
bringing nutrients
from the sea floor with it.

252
00:28:46,820 --> 00:28:49,220
Chilled water also holds
more oxygen,

253
00:28:49,220 --> 00:28:52,420
and more oxygen means more life.

254
00:28:55,140 --> 00:28:58,180
As the temperature drops,
these seas are transforming

255
00:28:58,180 --> 00:29:00,340
into some of the richest
in the world.

256
00:29:05,500 --> 00:29:10,220
Microscopic plankton flourish,
and an explosion of life begins.

257
00:29:15,700 --> 00:29:19,860
Fish from every corner of
the Indian Ocean have come to feed.

258
00:29:21,300 --> 00:29:22,700
Fusiliers.

259
00:29:24,260 --> 00:29:25,340
Blue triggerfish.

260
00:29:31,700 --> 00:29:33,700
And graceful devil rays.

261
00:29:37,180 --> 00:29:40,940
Some have travelled from as far
as Australia to enjoy these riches.

262
00:29:47,380 --> 00:29:50,140
This is why the humpbacks
never leave.

263
00:29:51,180 --> 00:29:54,460
They don't need to migrate
to cold waters to feed.

264
00:29:54,460 --> 00:29:56,740
Cold water comes to them.

265
00:30:01,940 --> 00:30:06,980
And this bounty attracts one species
that arrives not in thousands,

266
00:30:06,980 --> 00:30:08,540
not even millions.

267
00:30:12,140 --> 00:30:16,140
The Indian oil sardine
arrives in billions.

268
00:30:18,980 --> 00:30:22,660
A single shoal
can be over three miles long.

269
00:30:45,340 --> 00:30:48,260
By moving in unison,
they confuse predators.

270
00:30:52,500 --> 00:30:53,660
Rays are too slow.

271
00:30:57,780 --> 00:31:00,420
Socotra cormorants
struggle to pick a target.

272
00:31:05,580 --> 00:31:08,220
But synchronised swimming
won't protect them

273
00:31:08,220 --> 00:31:10,500
from the ocean's most
voracious predator -

274
00:31:12,820 --> 00:31:14,140
man.

275
00:31:17,940 --> 00:31:21,540
The arrival of the sardines
means the Jabali mountain-men

276
00:31:21,540 --> 00:31:23,260
become part-time fishermen.

277
00:31:29,300 --> 00:31:32,300
Over half a million tonnes of fish
will be brought in.

278
00:32:15,420 --> 00:32:19,060
While the cold water
is a boon for sardines,

279
00:32:19,060 --> 00:32:22,300
it's brought hard times
for the resident corals.

280
00:32:24,100 --> 00:32:27,780
The water temperature has dropped
ten degrees in a matter of weeks.

281
00:32:30,180 --> 00:32:34,300
Tropical species are now being
overrun by a cold-water bully.

282
00:32:40,180 --> 00:32:44,620
Kelp grows up to 50 centimetres
per day, smothering the reef.

283
00:32:50,220 --> 00:32:53,940
Most warm-water residents
have no choice but to stay put.

284
00:33:01,500 --> 00:33:08,060
A lone clown-fish. He has
made his home in a small anemone.

285
00:33:08,060 --> 00:33:11,820
A tiny tropical island
in a sea that's turned cold.

286
00:33:20,420 --> 00:33:25,180
For these tropical species, their
world has been turned upside down.

287
00:33:39,900 --> 00:33:43,940
The Indian monsoon
has struck the Dhofar coast.

288
00:34:11,780 --> 00:34:14,460
The monsoon brings with it
the magic ingredient

289
00:34:14,460 --> 00:34:16,620
that sustains life
in these mountains.

290
00:34:19,620 --> 00:34:22,540
The chilled waters
cool the air above them.

291
00:34:27,940 --> 00:34:30,500
Creating clouds which pour inland.

292
00:35:01,260 --> 00:35:03,180
The air is so humid,

293
00:35:03,180 --> 00:35:06,740
the clouds need only touch an object
to release their moisture.

294
00:35:09,460 --> 00:35:10,660
CAMEL GRIZZLES

295
00:35:16,740 --> 00:35:20,220
The mist is about to work miracles.

296
00:35:26,380 --> 00:35:28,940
Condensation settles on everything.

297
00:35:53,300 --> 00:35:55,900
Some homes are water-logged.

298
00:35:59,140 --> 00:36:01,260
A female golden orb spider.

299
00:36:05,260 --> 00:36:08,020
Her oily exoskeleton
helps keep water out,

300
00:36:08,020 --> 00:36:11,100
but shedding the droplets
isn't easy.

301
00:36:27,740 --> 00:36:33,140
Her male is one-tenth her size,
and even less skilled at drying off.

302
00:36:48,380 --> 00:36:50,460
Through June, the monsoon builds

303
00:36:50,460 --> 00:36:53,860
into one of the biggest
weather systems on earth.

304
00:36:59,420 --> 00:37:02,940
Cool ocean winds
meet warm Arabian air

305
00:37:02,940 --> 00:37:05,500
creating vast cloud banks.

306
00:37:24,900 --> 00:37:28,380
The Dhofar escarpment
provides the perfect barrier...

307
00:37:30,420 --> 00:37:34,260
..trapping the clouds and hijacking
their precious moisture.

308
00:37:40,820 --> 00:37:44,620
There is more rainfall here
than the rest of Arabia combined.

309
00:37:49,340 --> 00:37:54,780
In July, the monsoon's blanket
rests heavy on the land,

310
00:37:54,780 --> 00:37:56,820
and mist turns to rain.

311
00:38:11,900 --> 00:38:14,820
Plants grow on other plants
to gain height

312
00:38:14,820 --> 00:38:16,940
and steal as much moisture
as they can.

313
00:38:20,420 --> 00:38:23,740
Even the animals here have amazing
methods of catching rain.

314
00:38:26,300 --> 00:38:29,940
The Arabian chameleon absorbs water
directly through his skin.

315
00:38:31,780 --> 00:38:34,820
And the head-shield
funnels raindrops to his mouth.

316
00:38:37,340 --> 00:38:39,700
Perhaps a little too much, today.

317
00:38:54,540 --> 00:38:57,940
Down below, the ground
is now so sodden

318
00:38:57,940 --> 00:39:00,420
that others are emerging
from months underground.

319
00:39:03,860 --> 00:39:06,140
Snails have been avoiding the heat,

320
00:39:06,140 --> 00:39:09,780
but now conditions are just right,
and there's lots to catch up on.

321
00:39:12,980 --> 00:39:15,540
Snails are seeking other snails.

322
00:39:21,740 --> 00:39:24,780
And the tree trunks
have become singles bars.

323
00:39:36,860 --> 00:39:38,420
Within a few short months,

324
00:39:38,420 --> 00:39:40,860
the monsoon moisture
has worked its magic...

325
00:39:43,500 --> 00:39:47,940
..turning the once-parched hills
into a green paradise.

326
00:40:00,180 --> 00:40:03,780
This is a side of Arabia
that few of us could imagine.

327
00:40:08,300 --> 00:40:12,500
A practically hidden ecosystem
springs to life.

328
00:40:37,820 --> 00:40:41,980
The Dhofar coast
has become the jewel of Arabia.

329
00:40:45,060 --> 00:40:49,940
By August, the earth
cannot soak up any more water

330
00:40:49,940 --> 00:40:52,740
and the Dhofar mountains drain
what they can't hold.

331
00:41:11,580 --> 00:41:15,380
When creeks turn to rivers,
some opt for a spot of fishing.

332
00:41:16,980 --> 00:41:18,300
There are beginners...

333
00:41:18,300 --> 00:41:19,740
and experts.

334
00:41:24,260 --> 00:41:28,460
A few fish have clung on
though the dry season in tiny pools,

335
00:41:28,460 --> 00:41:30,900
and now their numbers explode.

336
00:41:32,780 --> 00:41:35,820
Each pond contains species
different to the next,

337
00:41:35,820 --> 00:41:37,780
some found nowhere else on earth.

338
00:41:43,540 --> 00:41:46,940
Millions of litres of water
have permeated the mountains,

339
00:41:49,020 --> 00:41:52,300
a treasure that will trickle out
all year round

340
00:41:52,300 --> 00:41:56,100
in the form of springs,
sustaining life for another year.

341
00:42:07,860 --> 00:42:11,340
Many animals rely on the summer
monsoon to build fat reserves

342
00:42:11,340 --> 00:42:12,740
for the lean times ahead.

343
00:42:26,500 --> 00:42:28,660
In the final days of greenery,

344
00:42:28,660 --> 00:42:31,300
the Jabali gather their camels
together

345
00:42:31,300 --> 00:42:33,260
to graze in their thousands.

346
00:42:55,660 --> 00:42:59,260
Hadi and Khaled continue their
research through the wet season.

347
00:43:09,140 --> 00:43:12,660
After a few short months,
the monsoon begins to fade.

348
00:43:17,020 --> 00:43:22,620
September gives way to October,
and the Arabian sun regains control.

349
00:43:38,860 --> 00:43:42,420
Arabia is once again
a land without rivers.

350
00:43:55,460 --> 00:43:59,820
Her mountains face the Indian Ocean,
awaiting next year's gifts.

351
00:44:18,060 --> 00:44:20,340
By December,
Hadi and Khaled's cameras

352
00:44:20,340 --> 00:44:22,540
have been running in isolation
for a year.

353
00:44:27,220 --> 00:44:29,060
Their persistence has paid off.

354
00:44:31,180 --> 00:44:33,900
Their holy grail appears
closer than expected.

355
00:44:37,260 --> 00:44:38,540
GROWLING

356
00:44:48,780 --> 00:44:51,420
Technology has brought them
face to face

357
00:44:51,420 --> 00:44:54,300
with one of the most elusive
predators on the planet.

358
00:45:09,660 --> 00:45:11,140
GROWLING

359
00:45:11,140 --> 00:45:13,980
Their cameras
are not only capturing images,

360
00:45:13,980 --> 00:45:18,860
but the first-ever sound recordings
of the leopard's mating call.

361
00:45:18,860 --> 00:45:20,860
SONOROUS PANTING

362
00:45:49,540 --> 00:45:52,740
Hadi and Khaled will use this
footage to raise awareness

363
00:45:52,740 --> 00:45:55,260
of the Arabian leopard.

364
00:45:55,260 --> 00:45:58,260
With support from the Oman
government, they hope to ensure

365
00:45:58,260 --> 00:46:01,260
the cats' survival
in these mountains by the sea.

366
00:46:09,060 --> 00:46:13,260
For the Arabian leopard, the Dhofar
mountains are their last stronghold.

367
00:46:18,540 --> 00:46:19,780
Caves in these cliffs

368
00:46:19,780 --> 00:46:22,500
provide shelter
for these secretive creatures.

369
00:46:45,980 --> 00:46:48,260
For the first time ever,
we have a glimpse

370
00:46:48,260 --> 00:46:51,020
into the private life
of these elusive animals.

371
00:46:57,740 --> 00:47:01,220
And we know now that the leopards
share these mountains

372
00:47:01,220 --> 00:47:03,900
with some equally remarkable
predators.

373
00:47:11,940 --> 00:47:13,660
The story of the striped hyena

374
00:47:13,660 --> 00:47:16,660
is intricately linked
with that of the Arabian wolf.

375
00:47:19,100 --> 00:47:22,980
All these large carnivores sit
at the top of a fragile food chain.

376
00:47:25,100 --> 00:47:26,900
A web of life that relies on

377
00:47:26,900 --> 00:47:30,340
the spectacular setting
of their mountain fortress.

378
00:47:52,540 --> 00:47:57,660
As long as the Indian monsoon
sweeps past each summer,

379
00:47:57,660 --> 00:47:59,060
Dhofar will remain home

380
00:47:59,060 --> 00:48:01,500
to the greatest diversity of life
in Arabia.

381
00:48:16,580 --> 00:48:19,860
There are less than 200 Arabian
leopards left in the world.

382
00:48:22,220 --> 00:48:24,060
They are critically endangered.

383
00:48:30,820 --> 00:48:35,660
And yet a simple mist is all that's
needed to sustain this living ghost,

384
00:48:35,660 --> 00:48:39,500
and everything that lives
in these Arabian mountains.

385
00:48:57,420 --> 00:48:59,220
For the Wild Arabia team,

386
00:48:59,220 --> 00:49:03,060
one animal above all posed
their greatest filming challenge.

387
00:49:05,020 --> 00:49:07,460
Deep in the remote mountains
of Oman,

388
00:49:07,460 --> 00:49:09,980
these animals are notoriously
elusive.

389
00:49:11,820 --> 00:49:15,500
Spotting an Arabian wolf in daylight
is tricky enough,

390
00:49:15,500 --> 00:49:18,380
but it's only after the sun
goes down that they hunt.

391
00:49:20,740 --> 00:49:23,220
By braving the Arabian nights,

392
00:49:23,220 --> 00:49:26,500
the team got a lot more than
they bargained for.

393
00:49:30,580 --> 00:49:32,500
WOLF HOWLS

394
00:49:37,260 --> 00:49:40,460
Cameraman Mateo Willis
grew up in Oman,

395
00:49:40,460 --> 00:49:44,340
and since an early age has been
intrigued by the Arabian wolf.

396
00:49:44,340 --> 00:49:46,580
So, I think we have to make
several trips.

397
00:49:46,580 --> 00:49:49,780
To find them he'll need the help
of biologist Hadi Al Hikmani.

398
00:49:49,780 --> 00:49:51,900
Hadi, have you got the laptop?

399
00:49:54,500 --> 00:49:58,980
Mateo has known Hadi
for over 20 years and between them

400
00:49:58,980 --> 00:50:01,820
they know these mountains
extremely well.

401
00:50:01,820 --> 00:50:04,660
Whose idea was it
to bring so much luggage?

402
00:50:04,660 --> 00:50:07,460
And there's one spot
where Hadi's camera traps

403
00:50:07,460 --> 00:50:09,100
have had a lot of success.

404
00:50:09,100 --> 00:50:10,100
Hey!

405
00:50:11,740 --> 00:50:13,580
Porcupine.

406
00:50:17,860 --> 00:50:21,300
Large packs of wolves
are known to patrol this canyon.

407
00:50:22,860 --> 00:50:25,260
Mateo has a lot to set up
before the sun sets.

408
00:50:38,380 --> 00:50:42,380
This ledge will be Mateo's bedroom
for the foreseeable future,

409
00:50:42,380 --> 00:50:44,620
and he won't be getting much sleep.

410
00:50:49,820 --> 00:50:53,420
Mateo has illuminated the track
with infrared lights.

411
00:50:53,420 --> 00:50:57,060
The camera can capture an image,
but infrared is invisible

412
00:50:57,060 --> 00:51:00,260
to the wolves.
He's hoping they won't spot him.

413
00:51:03,540 --> 00:51:07,180
We've had a lot of luck with remote
cameras. We've got some great stuff.

414
00:51:07,180 --> 00:51:09,660
But the problem is, they're only
ever snapshots of animals.

415
00:51:09,660 --> 00:51:12,700
What's really great about being
back here behind the camera

416
00:51:12,700 --> 00:51:14,540
is that for the first time
we're hoping

417
00:51:14,540 --> 00:51:16,980
we'll be able to follow them
in greater detail

418
00:51:16,980 --> 00:51:19,580
and reveal a bit more
about their behaviour.

419
00:51:23,260 --> 00:51:27,940
It has now been days,
and Mateo hasn't filmed a thing.

420
00:51:34,180 --> 00:51:37,060
There's just nothing coming through.

421
00:51:37,060 --> 00:51:39,180
And yet we know
from the remote cameras

422
00:51:39,180 --> 00:51:42,060
that animals come through here
almost every night.

423
00:51:44,060 --> 00:51:45,780
WOLVES HOWL

424
00:51:45,780 --> 00:51:49,500
Very frustrating. I can hear
the wolves, I just can't see them.

425
00:51:49,500 --> 00:51:51,500
Our lights are so concentrated

426
00:51:51,500 --> 00:51:54,300
that the wolves just have to be
ten feet to the left or right,

427
00:51:54,300 --> 00:51:56,740
and I just can't see them at all.

428
00:52:01,220 --> 00:52:04,300
It's time to head back
to the drawing board.

429
00:52:04,300 --> 00:52:06,620
To get any footage
of these shy animals,

430
00:52:06,620 --> 00:52:10,420
the team will need a camera that
sees much further into the darkness.

431
00:52:22,380 --> 00:52:26,620
After two months, the crew return
with a possible solution.

432
00:52:29,700 --> 00:52:31,540
In the last few weeks,

433
00:52:31,540 --> 00:52:35,980
Khaled's family have heard wolves
howling at night.

434
00:52:35,980 --> 00:52:39,620
He suggests that they set up their
hide on the edge of his village.

435
00:52:41,980 --> 00:52:45,540
The night crew are now armed with
a completely new system -

436
00:52:45,540 --> 00:52:48,020
a camera they hope
will let them film wolves

437
00:52:48,020 --> 00:52:50,060
without the use of any lights
at all.

438
00:52:51,700 --> 00:52:53,860
Camerawoman Sue Gibson

439
00:52:53,860 --> 00:52:55,820
and assistant Dave Mothershaw

440
00:52:55,820 --> 00:52:57,260
are the first try it out.

441
00:53:00,100 --> 00:53:02,140
This camera sees heat.

442
00:53:02,140 --> 00:53:05,300
On a cold night,
warm-blooded animals

443
00:53:05,300 --> 00:53:07,660
can be seen up to a mile away.

444
00:53:07,660 --> 00:53:09,900
Oh, he's turned around.

445
00:53:09,900 --> 00:53:12,740
'Can you see through my clothes?'

446
00:53:12,740 --> 00:53:15,380
"Can you see through my clothes?"
THEY CHUCKLE

447
00:53:15,380 --> 00:53:17,620
Yeah. What's that(?!)

448
00:53:17,620 --> 00:53:19,700
Is that why he's facing
the other way?

449
00:53:19,700 --> 00:53:22,260
Is that why he thinks I asked him
to turn the other way?

450
00:53:23,260 --> 00:53:24,940
Cor, it's incredible.

451
00:53:24,940 --> 00:53:27,540
It's amazing piece of kit -
it's unbelievable.

452
00:53:27,540 --> 00:53:28,500
Such a cool thing!

453
00:53:34,740 --> 00:53:38,900
Filming village life
may pass the time on long nights,

454
00:53:38,900 --> 00:53:42,580
but three weeks in
and still no wolves.

455
00:53:44,220 --> 00:53:47,660
One of Arabia's other nocturnal
hunters has come to them.

456
00:53:49,860 --> 00:53:50,900
Oh, (BEEP)!

457
00:53:52,540 --> 00:53:58,420
Oh, God, I've got one in the bag.
He is massive.

458
00:53:58,420 --> 00:54:01,020
Massive. Oh!

459
00:54:03,940 --> 00:54:06,940
Oh, my God, I've been kneeling here
all night.

460
00:54:08,180 --> 00:54:09,580
Oh, look at him!

461
00:54:09,580 --> 00:54:11,220
The deathstalker scorpion

462
00:54:11,220 --> 00:54:13,460
is one of the most dangerous
animals in Arabia.

463
00:54:13,460 --> 00:54:15,060
There he goes. OK.

464
00:54:15,060 --> 00:54:17,060
Watch your feet,
I'm going to flick him high.

465
00:54:17,060 --> 00:54:19,140
No, I'm joking! I'm joking.

466
00:54:19,140 --> 00:54:20,380
Here we go - ready?

467
00:54:21,580 --> 00:54:23,260
Oh, Christ. (LAUGHS)

468
00:54:24,620 --> 00:54:26,660
Right... OK, big guy. Arrh!

469
00:54:27,740 --> 00:54:30,460
Don't worry about it, guys.
I know what I'm doing.

470
00:54:30,460 --> 00:54:31,540
I know what I'm doing.

471
00:54:32,940 --> 00:54:33,940
Here we go.

472
00:54:35,020 --> 00:54:37,620
Here we go...easy, big guy.
Easy, big guy.

473
00:54:37,620 --> 00:54:38,820
Oh, look at him!

474
00:54:40,460 --> 00:54:42,220
Wow-wee. Oh... woo. There we go.

475
00:54:43,940 --> 00:54:46,940
Man, he is off!
Look at the speed he's going!

476
00:54:50,860 --> 00:54:53,700
Nocturnal filming
is exhausting work.

477
00:54:53,700 --> 00:54:56,500
The team rotate, and now
it's cameraman Rolf Steinmann's turn

478
00:54:56,500 --> 00:54:57,780
to take on the challenge.

479
00:54:59,140 --> 00:55:01,300
Just outside Khaled's village

480
00:55:01,300 --> 00:55:02,820
Rolf is filming the Jabali.

481
00:55:04,100 --> 00:55:07,660
While retrieving a stray goat,
Khaled spots something in the dust.

482
00:55:10,100 --> 00:55:12,100
You see the hyena here?

483
00:55:12,100 --> 00:55:13,580
Hyena tracks?

484
00:55:13,580 --> 00:55:17,420
Hyena track here, you see.
It's going in this direction.

485
00:55:20,100 --> 00:55:23,740
Later that day Khaled is called
to the other side of the village,

486
00:55:23,740 --> 00:55:25,340
where eight goats have been killed.

487
00:55:27,580 --> 00:55:30,260
BUZZING FLIES

488
00:55:30,260 --> 00:55:33,300
Khaled is sure that the predators
will return tonight.

489
00:55:33,300 --> 00:55:37,340
But we can't go there because
we have these rocks in the view.

490
00:55:40,180 --> 00:55:42,980
Rolf must pick his spot carefully.

491
00:55:42,980 --> 00:55:45,580
Once set up he won't
be able to move position.

492
00:55:46,900 --> 00:55:48,500
And all he can do now is wait.

493
00:55:55,860 --> 00:55:57,660
Finally, a glimpse.

494
00:56:09,660 --> 00:56:11,860
At last, their patience
has paid off -

495
00:56:11,860 --> 00:56:17,140
and not just one, 12 Arabian wolves!

496
00:56:17,140 --> 00:56:19,820
This is the largest pack
ever recorded.

497
00:56:23,420 --> 00:56:26,500
But no-one on the team
was expecting what happened next.

498
00:56:34,300 --> 00:56:35,620
A striped hyena.

499
00:56:37,900 --> 00:56:40,100
There are very few places
on our planet

500
00:56:40,100 --> 00:56:41,900
where hyena from the south

501
00:56:41,900 --> 00:56:44,020
overlap with the wolves
from the north.

502
00:56:47,020 --> 00:56:50,260
This is the first time
these two formidable carnivores

503
00:56:50,260 --> 00:56:52,140
have ever been filmed side by side.

504
00:56:56,500 --> 00:56:58,420
It was very risky to try this -

505
00:56:58,420 --> 00:57:00,820
and I have these 12 wolves
in front of my hyena -

506
00:57:00,820 --> 00:57:02,900
I simply couldn't believe it -

507
00:57:02,900 --> 00:57:04,620
but then this hyena shows up

508
00:57:04,620 --> 00:57:07,980
and chases away all the wolves
from the kill.

509
00:57:07,980 --> 00:57:10,820
I mean, that was spectacular.

510
00:57:10,820 --> 00:57:13,660
These images have a greater value.

511
00:57:13,660 --> 00:57:17,100
Local farmers do lose goats
to predators,

512
00:57:17,100 --> 00:57:20,660
and this footage might help
establish a system of compensation.

513
00:57:27,020 --> 00:57:28,500
And in the long run,

514
00:57:28,500 --> 00:57:32,540
that will help Hadi and Khaled's
quest to protect the wildlife

515
00:57:32,540 --> 00:57:35,780
in these spectacular mountains
of Arabia.

516
00:57:57,740 --> 00:58:01,580
Next time, we discover how animals
have adapted to the huge changes

517
00:58:01,580 --> 00:58:04,300
that have swept Arabia
since the discovery of oil.

518
00:58:06,140 --> 00:58:09,380
Today extraordinary animals
live alongside technology

519
00:58:09,380 --> 00:58:11,820
in the fastest-changing
place on earth.

520
00:58:28,180 --> 00:58:31,220
Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd