0:00:03 > 0:00:05The tiger.
0:00:05 > 0:00:08Feared, revered and hunted
0:00:08 > 0:00:11to the very brink of extinction.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19Within 20 years, wild tigers may be gone for ever,
0:00:19 > 0:00:21but there could be a last chance to save them.
0:00:23 > 0:00:27- Now an international team of scientists...- Wow.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30..explorers and film-makers
0:00:30 > 0:00:34have come to the Himalayas to search for a hidden population.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36Our job is to find out if there are tigers here
0:00:36 > 0:00:38and if there are, how they're doing,
0:00:38 > 0:00:41because tiger conservation worldwide is in a critical condition.
0:00:41 > 0:00:44This mission will push the team to the limit.
0:00:44 > 0:00:49They'll take on the world's most challenging mountains...
0:00:49 > 0:00:52My lungs are burning.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54My legs are burning.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58..face the planet's most extreme weather...
0:01:00 > 0:01:01Jeez!
0:01:01 > 0:01:04..and explore the mightiest rivers.
0:01:10 > 0:01:13What they find here will be crucial.
0:01:15 > 0:01:18For the tiger, it's a matter of survival.
0:01:21 > 0:01:23For the team,
0:01:23 > 0:01:26it could be the discovery of a lifetime.
0:02:00 > 0:02:04The team has travelled to the Himalayas,
0:02:04 > 0:02:08to the remote mountain kingdom of Bhutan.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13It's been closed to outsiders for decades.
0:02:16 > 0:02:19Almost nothing is known about tigers here.
0:02:19 > 0:02:22The team must find out whether there's just a handful,
0:02:22 > 0:02:24or a thriving population.
0:02:33 > 0:02:34In charge of the expedition
0:02:34 > 0:02:39is one of the world's leading tiger experts, Dr Alan Rabinowitz.
0:02:39 > 0:02:44This expedition is one of the first, if not the first, outside attempt
0:02:44 > 0:02:47to figure out what is happening in here with the tiger,
0:02:47 > 0:02:51with other wildlife that the tiger needs to survive,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55and perhaps, just perhaps,
0:02:55 > 0:02:59this vast land, this lost land of the tiger
0:02:59 > 0:03:02could be the tiger's last hope.
0:03:08 > 0:03:11Joining Alan are biologist Dr George McGavin
0:03:11 > 0:03:15and explorer and naturalist Steve Backshall.
0:03:16 > 0:03:19It's just perfect, absolutely perfect tiger habitat.
0:03:19 > 0:03:22Probably could do with a little bit more open kind of areas
0:03:22 > 0:03:24to stand any chance of seeing them.
0:03:24 > 0:03:27They're fantastically difficult to actually get a sighting of.
0:03:27 > 0:03:32I love that feeling you get in a country for the first time,
0:03:32 > 0:03:35and you get that smell, you can smell it.
0:03:42 > 0:03:46This riverbank will be the expedition headquarters
0:03:46 > 0:03:48for the next three weeks.
0:03:58 > 0:03:59The rugged terrain
0:03:59 > 0:04:02will make wildlife exceptionally difficult to find.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04They've brought the latest technology
0:04:04 > 0:04:06for filming and surveillance.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09That's about half of it.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15- Alan...- Hello. - ..in charge of the camp.
0:04:15 > 0:04:17Steve is optimistic.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19Tigers need three things.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21They need an abundant source of large prey,
0:04:21 > 0:04:24they need dense vegetation and they need water,
0:04:24 > 0:04:26and here you've got all three of them.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30It may look good, but tigers are now so rare,
0:04:30 > 0:04:33there's no guarantee they'll find them.
0:04:33 > 0:04:36The team has its work cut out.
0:04:40 > 0:04:43Even expert tracker Steve Backshall has called in specialist help.
0:04:43 > 0:04:49For the first time, he'll be working with a highly trained sniffer dog
0:04:49 > 0:04:51all the way from the States.
0:04:51 > 0:04:53Hi, Bruiser!
0:04:53 > 0:04:56This guy here is our best chance of finding tigers.
0:04:56 > 0:05:00Justine Evans is a leading BBC Wildlife camerawoman.
0:05:00 > 0:05:03She has 20 years' experience and eyes like a hawk.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06If tigers are here, she'll spot them.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08We're going to throw some time at it.
0:05:08 > 0:05:12We've got all the cameras - day, night, thermal, everything.
0:05:12 > 0:05:14We're just going to see what we can get.
0:05:14 > 0:05:15Oh!
0:05:16 > 0:05:22- Look at that.- Oxford University biologist Dr George McGavin
0:05:22 > 0:05:25is the only person not looking for tigers,
0:05:25 > 0:05:27but his job is just as vital.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32My role is to assess the health of the forest
0:05:32 > 0:05:35to see if it's a fit place for a tiger to be.
0:05:37 > 0:05:41Head of the expedition, Dr Alan Rabinowitz,
0:05:41 > 0:05:44has dedicated his life to saving the tiger.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49The tiger is the largest cat in the world.
0:05:49 > 0:05:52It's one of the most magnificent species
0:05:52 > 0:05:54to ever walk the face of our earth.
0:05:54 > 0:06:01To even think that it could be lost from this earth in our lifetime
0:06:01 > 0:06:04or shortly after, to me, is just an unthinkable thought.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06It's just unthinkable.
0:06:08 > 0:06:14But over the last century, 98% of tigers have been lost.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17The last of them are trapped in isolated areas
0:06:17 > 0:06:22where they and their prey have become easy targets for poachers.
0:06:22 > 0:06:28Wild tigers need space. Without it, they rapidly die out.
0:06:28 > 0:06:31The best hope lies with the small populations
0:06:31 > 0:06:34clinging to existence along the edge of the Himalayas.
0:06:34 > 0:06:38The solution I have for saving tigers
0:06:38 > 0:06:42is to connect these isolated populations
0:06:42 > 0:06:46through corridors, through linkages in the landscape
0:06:46 > 0:06:49so that genetically, biologically, these animals could move
0:06:49 > 0:06:55between isolated fragments, and thus the isolated fragments
0:06:55 > 0:06:57become part of a larger whole.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00Bhutan is the missing link.
0:07:00 > 0:07:02Alan's plan can only succeed
0:07:02 > 0:07:06if there's a flourishing population of tigers here,
0:07:06 > 0:07:08something not even he knows.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16Bhutan is the last country left in the world throughout tiger range
0:07:16 > 0:07:20that we have not had really good systematic studies of tigers done.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25We have no idea how many tigers are in the country, where they exist,
0:07:25 > 0:07:27and yet where Bhutan is situated
0:07:27 > 0:07:32is critically important if we're going to save tigers.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34What are the first things that we need to get doing?
0:07:34 > 0:07:37We have to go out and find tiger evidence.
0:07:37 > 0:07:41Their pugmarks, their tracks, their scrapes, their sprays,
0:07:41 > 0:07:43and by setting up camera traps.
0:07:43 > 0:07:46I can put the pieces of the puzzle together,
0:07:46 > 0:07:48but you have to give me those pieces.
0:07:53 > 0:07:59Steve will be on the case with big-cat scientist Claudia Wultsch
0:07:59 > 0:08:01and her dog, Bruiser.
0:08:01 > 0:08:04I'm quite looking forward to working with Bruiser.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07This is the first time I've looked for animals using a dog.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09It seems a strange way of doing things,
0:08:09 > 0:08:12but he does have a remarkable sense of smell and he'll be able to
0:08:12 > 0:08:15pick up things that we would never have a chance to find,
0:08:15 > 0:08:19and all the evidence he manages to bring in will be incredibly valuable
0:08:19 > 0:08:21for learning what's going on in this area.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28Camerawoman Justine Evans will try a different tack.
0:08:28 > 0:08:35She's going to stake out tigers from the top of a very tall tree.
0:08:35 > 0:08:39We're loading up the elephants to go out to a big, dry riverbed.
0:08:39 > 0:08:42Oops. It's a bit slower with the elephants,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44but they carry all the weight.
0:08:44 > 0:08:46Along with her daily essentials,
0:08:46 > 0:08:51she's taking four specialist cameras to spot tigers day and night.
0:08:51 > 0:08:55This is the first time I've had to saddle up an elephant.
0:08:55 > 0:08:57I hadn't thought about the logistics.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59Lucky I brought bungee cords along.
0:08:59 > 0:09:01Never go anywhere without bungee cords.
0:09:01 > 0:09:06We want a tiger. Just a fleeting glimpse in the bushes.
0:09:06 > 0:09:10- Good luck.- Bye.
0:09:12 > 0:09:14Justine will have to keep her wits about her.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17She's a long way from medical help, and no-one knows
0:09:17 > 0:09:20what dangerous creatures lurk in this forest.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Steve and Claudia are also treading carefully.
0:09:42 > 0:09:44Oh, what was that?
0:09:45 > 0:09:47Hey! Come here. Bruiser, come on.
0:09:47 > 0:09:52Very clear elephant tusk driven up into there, look.
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Little bit nerve-racking
0:09:56 > 0:09:59to think of an animal that powerful just wandering around the forest.
0:09:59 > 0:10:03Could walk round a corner, and it could be right there in front of us.
0:10:05 > 0:10:07There's no choice.
0:10:07 > 0:10:11The only trails through the forest are the ones made by wild elephants.
0:10:13 > 0:10:16They keep Bruiser close.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20He's one of a few dogs trained to find big cats,
0:10:20 > 0:10:23and he does it by sniffing out their droppings, or scats.
0:10:25 > 0:10:27Bruiser's just coursing ahead of us
0:10:27 > 0:10:32with his nose down close to the ground, searching out those scents.
0:10:34 > 0:10:37I'm really just hoping that we'll come across a scat
0:10:37 > 0:10:41that is definitive, that you have to say is going to be a tiger.
0:10:43 > 0:10:44Bruiser, let's go.
0:10:46 > 0:10:51Bruiser can sniff out even the tiniest remains of a cat's scat.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Steve and Claudia have to work out which species it belongs to.
0:10:55 > 0:10:59- Oh, look what he's found. - What did you find?
0:10:59 > 0:11:02Such a good boy. Bruiser, come down.
0:11:02 > 0:11:05Bruiser's rewarded with his favourite toy.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08Good boy! Good boy!
0:11:09 > 0:11:11(Good boy, Bruiser.)
0:11:11 > 0:11:16Well, that's absolutely full of interesting stuff.
0:11:16 > 0:11:19Lots of little feathers here.
0:11:19 > 0:11:23In fact, most of what I can see looks like bird to me.
0:11:23 > 0:11:25- What do you think? - Could be clouded leopard.
0:11:25 > 0:11:27Clouded leopard, absolutely.
0:11:27 > 0:11:32This isn't tiger scat, we can say that for 100% certainty,
0:11:32 > 0:11:35but it could be from a leopard or a clouded leopard,
0:11:35 > 0:11:38both of which are pretty exciting for us.
0:11:39 > 0:11:42Bruiser's on great form.
0:11:42 > 0:11:45But evidence that tigers live here might be harder to find.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53Tigers are one of the most elusive animals on the planet.
0:11:53 > 0:11:59The team will have to use a variety of methods to track them down.
0:11:59 > 0:12:04Alan's placing remote video cameras on trails made by wild animals.
0:12:04 > 0:12:06He hopes that tigers are using them.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11Anything passing in front of the camera
0:12:11 > 0:12:13will trigger a ten-second recording.
0:12:19 > 0:12:22I have high hopes for this.
0:12:25 > 0:12:29For Alan, the stakes could not be higher.
0:12:29 > 0:12:32After 20 years trying to save the tiger,
0:12:32 > 0:12:35this could be his last crusade.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39He has an incurable form of leukaemia.
0:12:39 > 0:12:42'I don't think about it all the time,
0:12:42 > 0:12:45'and yet it's always there all the time.'
0:12:45 > 0:12:48It gives a sense of urgency to my life.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51There were times before I was diagnosed with leukaemia
0:12:51 > 0:12:55that I thought "OK, you know, I'm getting older.
0:12:55 > 0:13:00"Probably ten years or so, I'll slow down."
0:13:00 > 0:13:01There is no slowing down.
0:13:01 > 0:13:04There's only speeding up now,
0:13:04 > 0:13:07because I don't have the time and the tigers don't have the time.
0:13:15 > 0:13:20With as few as 3,000 left, any wild tiger the team finds in Bhutan
0:13:20 > 0:13:23would be a precious discovery.
0:13:29 > 0:13:34Alan knows from experience that even though the forest looks promising,
0:13:34 > 0:13:37it's far from certain that tigers have a future here.
0:13:42 > 0:13:46The health of the forest is everything. In the past,
0:13:46 > 0:13:48people thought, "If there's forest,
0:13:48 > 0:13:51"it's good potential tiger habitat, there must be tigers."
0:13:51 > 0:13:54Unfortunately, it took us quite a few years to realise
0:13:54 > 0:13:57just what the forest looks like is not enough.
0:13:57 > 0:13:59You need to look at everything.
0:13:59 > 0:14:03You need to look at the birds, you need to look at the insects,
0:14:03 > 0:14:06you need to look at the whole chain of life
0:14:06 > 0:14:12through that forest and say, "This is truly an intact system."
0:14:12 > 0:14:17In charge of this forest's health check is Dr George McGavin,
0:14:17 > 0:14:19aided by a team of local scientists.
0:14:19 > 0:14:23Rebecca Pradhan and her colleague will rig mist nets
0:14:23 > 0:14:27to catch and record the birds of the forest.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34This net is mainly for the smaller to medium-size of birds.
0:14:34 > 0:14:40Dr Kashmira Kakati is an expert on smaller jungle cats.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44She'll carefully position her remote cameras
0:14:44 > 0:14:47to discover which species live here.
0:14:51 > 0:14:55It's like a really big, exciting treasure hunt in the forest.
0:14:55 > 0:14:58You go put these things out and when you're picking them up,
0:14:58 > 0:15:00you're just waiting to see what you've got.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02It's really, really thrilling.
0:15:06 > 0:15:09George's lifetime passion is insects.
0:15:09 > 0:15:13His survey starts close to home, in Justine's elephants' bed.
0:15:13 > 0:15:18Oh, ho, ho, bingo!
0:15:18 > 0:15:19Bingo!
0:15:21 > 0:15:23Look at that!
0:15:23 > 0:15:25Look at that.
0:15:25 > 0:15:28Now, they don't come much bigger than that.
0:15:28 > 0:15:31Now, that's what I call a dung beetle.
0:15:31 > 0:15:34That is an absolute monster.
0:15:34 > 0:15:37This is
0:15:37 > 0:15:40the biggest dung beetle
0:15:40 > 0:15:43I've ever found.
0:15:43 > 0:15:45He's got these huge hind legs,
0:15:45 > 0:15:48big spiny legs for pushing through the dung.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51I find it very hard to actually hold this.
0:15:51 > 0:15:54If I try to hold it in my hand like that,
0:15:54 > 0:15:57watch, I'm holding it quite hard,
0:15:57 > 0:16:00and it's just able to power its way out there.
0:16:00 > 0:16:03Look, see. There, it's free.
0:16:03 > 0:16:05They're immensely strong.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07You are beautiful!
0:16:07 > 0:16:12I know not everybody agrees with me, but I think you're rather beautiful.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15George will record every species the expedition finds,
0:16:15 > 0:16:18from beetles to tigers.
0:16:18 > 0:16:21It's all part of a report for the Prime Minister of Bhutan.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27Finding tigers in the lowlands around base camp
0:16:27 > 0:16:29would be a good start,
0:16:29 > 0:16:33but to create a corridor that will protect tigers across the region,
0:16:33 > 0:16:36the team needs to find them throughout the country.
0:16:38 > 0:16:41Just north of base camp, the Himalayas begin,
0:16:41 > 0:16:44and rise rapidly to over 7,000 metres.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49Most of the country is mountainous.
0:16:56 > 0:16:58Jagged peaks and thin air
0:16:58 > 0:17:03are the last place anyone would expect to find tigers,
0:17:03 > 0:17:07but the team's heard extraordinary rumours.
0:17:08 > 0:17:13The final member of the expedition has gone to investigate.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16Gordon Buchanan has filmed big cats all over the world,
0:17:16 > 0:17:19but never anywhere like this.
0:17:19 > 0:17:24It's amazing to think of the other places that I've seen tigers.
0:17:24 > 0:17:28Down in India, just 200 miles away, but very, very different habitat.
0:17:28 > 0:17:30We're up in the Himalayas here.
0:17:30 > 0:17:33It feels so different and I will be flabbergasted
0:17:33 > 0:17:35if we find tigers up in these mountains.
0:17:35 > 0:17:40Gordon's going to live rough for the next two weeks,
0:17:40 > 0:17:44on a mission that will test his endurance to the limit.
0:18:02 > 0:18:05We've been following the river all morning,
0:18:05 > 0:18:08but unfortunately we're about to start climbing up the mountain,
0:18:08 > 0:18:11so it's going to get a lot tougher from now on.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21This is the foal of one of the ponies.
0:18:21 > 0:18:23He's just along to learn the ropes.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26Poor little thing's just lagging behind,
0:18:26 > 0:18:28so I'm giving him a bit of a helping hand.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33With every step, the air is getting thinner.
0:18:35 > 0:18:38The journey will be far too tough for the mules.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41Before long, Gordon will be on his own.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52Good boy, Bruiser. What did you get?
0:18:52 > 0:18:53Near base camp, Bruiser's been
0:18:53 > 0:18:56hot on the trail of big cats all morning.
0:18:56 > 0:18:59- We're getting there. - OK, Bruiser, let's go.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05He's found leopard and clouded leopard scat, but no signs of tiger.
0:19:05 > 0:19:07Now he's flagging.
0:19:08 > 0:19:10You've got to feel sorry for the dog.
0:19:10 > 0:19:16He must be crazy, crazy hot, trekking through this.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20It's so hot and humid, Bruiser can only be worked in short shifts.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30Further down the trail, they startle something.
0:19:30 > 0:19:32Uh-oh. Bruiser, come here, hey.
0:19:32 > 0:19:35Bruiser! Good boy.
0:19:35 > 0:19:37Wow, look at that.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44There's a group of golden langurs in the tree just ahead of us
0:19:44 > 0:19:47and as we approached and they saw the dog,
0:19:47 > 0:19:51their first response was a kind of barking alarm call,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53warning the others he was coming by.
0:19:53 > 0:19:54(Good boy, Bruiser.)
0:19:57 > 0:20:00They're just looking down at us curiously.
0:20:00 > 0:20:05Golden langur monkeys rarely spend time on the ground
0:20:05 > 0:20:08in case they're taken by large predators
0:20:08 > 0:20:11like leopards, or even tigers.
0:20:11 > 0:20:14There are only 5,000 or so left in the wild.
0:20:14 > 0:20:19A group like this, with young, is an exceptional sight.
0:20:28 > 0:20:31It just shows, really, that you need to preserve the habitat here
0:20:31 > 0:20:34not just for the tiger, but for all the other
0:20:34 > 0:20:37really, really valuable endangered species that live here.
0:20:51 > 0:20:55On the forest floor, the remote cameras are doing their job.
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Macaques, enjoying a meal of pondweed.
0:21:19 > 0:21:21Buffalo...
0:21:22 > 0:21:25..who use the camera as a scratching post.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37A herd of wild elephants.
0:21:38 > 0:21:40They're curious...
0:21:43 > 0:21:45and rather camera-shy.
0:21:48 > 0:21:50GLASS SHATTERS, BUZZING
0:21:52 > 0:21:55Four hours from base camp, Justine's elephants
0:21:55 > 0:21:59have delivered her safely to the tree chosen for the tiger stakeout.
0:22:05 > 0:22:09This is the tree that we're going to spend the night up in.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14I think to really stand any chance of seeing a glimpse of a big cat,
0:22:14 > 0:22:18the only way is to be able to see a huge view,
0:22:18 > 0:22:22because otherwise, they're too canny.
0:22:22 > 0:22:25If I can see 200 metres, 300 metres away,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28there's a chance that it might not be aware of my presence.
0:22:28 > 0:22:30And I've got really long lenses,
0:22:30 > 0:22:34so I will be able to see it, even though it can't see me.
0:22:37 > 0:22:41She'll be staying out in the jungle day and night.
0:22:41 > 0:22:43High up is the safest place to be.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57The elephants head for camp
0:22:57 > 0:23:01and Justine settles down for her first night of surveillance.
0:23:09 > 0:23:12Back at base, everyone returns before dark.
0:23:12 > 0:23:16It's safe and relatively luxurious.
0:23:16 > 0:23:18Ah!
0:23:23 > 0:23:26For dinner, there's fish curry
0:23:26 > 0:23:28and a few unwanted guests on the side.
0:23:30 > 0:23:33You're attracting a hell of a lot of bugs.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36Lots of things are hatching out now,
0:23:36 > 0:23:41- so I reckon in the next couple of nights it'll be really alive. - INSECT BUZZES
0:23:41 > 0:23:43- Hello? - INSECT BUZZES LOUDLY
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Ow! God, that was loud.
0:23:47 > 0:23:51Kashmira has already recovered one of her remote cameras
0:23:51 > 0:23:53and Steve's been called to the kit tent.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Hi, Kashmira. I heard you've got something good on your camera traps.
0:23:57 > 0:23:59Nice-looking barking deer.
0:23:59 > 0:24:01Fantastic. Anything else?
0:24:01 > 0:24:03Then...
0:24:05 > 0:24:07- No way!- Isn't it exciting?
0:24:07 > 0:24:09It's a clouded leopard.
0:24:09 > 0:24:12What a beautiful shot!
0:24:12 > 0:24:15This is fantastic.
0:24:15 > 0:24:17This is absolutely sensational.
0:24:17 > 0:24:21This is exactly the same riverbed where we found what we
0:24:21 > 0:24:23took to be clouded leopard scat.
0:24:23 > 0:24:27The clouded leopard is one of the most elusive, difficult animals
0:24:27 > 0:24:30in the whole world to film, and this is conclusive evidence that
0:24:30 > 0:24:34there is one living not more than a couple of miles away from camp.
0:24:34 > 0:24:37Looking for tracks and signs is detective work.
0:24:37 > 0:24:40It's almost like putting all the parts of the puzzle together.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43And to find, you know, this at the end of it -
0:24:43 > 0:24:47conclusive proof that it all added up to the right signs -
0:24:47 > 0:24:49is just incredibly exciting.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56The rare clouded leopard raises their hopes
0:24:56 > 0:24:59that there will be other big cats here too.
0:25:06 > 0:25:08THUNDER CRACKS
0:25:08 > 0:25:11But they hadn't counted on an early monsoon.
0:25:14 > 0:25:17This is total madness. Just a couple of seconds ago
0:25:17 > 0:25:20there was absolutely nothing, completely calm.
0:25:20 > 0:25:24And from nowhere, a massive gust of wind and look at this!
0:25:24 > 0:25:28Full-on hailstones just come pelting down.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29It's like wandering around
0:25:29 > 0:25:32in a cloud of bullets just falling from the heavens.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41Deep in the jungle, the remote cameras are triggered by the rain
0:25:41 > 0:25:44and the animals running for cover.
0:25:48 > 0:25:5030 metres up her tree, Justine's stranded.
0:25:55 > 0:25:57This is the worst that can happen.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00We've been listening to this storm all evening,
0:26:00 > 0:26:02hoping that it was going to pass us by,
0:26:02 > 0:26:06but it's just hit, the whole, full strength of it,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08right above our heads.
0:26:08 > 0:26:10Even the crickets are scurrying for cover.
0:26:14 > 0:26:18Oh! It's not a good situation.
0:26:27 > 0:26:30The lightning is right overhead now.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33This is rain.
0:26:33 > 0:26:35THUNDER CRACKS LOUDLY
0:26:35 > 0:26:37Jeez!
0:26:46 > 0:26:49Base camp is in danger of blowing away.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00Going to tether everything down,
0:27:00 > 0:27:03try and keep it from taking off, which is what it's doing now.
0:27:29 > 0:27:32Last night's storm disappeared as quickly as it arrived.
0:27:35 > 0:27:37Justine survived...
0:27:38 > 0:27:39..just.
0:27:43 > 0:27:47After the storm, the forest is alive with birds.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50Justine's spied some hornbills on the other side of the clearing.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54(This hornbill's just flown in.
0:27:55 > 0:27:58(It's having a good, long look around.)
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Hornbills eat fruit, small mammals and reptiles.
0:28:06 > 0:28:09Throughout Asia, they're renowned targets for hunters.
0:28:09 > 0:28:13Their presence suggests there's less poaching here than elsewhere.
0:28:22 > 0:28:25Nearer base camp, the mist nets
0:28:25 > 0:28:27have caught something just as dazzling.
0:28:27 > 0:28:29Hey, what else have you got?
0:28:29 > 0:28:33- Blue-throated Barbet. - Blue-throated Barbet.
0:28:33 > 0:28:35Oh, that's... God that is stunning!
0:28:35 > 0:28:39What a splendid-looking chap.
0:28:39 > 0:28:43Every bird's vital statistics are recorded.
0:28:45 > 0:28:46CAMERA CLICKS
0:28:46 > 0:28:50- He's a star.- A pygmy kingfisher poses for its place in the report,
0:28:50 > 0:28:54which George will ultimately present to the government of Bhutan.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59While Bruiser's on down time,
0:28:59 > 0:29:03Steve gets called out to something in the long grass near camp.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Oh, it's big, really big!
0:29:11 > 0:29:14That's the tail,
0:29:14 > 0:29:16which means the head is just...
0:29:16 > 0:29:18there.
0:29:18 > 0:29:21Oh, wow.
0:29:21 > 0:29:24This is an Indian rock python.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26OK, I just need to get a better grip on him,
0:29:26 > 0:29:29I'm a little bit high at the moment and he can get a bite on me.
0:29:29 > 0:29:31There, that's it.
0:29:31 > 0:29:33He's not venomous,
0:29:33 > 0:29:35but he could put a really unpleasant bite into you.
0:29:35 > 0:29:38It's easily the largest snake found round here.
0:29:38 > 0:29:40There have been specimens of these that have been found
0:29:40 > 0:29:42up to six metres long,
0:29:42 > 0:29:46and it's a snake that is inextricably linked with a tiger.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49It's something that a tiger will actually feed on,
0:29:49 > 0:29:52also these big snakes take the same sort of prey as the tiger do.
0:29:52 > 0:29:55Let's let him go.
0:29:57 > 0:29:59It's evidence that the conditions here
0:29:59 > 0:30:02are ideal for tigers.
0:30:09 > 0:30:10In the north of Bhutan,
0:30:10 > 0:30:14Gordon remains unconvinced by tales of tigers living so high up.
0:30:19 > 0:30:23We're heading up further into what is snow leopard territory,
0:30:23 > 0:30:27but I am intrigued to see if we can find evidence of tigers beyond this.
0:30:27 > 0:30:31I would be amazed if there are tigers living up here.
0:30:31 > 0:30:35If they are here, they've adapted to live at this elevation
0:30:35 > 0:30:39because tigers are supposed to live way, way down there.
0:30:39 > 0:30:43While the mules rest, Gordon explores trails
0:30:43 > 0:30:47etched into the mountainside by generations of nomadic herders.
0:30:52 > 0:30:54If tigers are living up here,
0:30:54 > 0:30:57they would make use of these same paths
0:31:01 > 0:31:04He searches for three hours.
0:31:06 > 0:31:10I haven't seen anything. The things I'm looking for,
0:31:10 > 0:31:13the first thing I've been looking for is the prey,
0:31:13 > 0:31:15what are the tigers feeding on up here.
0:31:15 > 0:31:19But in the absence of that, looking for their tracks
0:31:19 > 0:31:22along this loose, dusty soil.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26Tigers, when they're patrolling, they make these scrapes on the ground,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30they urinate against bushes, you can smell that, they scratch on trees.
0:31:30 > 0:31:31There is none of that.
0:31:31 > 0:31:34I haven't seen one piece of evidence that backs up the rumours
0:31:34 > 0:31:38that there are tigers up here and I keep on telling myself
0:31:38 > 0:31:40these are rumours that there are tigers here,
0:31:40 > 0:31:45but there are also rumours in Bhutan that there are yetis.
0:31:45 > 0:31:49So I'm beginning to wonder whether here at all.
0:32:00 > 0:32:04It's beginning to look like a wild goose chase.
0:32:04 > 0:32:07But the plight of the tigers is so desperate,
0:32:07 > 0:32:09Gordon won't give up until he's exhausted all leads.
0:32:21 > 0:32:27In the south, the search for tigers has come to an abrupt halt.
0:32:27 > 0:32:29Another heavy rainstorm
0:32:29 > 0:32:33is washing away any telltale footprints or scat.
0:32:33 > 0:32:36This is pretty hopeless now.
0:32:36 > 0:32:39Down here is just a running stream so there is absolutely nothing
0:32:39 > 0:32:42going to hold there and unless we were to come across
0:32:42 > 0:32:45an area where the tiger had been within minutes beforehand,
0:32:45 > 0:32:49which really isn't going to happen, our mission is over for today.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53So I think we need to head back to camp, get dry, get the dog dry.
0:32:53 > 0:32:55He's looking a bit miserable, isn't he?
0:33:01 > 0:33:03Let's go.
0:33:08 > 0:33:12These delays are the last thing the team needs.
0:33:12 > 0:33:15Time is running out for the tiger.
0:33:15 > 0:33:21The Chinese medicine market for tiger bones and body parts is booming.
0:33:25 > 0:33:30As tigers become rarer, the price on their heads just gets higher.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37They are an irresistible temptation for poachers.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48Alan has frequently witnessed the aftermath of their dirty work.
0:33:48 > 0:33:53But seeing these images for the first time can be deeply shocking.
0:33:53 > 0:33:56I wanted to show you some of the things we have found
0:33:56 > 0:34:00in the 10 to 20 years I have been studying tigers,
0:34:00 > 0:34:04and what's still happening right now.
0:34:04 > 0:34:09Tigers have just become so valuable today on the Chinese medicinal market
0:34:09 > 0:34:13that people are going after every individual tiger.
0:34:14 > 0:34:18Oh, for God's sake! What's happened there?
0:34:18 > 0:34:23They just killed the tiger and took its entire skeleton out.
0:34:23 > 0:34:24The rest was trashed.
0:34:31 > 0:34:36Again, the same, in Russia. Here they decided to take the whole tiger.
0:34:38 > 0:34:41The largest cat in the world.
0:34:41 > 0:34:44By every count, one of the most magnificent species
0:34:44 > 0:34:46to ever walk the face of our earth.
0:34:46 > 0:34:49Look what people do to it.
0:34:49 > 0:34:51I have to get angry.
0:34:51 > 0:34:53This can't happen, this can't go on,
0:34:53 > 0:34:56but they're not going to kill every tiger on my watch
0:34:56 > 0:35:00and on the watch of others who feel so strongly
0:35:00 > 0:35:06that this animal has every right to survive and should survive.
0:35:17 > 0:35:19Some of these are so disgusting...
0:35:23 > 0:35:25..that I just don't want to see them.
0:35:29 > 0:35:31How anybody could do...
0:35:31 > 0:35:34I don't know how you stand it.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38I couldn't do this. I couldn't do this job.
0:35:39 > 0:35:41It's hard.
0:35:51 > 0:35:53I wish you hadn't shown me those.
0:35:53 > 0:35:56George, it stinks, it really does.
0:36:02 > 0:36:06They must hope that Bhutan offers any remaining tigers
0:36:06 > 0:36:08a safe place to stay hidden.
0:36:16 > 0:36:20Tigers are not easy to find, not in a natural area.
0:36:20 > 0:36:24People think, "If you're not seeing tigers, why don't you go to place where you can see tigers?"
0:36:24 > 0:36:29Well, frankly, any place where you can go and see tigers easily
0:36:29 > 0:36:31is not the most natural area for tigers.
0:36:31 > 0:36:36This is a truly, wild, natural landscape for the tiger.
0:36:39 > 0:36:44Tigers roam over hundreds of miles, and avoid humans wherever they can.
0:36:44 > 0:36:49If they do live in these thick forests, they would rarely be seen.
0:36:49 > 0:36:52But for the Himalayan tiger corridor to be successful,
0:36:52 > 0:36:56the expedition must discover a healthy population in Bhutan,
0:36:56 > 0:37:00from the southern lowlands up into the mountains.
0:37:04 > 0:37:08At altitude, finding them is even more of a challenge.
0:37:11 > 0:37:15Gordon has been searching the mountain ridge all day.
0:37:15 > 0:37:19He's about to set up camp when one of the porters spots something of interest.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24Oh, yeah, just down here.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27The yak carcass.
0:37:31 > 0:37:33Most big cats start feeding from the rear.
0:37:33 > 0:37:39If you look, the front half is intact and the back half is almost completely gone.
0:37:39 > 0:37:42That might be a big clue as to what happened to it.
0:37:42 > 0:37:46If there is a big cat up here and there were yaks grazing around here,
0:37:46 > 0:37:50what they would do is lurk on the tree line and wait for a yak to get close enough.
0:37:50 > 0:37:56They'd just charge out, grab it and then drag it back in to somewhere like this.
0:37:56 > 0:38:00What I'd be looking for on a fresh kill, is puncture marks on the neck.
0:38:00 > 0:38:05And, actually, the hair is quite badly disturbed around there, but...
0:38:08 > 0:38:10There's a deep hole in there.
0:38:10 > 0:38:12Actually, there's a very deep hole.
0:38:12 > 0:38:14Oh!
0:38:14 > 0:38:16Come and have a look.
0:38:16 > 0:38:18I've found something here which...
0:38:20 > 0:38:25It could really mean that a tiger took this. A big puncture wound.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29It looks maybe a little bit too big for a leopard.
0:38:29 > 0:38:33Often, when they attack, it's only one tooth that actually punctures.
0:38:34 > 0:38:38It's like a bullet hole, exactly where a tiger would attack.
0:38:38 > 0:38:43It would grab onto it and swing round and grab under the neck.
0:38:43 > 0:38:46Quite often the puncture wound is located behind the ear,
0:38:46 > 0:38:48which is exactly where this one is.
0:38:55 > 0:38:59The gruesome remains are an intriguing discovery.
0:38:59 > 0:39:02Gordon will rig the surrounding area with his remote cameras.
0:39:05 > 0:39:09He'll return to check them at the end of the expedition.
0:39:23 > 0:39:28Near base camp, Alan's camera traps have been whirring away for a week.
0:39:29 > 0:39:32They've recorded everything that's walked past.
0:39:35 > 0:39:38It's always very, very exciting looking at these pictures.
0:39:38 > 0:39:41It's like going into a candy store and not being sure of
0:39:41 > 0:39:44exactly what kind of candy is in there.
0:39:44 > 0:39:47And hoping your favourite candy is there.
0:39:53 > 0:39:54A big bird of some type.
0:39:58 > 0:40:00Oh, a macaque.
0:40:02 > 0:40:05Oh, beautiful. Water buffalo.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11Lots of animals for a tiger to feed on.
0:40:11 > 0:40:14Just wait for the tiger to come around the corner.
0:40:25 > 0:40:26Oh!
0:40:26 > 0:40:29Look at that. That's a beauty.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Drinking water.
0:40:31 > 0:40:33Beautiful shot.
0:40:33 > 0:40:37It's not a tiger, but a rare leopard.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41We didn't have a tiger this time, but we have some great pictures.
0:40:41 > 0:40:44People don't understand, unless they've been in other areas where
0:40:44 > 0:40:47so much of the animals have been killed off, how special this is.
0:40:57 > 0:41:03In Bhutan, where Buddhist respect for wildlife is strong, hunting is rare.
0:41:05 > 0:41:07Animals are safer here than elsewhere.
0:41:13 > 0:41:17Civets search for food under the cover of darkness.
0:41:20 > 0:41:25It's the best time for species like the leopard cat,
0:41:25 > 0:41:28and the leopard, to hunt.
0:41:37 > 0:41:40There's a good population of leopards here.
0:41:42 > 0:41:48And even rare form of leopard - a black panther.
0:41:51 > 0:41:55But still no tigers.
0:42:01 > 0:42:05High up in her tree, Justine hopes for better luck.
0:42:05 > 0:42:08She's scanning the darkness with a heat-sensing camera.
0:42:08 > 0:42:12It will pick out animals in the cool of the forest night.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19I can see something.
0:42:19 > 0:42:21It's amazing how it glows.
0:42:24 > 0:42:27This is the first mammal I've seen on a thermal camera.
0:42:27 > 0:42:32She switches to her infrared camera for a more detailed look.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37Great.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41Great, great, great - it's a Sambar deer. It's a female.
0:42:42 > 0:42:45The Sambar deer is a great find.
0:42:45 > 0:42:49It's one of the tiger's favourite prey.
0:42:49 > 0:42:51She's looking nervous.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54I guess if you're a Sambar deer,
0:42:54 > 0:42:56you'd spend your whole life being nervous.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03There's another deer.
0:43:06 > 0:43:11I'm really glad to see these Sambar deer, because it means that there's quite a good population around,
0:43:13 > 0:43:18which does raise our chances somewhat of seeing tiger.
0:43:18 > 0:43:22Justine will keep her tiger vigil all night.
0:43:24 > 0:43:28At base camp, everyone is desperate for some rest.
0:43:30 > 0:43:32Goodnight, Bruiser. Goodnight.
0:43:35 > 0:43:37All except George.
0:43:37 > 0:43:40Darkness is when his favourite creatures appear.
0:43:43 > 0:43:45Oh, my goodness.
0:43:45 > 0:43:49This is a beautiful moon moth.
0:43:49 > 0:43:54And it's a male and you've got these long hind wing tails.
0:43:54 > 0:43:57Absolutely gorgeous.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00What a sight to see.
0:44:00 > 0:44:03I'll just bend it round, and you can see how stunning...
0:44:06 > 0:44:07Look at that.
0:44:07 > 0:44:14Is that not just the prettiest moth you've ever seen in your life?
0:44:14 > 0:44:18That is one of the best things I've seen so far.
0:44:20 > 0:44:26George is also drawn to little glowing lights in the forest.
0:44:26 > 0:44:30There's fireflies all over here, they're absolutely fantastic, look.
0:44:30 > 0:44:32And these aren't, of course, flies.
0:44:32 > 0:44:36They are little beetles and they emit this cold,
0:44:36 > 0:44:40greenish glow from a special organ on the underside of their abdomen.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43I do remember a book I had when I was a kid, saying that you could
0:44:43 > 0:44:48read a book if you had enough fireflies or glow-worms in a jar.
0:44:48 > 0:44:52First, he has to catch them.
0:44:53 > 0:44:55Oh! Ah!
0:44:55 > 0:44:57Don't lose them!
0:44:57 > 0:45:01I reckon I've got about 50 fireflies in here,
0:45:01 > 0:45:04at least 50.
0:45:09 > 0:45:11Well, when you've got them in the jar...
0:45:11 > 0:45:13Oh, wow.
0:45:13 > 0:45:18That is just fabulous!
0:45:18 > 0:45:21Let me see.
0:45:21 > 0:45:24Switch off your light and see if we can do this.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27It's like a little disco show.
0:45:29 > 0:45:36Around the world in 80 days.
0:45:36 > 0:45:39I think you would ruin your eyesight.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42But George's night shift has not been in vain -
0:45:42 > 0:45:44he's proven one thing for sure.
0:45:44 > 0:45:47This is a very special place.
0:45:47 > 0:45:49It does seem to be incredibly rich,
0:45:49 > 0:45:54and it's these armies of small insects that feed birds and other animals,
0:45:54 > 0:45:59which in turn feed the higher carnivores, including cats.
0:45:59 > 0:46:04I know the word "pristine" is often used, but in this regard,
0:46:04 > 0:46:07I think for this forest, it really is accurate.
0:46:07 > 0:46:12All that's missing from the picture are the tigers themselves.
0:46:21 > 0:46:26If anyone knows how tigers might survive in these hostile conditions,
0:46:26 > 0:46:27it's the yak herders.
0:46:27 > 0:46:29Gordon needs to find them.
0:46:42 > 0:46:43It's just started snowing.
0:46:43 > 0:46:47Just hoping it doesn't get too heavy, because these paths are so narrow
0:46:47 > 0:46:50and the ledges are really quite steep.
0:46:50 > 0:46:52I'm really up against it here.
0:46:54 > 0:46:58It's minus five, and Gordon faces an uncomfortable obstacle.
0:47:01 > 0:47:03No way.
0:47:03 > 0:47:05There is a bridge there,
0:47:05 > 0:47:09but the bridge is long gone. It's lovely, crystal clear water.
0:47:09 > 0:47:14Hey, hey. It's fine, it's fine!
0:47:19 > 0:47:22With hours of tough walking ahead,
0:47:22 > 0:47:24freezing cold, wet boots are not an option.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Oh, that's painful.
0:47:43 > 0:47:47Oh, that's cold!
0:47:47 > 0:47:51So I was going to cross it as fast as I could, but you can't cross
0:47:51 > 0:47:53a river full of slippery boulders very quickly.
0:47:53 > 0:47:57It just got colder and colder and now my feet are kind of on fire.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01I'm getting a little bit worried.
0:48:01 > 0:48:04I just want to get to camp.
0:48:16 > 0:48:20100 miles downstream, Steve and the dog team are widening their search.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30They're scouring the river banks.
0:48:30 > 0:48:33Actually, let's go out to the edge.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39Almost immediately, Bruiser comes to a stop.
0:48:43 > 0:48:44Show me, Bruiser.
0:48:47 > 0:48:48Ah, here we go.
0:48:48 > 0:48:50He just found it and I can see it now.
0:48:50 > 0:48:52Bruiser, step back.
0:48:52 > 0:48:55Wow, that's pretty cool.
0:48:55 > 0:49:00It's by far the largest scat Bruiser's found.
0:49:00 > 0:49:05He's found some tiger scat. And this is some Sambar deer, you think?
0:49:05 > 0:49:08- Yes.- That's almost exclusively hair, isn't it?
0:49:08 > 0:49:11- You can tell the size, it's not small.- There's a lot of it around.
0:49:11 > 0:49:13- Look at this here. - There's more here.
0:49:13 > 0:49:15This is just absolutely phenomenal.
0:49:15 > 0:49:18I can't believe that right here, a tiger has been
0:49:18 > 0:49:22within the last couple of weeks, just walking down this beach.
0:49:22 > 0:49:23I mean, it's incredible.
0:49:23 > 0:49:25Well done!
0:49:25 > 0:49:29Well done, Bruiser! That's amazing.
0:49:29 > 0:49:33- It's the evidence the dog team have been longing to find. - Good job, Bruiser.
0:49:33 > 0:49:37Bruiser's rewarded with extra play time.
0:49:39 > 0:49:42And a long cool down.
0:49:42 > 0:49:44But Steve doesn't want to get his hopes up
0:49:44 > 0:49:47until Alan has given his expert opinion.
0:49:49 > 0:49:52This looks like Sambar deer.
0:49:53 > 0:49:57This is the kind of piece to the puzzle that you need, and you want.
0:49:57 > 0:50:01You want faecal material with the tiger's favourite prey in it.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04That's neat, that's exciting.
0:50:04 > 0:50:06This pile of hair is an amazing find.
0:50:06 > 0:50:08It's the first proof
0:50:08 > 0:50:12there's a tiger within striking distance of base camp.
0:50:14 > 0:50:18They'll leave the camera traps running for a few more days.
0:50:26 > 0:50:304,000 metres up, and after two days relentless trekking,
0:50:30 > 0:50:34Gordon and translator, Phup, reach the yak herders.
0:50:34 > 0:50:37Hopefully, they'll have some answers.
0:50:39 > 0:50:41Have you lost any of your yaks recently?
0:50:41 > 0:50:44SPEAKS IN NATIVE TONGUE
0:50:49 > 0:50:52A big cat has killed one of his favourite bulls.
0:50:52 > 0:50:55And was it close to the camp?
0:51:01 > 0:51:04Other side of the ridge in a forest.
0:51:04 > 0:51:11And he says it was attacked by the big cat and he sees all these
0:51:11 > 0:51:16bites all over his throat and his left shoulder has been smashed off.
0:51:16 > 0:51:21- He has seen the pugmark.- The pugmark that you saw, how big was it?
0:51:23 > 0:51:25If it's that size, it's definitely a tiger.
0:51:25 > 0:51:27How high is that? How many metres?
0:51:27 > 0:51:30What he said was 4,300 metres.
0:51:30 > 0:51:34It doesn't matter how many times he's seen a tiger pug mark.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37At 4000 metres, if he's seen one there, he's seen it.
0:51:37 > 0:51:41It's incredible, unbelievable that this man is telling us
0:51:41 > 0:51:48that he's found evidence of tigers, 4,000 metres plus.
0:51:48 > 0:51:51- If the gentleman wants to come into...- Thank you.
0:51:52 > 0:51:58Gordon now has a first-hand account, suggesting at least one tiger lives on these peaks.
0:52:00 > 0:52:04We still need proof of this.
0:52:04 > 0:52:06This is anecdotal evidence,
0:52:06 > 0:52:11not that I'm doubting what anyone is saying, but we need evidence.
0:52:11 > 0:52:15We need to see a tiger at this elevation for ourselves,
0:52:15 > 0:52:17either with our own eyes, or with camera traps.
0:52:20 > 0:52:24Gordon must plant his camera traps even higher.
0:52:24 > 0:52:27If he can show that tigers live in these mountains,
0:52:27 > 0:52:31it would massively expand the proposed Himalayan tiger corridor.
0:52:31 > 0:52:35It would be a huge boost to saving them in the wild.
0:52:46 > 0:52:50Ten days into the expedition, they've found a wealth of animals,
0:52:50 > 0:52:52which George will include in his report.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57Alan is bringing in his camera traps.
0:53:01 > 0:53:05Everyone piles into the dining tent to see the results.
0:53:06 > 0:53:10- Oh!- That's beautiful.
0:53:11 > 0:53:14Nice big chunk of tiger food, is what that is.
0:53:15 > 0:53:18- ALL:- Oooh!- Very nice, more tiger prey.
0:53:18 > 0:53:21Tigers love these big wild pigs.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24Oh, that's very nice. Two big chunks of tiger food.
0:53:24 > 0:53:28Oh! Well, there's no mistaking that.
0:53:28 > 0:53:30- Female?- Male.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33- Really? Oh, yeah! - LAUGHTER
0:53:33 > 0:53:38Oh, yeah, so it is! Oh, lots of ellies and a baby elly.
0:53:38 > 0:53:41Very close to the camera, isn't it?
0:53:41 > 0:53:44Amazing. That's a great shot.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49But there's only one animal the team really wants to see.
0:53:49 > 0:53:52ALL: Ah!
0:53:52 > 0:53:53It sure is.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56It's a tiger!
0:53:56 > 0:53:58- Look at that big boy.- Look at it!. - Play it again.
0:54:01 > 0:54:03It's what the expedition have been dreaming of,
0:54:03 > 0:54:08hard evidence that the world's largest cat is living in these forests.
0:54:08 > 0:54:11That is the most fantastic thing I've ever seen.
0:54:11 > 0:54:13It's just absolutely... What a magnificent animal.
0:54:16 > 0:54:19As they continue to watch, they're in for a surprise.
0:54:19 > 0:54:21ALL: Oh!
0:54:21 > 0:54:23That is beautiful.
0:54:23 > 0:54:25There's not just one, but two tigers,
0:54:25 > 0:54:28walking the trails a couple of miles from camp.
0:54:30 > 0:54:32Oh, that is beautiful.
0:54:34 > 0:54:38It's the first time Bhutan's precious tigers have been filmed.
0:54:41 > 0:54:43Man, oh, man!
0:54:45 > 0:54:48Do you see that, just right on that crack?
0:54:48 > 0:54:53Oh, look at that. Unbelievable.
0:54:54 > 0:54:58They're here, they're healthy, the forest's healthy.
0:54:58 > 0:55:01It's just incredible.
0:55:01 > 0:55:04To me, this is as good as it gets.
0:55:04 > 0:55:08I would rather see these kind of great shots
0:55:08 > 0:55:14at several different locations, followed by prey on the same trail, frankly,
0:55:14 > 0:55:17than I would having a moment seeing a tiger in the forest.
0:55:22 > 0:55:24The team now have three images
0:55:24 > 0:55:26of one of the rarest animals on the planet.
0:55:31 > 0:55:33It's a fantastic start.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37Now they can extend their search throughout the forests of Bhutan
0:55:37 > 0:55:41and begin to work out how many breeding pairs there are.
0:55:44 > 0:55:48Look at that! That is spectacular.
0:55:48 > 0:55:50Awesome.
0:55:56 > 0:56:01High in the Himalayas, Gordon is looking for places to set his remote cameras.
0:56:03 > 0:56:06The air is getting thinner.
0:56:09 > 0:56:10I just can't breathe.
0:56:10 > 0:56:12I feel as if I don't belong here.
0:56:12 > 0:56:15You've got hardly any breath.
0:56:15 > 0:56:16Every five steps, I need to...
0:56:16 > 0:56:20I feel as if I have to stop.
0:56:27 > 0:56:30This is downright painful.
0:56:30 > 0:56:35My lungs are burning. My legs are burning.
0:56:41 > 0:56:45Man, do I really want to do this?
0:56:45 > 0:56:47Jesus.
0:57:06 > 0:57:11Altitude sickness is a real danger, but Gordon summons his last ounce of will.
0:57:14 > 0:57:19At 5,000 metres, he rigs his final camera.
0:57:28 > 0:57:30He has given his all.
0:57:34 > 0:57:39From now on, the remote cameras will be his eyes in the clouds.
0:57:39 > 0:57:42He'll recover them at the end of the expedition,
0:57:42 > 0:57:47to see if they bear witness to the highest living tigers in the world.
0:57:49 > 0:57:50Next time:
0:57:50 > 0:57:53The team strikes out from base camp.
0:57:53 > 0:57:55And their mission to save the tiger
0:57:55 > 0:57:59takes Steve on a dangerous journey into the unknown.
0:57:59 > 0:58:02Down there is where we'll find some answers about the tiger.
0:58:02 > 0:58:06George meets the king of the jungle...
0:58:06 > 0:58:07Look at him!
0:58:07 > 0:58:10Absolutely magnificent.
0:58:10 > 0:58:12And Alan's master plan begins to take shape...
0:58:12 > 0:58:14Can we save tigers?
0:58:14 > 0:58:16Absolutely, we can save tigers.
0:58:16 > 0:58:18We will save tigers.
0:58:29 > 0:58:31Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:31 > 0:58:35E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk