The Mysterious North Thailand: Earth's Tropical Paradise


The Mysterious North

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In the heart of Southeast Asia is an ancient kingdom...

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..with over 3,000 kilometres of coastline.

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But beyond its golden shores...

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..there are secret worlds.

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Home to mysterious creatures...

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..and forest giants.

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This is a fast-changing country...

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..where East and West collide.

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People and animals must work together to survive.

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Forming unique relationships.

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A spiritual land...

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..full of magic and wonder.

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This is Thailand.

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Thailand's north is a wild and rugged land.

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Cloaked in forest,

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hiding ancient communities

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and unexpected partnerships.

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Here, in the jungles of Phu Kao, live some unusual primates.

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Phayre's leaf monkeys.

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They live up to their name,

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eating the leaves of around 100 different types of plant.

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But this low-calorie diet means they've got to eat a lot.

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So, they need to keep moving.

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In all the hurry, youngsters risk getting lost among the greenery.

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But babies are born bright orange,

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making them easier for parents to spot.

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When he's a few months old,

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this baby will turn grey, like his parents.

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But, for now, he remains highly visible.

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Sisters and aunts share in the childcare.

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It helps them practise their parenting skills.

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But this new mother seems reluctant to release her infant.

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Being this protective doesn't allow her much time to rest.

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She's yet to learn the benefits of sharing.

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On the move again.

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It's hard work travelling in the tree tops with a baby in your arms.

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Feeding is more difficult, too.

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This mother is tired and hungry.

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And with others keen to care for her baby...

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..she accepts their help.

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Now, she can concentrate on the important task

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of eating more leaves,

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knowing her baby is in safe hands.

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In this remote region of Thailand,

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strong partnerships have long formed an essential part of life.

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Northern Thailand is a diverse landscape.

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Almost two-thirds of it is dominated by forested mountains.

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This green veil hides some of the world's rarest creatures.

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Like the leopard...

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the Malayan tapir...

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..and the binturong.

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Isolation has also protected ancient communities,

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where people and nature

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forge surprising alliances.

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Thailand's northern mountains began to form 50 million years ago,

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when Indian and Eurasian plates collided

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and the highest peak was born.

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Doi Inthanon is known as "The Roof of Thailand".

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It stands over 2,500 metres high.

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Temperatures here drop to near freezing,

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bathing the morning forest in cool, moist air.

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Beneath this sea of mist

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lies an enchanting world

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of wild woods and white-water streams.

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As water flows through this forest,

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it absorbs carbon dioxide from the soil and air,

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making it more acidic.

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It eats away at the limestone rock of the mountains,

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creating worlds within worlds.

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Over millions of years,

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streams and rivers have carved a maze of caverns.

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So far, more than 4,000 have been discovered.

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Tham Lod Cave is 50 metres tall.

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Thousands of Cook's swifts nest in its cathedral-like vaults.

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But they can't nest in peace.

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A predator prowls these walls.

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This cave racer snake is two metres long,

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helping it bridge gaps to scale this cavern.

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To escape the snake,

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the swifts build their nests in the most inaccessible places.

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At night, they keep dead still,

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hoping the danger passes.

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When dawn breaks over the mountains,

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the swifts can once more take to the safety of the air.

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As they leave the cave, their droppings rain down.

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Insect remains in the guano may be appealing to the carp,

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but others also take advantage of this fertile sprinkling.

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Anpa visits the cave most days.

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SHE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE:

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In Buddhism, heavenly favour can be earned

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by small acts of respect or kindness

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known as "making merit".

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Anpa's ritual of collecting this guano also has earthly benefits.

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This natural alliance reaffirms Anpa's spiritual beliefs,

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as well as providing valuable nitrogen

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and phosphorus for the soil.

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Traditional small-scale farming in the mountains

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requires a close connection with nature.

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So, too, does modern-day practice.

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In north-eastern Thailand,

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where there was once forest,

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there is now farmland.

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And people here still maintain

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an important relationship with wildlife.

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Mr Tanon is on a personal mission.

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By bending and breaking the spines of banana palm leaves,

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he creates new homes for a rare and secretive mammal.

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Among these dry, dead leaves,

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lives the painted bat.

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Painted bats have adopted this unusual roosting site...

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..because there's a short supply of natural forest in this region.

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HE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE:

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These bats were a rare sight.

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But 16 years ago, a breeding population was rediscovered here.

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It's easy to see why they are known locally as the "butterfly bat".

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For Mr Tanon, the reward for this partnership

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is simply to see the natural beauty of these bats on the wing.

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Sometimes all it takes

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is one person to make a difference.

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In northern Thailand,

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the lives of animals and people are deeply entwined

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and the natural world is an integral part of religion.

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Under the full moon, there's one event that happens each year,

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symbolising the letting go of past problems

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and welcoming new hope for the future.

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In Buddhist culture, sky-borne lanterns

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represent a move away from darkness into the light.

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The festivals of Yi Peng and Loy Krathong

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bring families and friends together.

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Celebrating the elements of nature,

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they honour Phra Mae Khongkha - the water goddess.

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"Loy", in Thai, means "to float"

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and small baskets, or "krathongs", fill the village river.

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These elaborate rituals help communities to live in harmony

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and show respect for the natural world.

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The connection between people and nature is a complex one.

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And there's one creature with which the people of northern Thailand

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have had an enduring relationship.

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But it has not always been a happy one.

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The Asian elephant.

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These giants can weigh up to five tonnes.

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So, you don't want to cross paths with one in thick jungle.

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This is an elephant this woman knows well.

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She was rescued by Lek from a life of toil and hardship.

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The felling of the forests for hardwood timber

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was once common in northern Thailand,

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and elephants were used as tractors.

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When logging was made illegal in 1989,

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many elephants were forced to earn their keep in the tourist industry.

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SHE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE:

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Now, Lek is working to change the lives

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of Thailand's domesticated elephants.

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She's rescuing them from illegal logging sites,

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circuses and tracking camps,

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and giving them a new life.

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Caboo suffered an injury in a logging camp

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when she was two years old.

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But she had to carry on working for another 23 years -

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until Lek came to her rescue.

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The elephants roam here without chains, meeting others,

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and forging new bonds.

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Lek's sanctuary also enables visitors to meet these giants.

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EXCITED CHATTER

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SNORTING

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THUNDER RUMBLES

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In the wild, Asian elephants live in family groups of related females.

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But these individuals have welcomed Lek to be part of the herd.

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Elephants are highly intelligent and emotional animals.

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And after years of psychological trauma,

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these individuals are now putting their trust in Lek.

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RUMBLING AND SPLASHING

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In Thailand, there isn't always the space

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to release large numbers of them back into the wild.

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So, these elephants are likely to spend the rest of their days

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in this sanctuary.

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With Lek's love and dedication,

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they'll get the care they need,

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and now have a second chance at life.

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In Thailand's northern mountains,

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there are a few places where great tracts of forest still remain.

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Especially on the border with Myanmar.

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It's the largest area of protected land in mainland Southeast Asia.

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At its heart, the wilderness of Huai Kha Khaeng,

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is home to some of Thailand's rarest and most elusive creatures...

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..such as banteng.

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They normally live deep within the forest,

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but, during the dry season,

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come out into the clearings to feed on the last remaining grasses.

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These wild cows are believed to be the ancestors

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of all cattle in Southeast Asia.

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Each herd is comprised of a male,

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several females,

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and their playful calves.

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Huai Kha Khaeng is one of the few places

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where numbers seem to be growing.

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Sambar deer also like to graze here

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and are useful sentinels,

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alert to the sounds of the forest.

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They need to be.

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Large predators live here, too.

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Armed rangers are here to protect the rarest of them all.

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The Indochinese tiger.

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It is estimated there are only 200 of these tigers left in Thailand.

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And they face extinction

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due to habitat loss and poaching.

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The rangers pass on any information they find to scientists...

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..who are also working hard to prevent the tigers' decline.

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It's a great collaboration

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between the Department of National Parks,

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Wildlife And Plant Conservation,

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and the Wildlife Conservation Society.

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But it's tough work for everyone.

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Tigers are almost impossible to find.

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The best way for Som Pot and the tiger research team

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to work out how many live here is by using camera traps.

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They've revealed that here in Huai Kha Khaeng -

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just four hours' drive from Bangkok -

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there's a significant tiger population.

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Many Thai people are unaware these secretive cats

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still exist in their country.

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To know where to put the camera traps,

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the team need to understand the tigers' territory.

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To do that, they follow a number of key individuals

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using satellite collars.

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Today, Som Pot's tracking one particular tiger.

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Its satellite collar shows it keeps returning to the same place.

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It's a good chance to get vital camera-trap footage.

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The tiger has made a kill...

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..a male sambar deer.

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They must work quickly, with minimal disturbance.

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THEY MURMUR QUIETLY

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FLIES BUZZ

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THEY SPEAK IN OWN LANGUAGE

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Later that night, the tiger returns.

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Camera-trap footage has been vital for documenting the tigers here.

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Tiger stripe patterns are like fingerprints -

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unique to each individual.

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The database shows around 70 tigers roamed these forests.

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Numbers have almost doubled in a decade

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and that's because of people like Som Pot and his team.

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Restoring natural harmony in the forests of northern Thailand

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is also vital for preserving the spiritual lives

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of the people that live here.

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These men are from the Black Lahu hill tribe.

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Their ancestors lived in the Himalayan foothills

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for over 2,000 years, settling here within the last century.

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They believe spirits dwell in this forest.

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For Papa, cooperating with them is vital.

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HE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE:

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The Black Lahu have a unique relationship with nature,

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with an animist faith that predates Buddhism.

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This tree will become a bridge to the spirit world.

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HE CHANTS, OTHERS PLAY PIPES

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An offering is made.

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THEY PLAY NOTES

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Papa believes this cord will pull his wife's lost soul

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along the tree trunk back from the forest.

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HE CHANTS

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By tying the cord around her wrist,

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the spirit doctor reconnects Nalor with her soul.

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A Lahu will never cut a spirit cord,

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wearing it until it falls off.

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This sacred connection with the forest is cause for celebration.

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MUSIC PLAYS, THEY CLAP IN TIME

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By dancing, the Lahu show their joy to their creator spirit, Gui Sha.

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The Lahus' spiritual relationship with the forest

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protects their loved ones and strengthens the community.

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These remote mountain worlds

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not only hide ancient traditions,

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they also hide age-old showdowns.

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Up here lurks one of northern Thailand's

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more surprising creatures.

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The big-headed turtle.

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As his name suggests, he has an enormous head,

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with super-sized jaws.

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Food can be hard to come by in this fast-moving water,

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but as he only needs to eat every few days, there's no real urgency.

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And he knows where he's going.

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Long claws and a muscular tail propel him upstream.

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He's a little on the slow side,

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but it helps him save energy.

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He's got to where he wants to be.

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It's now a waiting game.

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Other ancient creatures are drawn from the forest to the water.

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Freshwater crabs.

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It's likely their ancestors ended up here,

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300km from the coast,

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when the mountains formed millions of years ago.

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To a crab, the big-headed turtle looks much like a rock...

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..and that's just what he wants.

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Now those jaws make sense.

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The ideal crab cracker.

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CRUNCHING

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Over millennia, remote forest streams

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have brought these unlikely animals together.

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Thailand's mountainous north is an ancient land...

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..but there are places where people have had a big influence

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in recent years.

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Like here, in the hills of Mae Hong Son.

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Commercial logging cleared parts of this land,

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creating new opportunities for other kinds of plant.

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Sunflowers now carpet these mountains.

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They were first brought to Thailand from Central America

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as garden plants about 70 years ago.

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But no-one quite knows how they got to the slopes.

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Up here, they spread like wildfire.

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Many tourists come to admire the spectacle.

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The people of the North have embraced this interloper...

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..adopting it as a provincial mascot.

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The Mexican sunflower is now part of the fabric of northern Thailand.

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Where farmland is replacing forest,

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wildlife finds new ways to flourish.

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Weaver ants have colonised much of this man-made landscape.

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Hundreds of them work as a team to build their home out of leaves,

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protecting them against the elements.

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To lash the leaves together,

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gangs of workers pull as one.

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Bridges are built, helping ants move quickly around the site.

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To hold their construction together,

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they rely on the youngest members of the colony -

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grubs.

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When they're in their final stages of development,

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they produce strands of silk...

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..and make the perfect glue gun.

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In just a few hours, their new home is complete.

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Their nest happens to be on a mango farm.

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But it's no ordinary orchard.

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Mr Bunchu has recruited this army of miniature warriors

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to defend his fruit.

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They'll eat any pests.

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And by tying these strings between mango trees,

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Mr Bunchu helps the ants get to new foraging grounds,

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expanding their empire

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and protecting his orchard.

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Healthy ant colonies mean fewer pesticides

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and the weaver ants give the farmer something else.

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Mr Bunchu likes to harvest their eggs.

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He takes only a little from each nest,

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separating the ants so they can return to the colony.

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These eggs are a Thai delicacy...

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and a favourite dish of the North.

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By working WITH wildlife,

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farmers in northern Thailand

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are able to benefit from nature's bounty, and help it flourish.

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But the greatest rewards of all

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are found in the shadows of these northern mountains.

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The soil here is watered by rivers that flow down through this land,

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irrigating the rice fields.

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Thailand exports more than 9 million tonnes of rice a year.

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Every rice plant is vital for Mr Thipuin's crop...

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..but there's constant threat.

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White-backed plant hoppers invade the paddy fields.

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They suck the sap and stunt the growth of the rice plants,

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reducing the yield.

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But living beneath these mountains,

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the farmers have their own natural pest control.

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Every evening, it stirs.

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300,000 wrinkle-lipped bats emerge

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to hunt for insects on the wing.

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This living ribbon of bats is a welcome sight for the farmers.

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HE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE:

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It's estimated that, by eating white-backed plant hoppers,

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these bats rescue enough rice

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to feed 26,000 people in Thailand each year.

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And by planting his rice in the flight path,

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Mr Thipuin will benefit from these hungry little helpers.

0:49:100:49:14

In these northern mountains, success and survival

0:49:180:49:22

rely on working together

0:49:220:49:24

and exploiting opportunities when they arise.

0:49:240:49:28

Ancient beliefs, modern ideas,

0:49:290:49:33

and unexpected alliances

0:49:330:49:35

all help to maintain the natural harmony.

0:49:350:49:39

The toughest challenge for the northern Thailand team

0:49:520:49:55

was filming Indochinese tigers.

0:49:550:49:57

There are only about 350 left in the wild.

0:49:590:50:03

The only place they stood any chance of success

0:50:030:50:07

was in the forest of Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary.

0:50:070:50:09

Producer James Hemming teamed up with the scientists

0:50:130:50:17

who've devoted their lives

0:50:170:50:18

to understanding the habits of these creatures...

0:50:180:50:21

..sometimes using quite unusual tracking techniques.

0:50:220:50:26

Yeah.

0:50:260:50:28

Yeah, that's really...

0:50:280:50:30

It's quite potent!

0:50:300:50:31

Scent marks define tiger territory.

0:50:310:50:34

They're like signposts,

0:50:340:50:36

providing vital clues to their whereabouts.

0:50:360:50:40

Two different tigers?

0:50:440:50:45

Even so, finding them is far from easy.

0:50:480:50:52

The team have only got three weeks in this forest,

0:50:540:50:57

which is four times the size of Greater London.

0:50:570:51:00

HE SNIFFS

0:51:070:51:09

James is going to need more than a sniff to succeed.

0:51:090:51:12

Wow!

0:51:140:51:15

Yeah.

0:51:150:51:16

Camera traps are his best chance

0:51:180:51:20

of getting footage of these elusive animals.

0:51:200:51:23

The cameras need to be rigged

0:51:250:51:26

at key locations in the forest where they'll be triggered by motion.

0:51:260:51:30

And to film a passing tiger,

0:51:330:51:34

it's really important to get the frame size right.

0:51:340:51:37

Pretty good.

0:51:370:51:39

Yeah. It's all good.

0:51:400:51:41

Cool. OK.

0:51:410:51:43

THEY MURMUR

0:51:450:51:46

For the scientists, camera traps have also proved essential.

0:51:460:51:51

Not just for research, but in helping police with anti-poaching.

0:51:510:51:56

In 2015, camera-trap images proved that a tiger

0:51:560:51:59

which once roamed these forests, had been illegally poached.

0:51:590:52:04

It led to the prosecution of three men.

0:52:040:52:07

The crew aren't relying just on camera traps.

0:52:120:52:15

Wildlife cameraman Graham MacFarlane

0:52:150:52:18

and guide Kwanchi, are also in the field.

0:52:180:52:21

A tiger could be ten metres from you and you wouldn't see it.

0:52:210:52:25

This place is covered with animal prints.

0:52:330:52:36

There's elephant, loads of deer.

0:52:360:52:39

It's a really good sign, all prey for the tiger.

0:52:390:52:41

I've got a really good feeling about this place.

0:52:410:52:44

And there's a fresh tiger track, just down there.

0:52:470:52:50

(Great news. Well spotted, Kwanchi!)

0:52:500:52:54

Graham is using a more traditional method,

0:52:540:52:57

waiting it out in a hide near a spring.

0:52:570:53:00

So, I've got my camera there, my seat,

0:53:000:53:03

my little window out on the world.

0:53:030:53:06

As Graham settles in,

0:53:100:53:13

the camera traps start to bring in results.

0:53:130:53:16

A leopard is caught on camera.

0:53:320:53:35

But no sign of tigers.

0:53:350:53:37

A few days later, scientist Som Pot may have found the breakthrough

0:53:390:53:44

that James needs - the rotting remains of a tiger kill.

0:53:440:53:48

"Come to Thailand!" they said. "Full of beaches(!)"

0:53:500:53:53

FLIES BUZZ

0:53:530:53:55

The tiger could return at any time,

0:53:560:53:59

so the team need to work swiftly.

0:53:590:54:01

I really hope this works. It could be the best chance we have

0:54:010:54:05

of actually filming a tiger here.

0:54:050:54:08

Now all they can do is wait.

0:54:080:54:10

Patience is also key for Graham.

0:54:160:54:19

Another day in the office.

0:54:210:54:23

Still no tiger. I'm not going to give up yet.

0:54:230:54:26

As it's the height of the dry season,

0:54:330:54:36

the spring is proving to be a busy place.

0:54:360:54:39

A Malay tapir.

0:54:480:54:50

Such an unusual-looking animal.

0:54:500:54:52

But this binturong has Graham baffled.

0:54:550:54:59

I shall have to look that one up in the mammals book.

0:54:590:55:02

That's is pretty cool, though.

0:55:020:55:04

And there are signs that predators may be close.

0:55:060:55:10

I just saw one of those barking deers with a massive scar.

0:55:100:55:13

I can only imagine it was a...lucky escape.

0:55:130:55:16

Possibly from a tiger.

0:55:160:55:18

It makes me nervous.

0:55:210:55:23

Graham is right to be nervous.

0:55:250:55:28

A ranger was recently attacked here by a tiger.

0:55:280:55:31

But, right now, there's a far bigger threat that no-one had anticipated.

0:55:330:55:38

A forest fire.

0:55:420:55:44

Out of control.

0:55:440:55:45

James and the team are forced back to base.

0:55:460:55:50

It's weird, because it was quite sunny earlier...

0:55:580:56:01

..and now with the wind's picked up, and it's so smoky.

0:56:020:56:05

The langurs all left at the same time.

0:56:070:56:10

They went that way.

0:56:100:56:12

So, I guess...

0:56:120:56:13

..if the fire does come this way, I'll head that way, too.

0:56:150:56:18

Graham's time in the hide is over.

0:56:220:56:24

Back at the headquarters,

0:56:280:56:30

the fires are now dangerously close to James and the team.

0:56:300:56:34

It's suddenly become, within, like, ten minutes, incredibly smoky.

0:56:360:56:41

We're actually having to evacuate.

0:56:410:56:43

Pretty worried, to be honest. It's just so unpredictable.

0:56:460:56:49

Holy Moley...

0:56:580:57:00

The team managed to get out safely,

0:57:070:57:10

and despite the fires, the camera traps were saved.

0:57:100:57:14

Wow...

0:57:180:57:19

Look... I mean, look at the size of him.

0:57:230:57:26

Fantastic. Wow...

0:57:260:57:28

-It's lucky that we got this?

-Yes!

-Really?

0:57:310:57:34

-Healthy.

-Really healthy.

0:57:360:57:39

-Good body condition.

-Which is great.

0:57:390:57:41

This must mean there's plenty of animals to, you know, hunt.

0:57:410:57:45

I'm over the moon that we actually managed to,

0:57:550:57:57

you know, get the footage.

0:57:570:57:59

-Thank you very much. It was great.

-You're welcome.

0:57:590:58:03

Over the course of the last 20 years,

0:58:040:58:07

tiger numbers have increased here.

0:58:070:58:09

And there is new hope for Thailand's biggest land predator.

0:58:090:58:14

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