0:00:03 > 0:00:07The Tibetan plateau is a quarter of China.
0:00:09 > 0:00:12Much of it is extremely remote and inhospitable.
0:00:14 > 0:00:19Its southern border runs through the world's highest mountain range,
0:00:19 > 0:00:22the formidable Himalayas.
0:00:26 > 0:00:29Its central part is a windswept and freezing
0:00:29 > 0:00:31wilderness the size of Western Europe.
0:00:35 > 0:00:40But this challenging place is home to incredible wildlife.
0:00:40 > 0:00:45There are more large creatures here than anywhere else in China.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59Tibet has been a province of China for more than 50 years,
0:00:59 > 0:01:02yet it has a unique character,
0:01:02 > 0:01:06shaped by over 1,000 years of Tibetan Buddhism.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14This obscure and archaic-looking religion
0:01:14 > 0:01:19has produced one of the most enlightened cultures on Earth.
0:01:19 > 0:01:23Here, people have a long tradition of co-existing peacefully
0:01:23 > 0:01:27with the creatures and landscape around them,
0:01:27 > 0:01:29a relationship which has helped to protect
0:01:29 > 0:01:32their fragile environment.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40In this programme we will discover why this harsh land with its ancient
0:01:40 > 0:01:45culture is vitally important for much of our planet.
0:02:24 > 0:02:27It's the beginning of winter,
0:02:27 > 0:02:30high up on the Tibetan plateau.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38The temperature will soon drop to minus 40 Celsius.
0:02:52 > 0:02:59Out here, life is reduced to a single imperative - survival.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13For the argali, the world's largest sheep,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16it means searching for a few tufts of grass.
0:03:32 > 0:03:35Descending from the hilltops to lower altitudes,
0:03:35 > 0:03:38the argali band together for safety.
0:03:41 > 0:03:45Hopefully, down here, they'll be able to find enough food
0:03:45 > 0:03:47to last them through the rest of the winter.
0:04:01 > 0:04:05Although this winter landscape looks barren and forbidding,
0:04:05 > 0:04:11Tibet's remote grasslands support a surprising variety of creatures.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15Though at this time of year, they can be hard to track down.
0:04:39 > 0:04:44By comparison, Tibet's capital, Lhasa, is a hive of activity.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Lhasa is a focus for large numbers of pilgrims
0:04:51 > 0:04:54who congregate at the city's temples each day.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04Tibet is home to over 2.5 million people,
0:05:04 > 0:05:07most of whom are deeply religious.
0:05:16 > 0:05:21Though Tibetan Buddhist worship centres on elaborate temples, statues and images,
0:05:21 > 0:05:26its beliefs are intimately linked with the wild landscapes of Tibet.
0:05:45 > 0:05:49The starting point for that relationship is the mountain range
0:05:49 > 0:05:52that runs along Tibet's southern border.
0:06:03 > 0:06:06Over 3,000 kilometres long,
0:06:06 > 0:06:10the Himalayas are China's real Great Wall.
0:06:16 > 0:06:20With hundreds of peaks over 7,000 metres and 13 peaks
0:06:20 > 0:06:25higher than 8,000 metres, they are the highest mountains on Earth.
0:06:39 > 0:06:44The Tibetan region contains over 35,000 glaciers
0:06:44 > 0:06:48that cover over 100,000 square kilometres.
0:06:51 > 0:06:56They comprise the largest area of ice outside the polar regions,
0:06:56 > 0:06:59and nearly a sixth of the world's total.
0:07:04 > 0:07:08These glaciers are the source of most of the water in the region.
0:07:11 > 0:07:16And the Tibetan plateau is studded with glacial lakes.
0:07:16 > 0:07:21At over 4,500 metres up, Lake Manasarovar
0:07:21 > 0:07:22in the far west of Tibet,
0:07:22 > 0:07:26is the highest freshwater lake in the world.
0:07:29 > 0:07:30In late spring,
0:07:30 > 0:07:33the chilly lake waters are a magnet for breeding birds.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46The crested grebe woos his mate with offerings of weed for her nest.
0:08:07 > 0:08:09Finally, the honeymoon suite
0:08:09 > 0:08:11is ready for action.
0:08:31 > 0:08:36The grebes are joined by the highest-flying birds in the world.
0:08:36 > 0:08:38Having spent the winter south of the Himalayas,
0:08:38 > 0:08:43bar-headed geese make the hazardous mountain crossing each spring
0:08:43 > 0:08:45to breed on the plateau's lakes.
0:09:08 > 0:09:10The geese nest together for safety.
0:09:10 > 0:09:13But so many chicks hatching at the same time
0:09:13 > 0:09:16means that it can be tricky finding your parents.
0:09:26 > 0:09:29Fortunately, once down at the water's edge,
0:09:29 > 0:09:31there's enough food for all of them.
0:09:38 > 0:09:40Fed by the mountain glaciers,
0:09:40 > 0:09:43the Tibetan plateau even has its own inland sea.
0:09:52 > 0:09:54This is Qinghai Lake...
0:09:55 > 0:09:57..China's largest.
0:10:04 > 0:10:09Millions of years of evaporation have concentrated the minerals in the lake,
0:10:09 > 0:10:12turning the water salty.
0:10:14 > 0:10:18Rich in fish, its waters attract thousands of cormorants.
0:10:39 > 0:10:43But it's not just wildlife that values Tibet's lakes and seas.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47Their life-giving waters are also important to people.
0:10:51 > 0:10:55Tibetan religion is a unique mix of Buddhism and much older
0:10:55 > 0:10:59Shamanic beliefs that were once widespread throughout the region.
0:11:00 > 0:11:06This hybrid religion forms the basis of an extraordinary relationship with nature.
0:11:09 > 0:11:14In Shamanic belief, the land is imbued with magical properties
0:11:14 > 0:11:17which aid communication with the spirit world.
0:11:23 > 0:11:26Here animal skulls are decorated,
0:11:26 > 0:11:29and rocks are carved with sacred mantras,
0:11:29 > 0:11:33groups of syllables that are considered to have spiritual power.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40The reciting of the mantras is believed to create a magical sound
0:11:40 > 0:11:43that reverberates through the universe.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49The landscape is decorated with multi-coloured flags which
0:11:49 > 0:11:56represent the five elements - fire, wood, earth, water and iron.
0:11:58 > 0:12:01The flags are printed with prayers to purify the air
0:12:01 > 0:12:03and pacify the gods,
0:12:03 > 0:12:06and the wind blows the prayers to heaven.
0:12:12 > 0:12:14The poles on which the prayer flags are mounted
0:12:14 > 0:12:17are regularly replenished with fresh flags.
0:12:17 > 0:12:20The old flags are treasured.
0:12:20 > 0:12:22Those nearest the top of the pole
0:12:22 > 0:12:25are the most auspicious,
0:12:25 > 0:12:28so competition for these can get fierce!
0:12:28 > 0:12:31ALL BICKER
0:12:46 > 0:12:50The golden dome, which is mounted right at the top of the prayer pole,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53is the most sacred object of all.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Or it will be, once it's retrieved.
0:12:58 > 0:13:01PEOPLE CHATTER
0:13:02 > 0:13:05LAUGHTER
0:13:09 > 0:13:12The old Shamanic beliefs of Tibet
0:13:12 > 0:13:15ascribed magical powers to the landscape...
0:13:18 > 0:13:21..but there's a far more tangible source of power here
0:13:21 > 0:13:24which owes nothing at all to magic.
0:13:28 > 0:13:32Strewn across the plateau are boiling thermal springs,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35the evidence of mighty natural forces
0:13:35 > 0:13:39which have been at work over millions of years.
0:13:39 > 0:13:42Deep below the surface, the vast continental plates
0:13:42 > 0:13:45of Asia and India are crashing into each other.
0:13:47 > 0:13:51The turmoil below erupts in clouds of sulphurous steam.
0:13:56 > 0:14:01It seems unlikely that scalding mineral springs should support life.
0:14:01 > 0:14:05But one unlikely creature thrives here precisely because of them.
0:14:15 > 0:14:19The hot spring snake is unique to Tibet
0:14:19 > 0:14:23and is believed to have survived the inhospitable conditions up
0:14:23 > 0:14:26on the plateau principally thanks to this natural central heating.
0:14:30 > 0:14:34These cold-blooded snakes hang out in streams and rivers which are fed
0:14:34 > 0:14:39by the hot springs, where they enjoy a surprisingly productive lifestyle.
0:14:48 > 0:14:49Slipping into the warm water,
0:14:49 > 0:14:54they wait patiently, bobbing their heads on the lookout for fish.
0:15:13 > 0:15:15Thanks to its unlikely relationship
0:15:15 > 0:15:18with the volcanic forces which built the Himalayas,
0:15:18 > 0:15:21the hot spring snake is able to survive
0:15:21 > 0:15:25at altitudes up to 4,500 metres,
0:15:25 > 0:15:29making it the highest-living snake in the world.
0:15:37 > 0:15:41The slow-motion crash between Asia and India
0:15:41 > 0:15:44has been going on for 30 million years.
0:15:46 > 0:15:49The Himalayas are the crumple-zone
0:15:49 > 0:15:52created by these two colliding landmasses,
0:15:52 > 0:15:55a bewildering maze of mountains and valleys,
0:15:55 > 0:15:57home to elusive wild creatures.
0:16:03 > 0:16:06In this rugged and unforgiving terrain,
0:16:06 > 0:16:09littered with fractured rock and ice cold rivers,
0:16:09 > 0:16:13the slightest miscalculation may have fatal consequences.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22The snow leopard is the world's highest-living big cat.
0:16:24 > 0:16:28But there's another, smaller predator that ranges even higher,
0:16:28 > 0:16:31almost to the roof of the world.
0:16:39 > 0:16:44At a mind-numbing 8,848 metres high,
0:16:44 > 0:16:49Everest is one of the most hostile places for life on Earth.
0:16:50 > 0:16:54Hundreds of people have died trying to conquer it.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59But when climbers first reached the ice fields three quarters of the way
0:16:59 > 0:17:03up the mountain, something had already beaten them to it.
0:17:06 > 0:17:11This jumping spider is the highest permanent resident on the planet.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14Totally at home amongst the glaciers of Everest,
0:17:14 > 0:17:18it scours the slopes for wind-borne prey such as springtails.
0:17:18 > 0:17:23Chinese call this fierce little hunter the "fly tiger".
0:17:25 > 0:17:29Jumping spiders are found all over the world.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32Their eight eyes include an oversized central pair,
0:17:32 > 0:17:37which act like powerful binoculars to spot potential victims.
0:17:41 > 0:17:44They use hydraulic pressure to work their legs like pistons,
0:17:44 > 0:17:48catapulting up to 30 times their own body length.
0:17:49 > 0:17:52The ideal way to get around in rocky terrain.
0:17:54 > 0:18:00But like all mountaineers, they always secure a safety line first.
0:18:08 > 0:18:11A springtail grazes on detritus,
0:18:11 > 0:18:15unaware that it's being stalked by such an acrobatic predator.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42The Tibetans call Everest "Qomolangma",
0:18:42 > 0:18:45meaning "mother of the world".
0:18:45 > 0:18:47It's a mark of their affection for the mountain,
0:18:47 > 0:18:50however brutal it may appear.
0:18:52 > 0:18:56Venture further from the mountains and out into the open plateau,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59and life doesn't appear to get any easier.
0:19:01 > 0:19:04High winds scour the landscape and temperatures
0:19:04 > 0:19:08can drop from baking to freezing in moments.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20This is the Chang Tang or Northern Grassland.
0:19:20 > 0:19:24It's so remote that it's been called the Third Pole.
0:19:26 > 0:19:30It's about 5,000 metres above sea level,
0:19:30 > 0:19:34way above the point at which altitude sickness starts to affect humans.
0:19:35 > 0:19:39At this height, most people are gasping for breath.
0:19:40 > 0:19:44But lack of oxygen hasn't cramped this creature's style.
0:19:50 > 0:19:55Chiru, or Tibetan antelope, have arrived for the winter rut.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06In the energy-sapping thin air, the males must try to control
0:20:06 > 0:20:11groups of females by constantly rounding them up and corralling them.
0:20:20 > 0:20:23But the chiru have an advantage.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Their red blood cell count is twice as high as ours,
0:20:26 > 0:20:30sufficient to supply their muscles with oxygen
0:20:30 > 0:20:32even at this extreme altitude.
0:20:43 > 0:20:47Nevertheless, it's hard work keeping his harem in check,
0:20:47 > 0:20:50and the male's life is about to get even harder.
0:20:52 > 0:20:56Another male is gearing up to steal his females.
0:22:16 > 0:22:19With their rapier-like horns,
0:22:19 > 0:22:22the males won't risk fighting unless they really have to.
0:22:23 > 0:22:26But if neither backs down, conflict is inevitable.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41Some of these fights end in death.
0:23:07 > 0:23:11While the males fence, the females look on.
0:23:34 > 0:23:38Injured and weakened by the battle, the loser will be an easy target
0:23:38 > 0:23:42for the predators and scavengers that patrol the wilderness.
0:23:45 > 0:23:48Out here there's little room for mistakes.
0:23:49 > 0:23:52With a clear view of the endless plateau below,
0:23:52 > 0:23:55vultures are quick to spot any opportunity.
0:24:02 > 0:24:06A dead yak has drawn a crowd.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18Vultures aren't famous for their table manners.
0:24:27 > 0:24:30The vultures do well here,
0:24:30 > 0:24:33as the vast Tibetan wilderness is home to many large creatures.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Living in herds of up to 200
0:24:44 > 0:24:47in the remoter corners of the Tibetan plateau,
0:24:47 > 0:24:52wild yaks travel large distances, grazing on the alpine tundra.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58Strong and secure over mountain passes and rivers,
0:24:58 > 0:25:01the yak is in its element at altitude.
0:25:01 > 0:25:06So much so that it gets sick if it goes below 3,000 metres.
0:25:09 > 0:25:12Standing two metres tall at the shoulder and weighing more
0:25:12 > 0:25:17than 800 kilos, the wild yak is both formidable and aggressive.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23But without this fearsome creature,
0:25:23 > 0:25:26it's unlikely that humans would have survived up here.
0:25:31 > 0:25:35Once domesticated, the yak is an amazing animal,
0:25:35 > 0:25:38providing the Tibetans with transport,
0:25:38 > 0:25:41food, wool for clothes and tents,
0:25:41 > 0:25:42and manure for fuel.
0:25:50 > 0:25:52It's held in such high regard
0:25:52 > 0:25:55that its fur is even used to decorate
0:25:55 > 0:25:56the sacred prayer flag poles,
0:25:56 > 0:26:01and yak butter is used as an offering to the gods.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12The yak has even led the Tibetans to buried treasure.
0:26:25 > 0:26:29In summer, people can be seen scouring the grassland,
0:26:29 > 0:26:32bent over in deep concentration.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36This is the world's weirdest harvest.
0:26:51 > 0:26:55Tibetans first investigated this strange root-like organism,
0:26:55 > 0:26:58known locally as "yartsa gunbu",
0:26:58 > 0:27:02when their yaks appeared to have more energy after grazing on it.
0:27:18 > 0:27:22Rumours of its amazing properties gradually spread, and today,
0:27:22 > 0:27:27the yartsa gunbu is a passport into a shady, underground world.
0:27:43 > 0:27:46It's possible to dig up 40 of them in a day,
0:27:46 > 0:27:51the proceeds from which may provide half the collector's annual income.
0:27:53 > 0:27:55Yartsa gunbu has been used
0:27:55 > 0:27:59as a traditional remedy for thousands of years,
0:27:59 > 0:28:02though only by the very wealthy.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04It has been bartered for tea and silk,
0:28:04 > 0:28:08and is worth more than four times its weight in silver.
0:28:08 > 0:28:10So lucrative is this trade,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13that sites and information are jealously guarded.
0:28:19 > 0:28:23At the nearby market, the yartsa gunbu are cleaned,
0:28:23 > 0:28:25and their true nature becomes clear.
0:28:27 > 0:28:32The yartsa gunbu translates as "summer grass, winter worm".
0:28:32 > 0:28:36The winter worm is a caterpillar.
0:28:37 > 0:28:39It eats the roots of grasses
0:28:39 > 0:28:43in preparation for its transformation into a moth.
0:28:48 > 0:28:52But some winter worms never make it as moths.
0:28:52 > 0:28:55Instead, a strange growth erupts from their body,
0:28:55 > 0:28:57appearing above ground in summer.
0:28:59 > 0:29:00This is the "summer grass" -
0:29:00 > 0:29:03a fungus called Cordyceps,
0:29:03 > 0:29:06whose spores have infected the caterpillar,
0:29:06 > 0:29:09using its body as their host.
0:29:11 > 0:29:15Modern scientific tests have shown that substances contained
0:29:15 > 0:29:20in Cordyceps lower blood pressure and make it easier to breathe.
0:29:20 > 0:29:24So in recent years, harvesting this natural treasure
0:29:24 > 0:29:27has grown into a huge and profitable business.
0:29:58 > 0:30:04Yartsa gunbu sells for big money in the top department stores of Lhasa,
0:30:04 > 0:30:07and there is a growing market outside of Tibet.
0:30:19 > 0:30:22Although Tibet is modernising fast,
0:30:22 > 0:30:25it retains a deeply spiritual culture.
0:30:38 > 0:30:41Even today, Tibetan valleys resound to distinctive
0:30:41 > 0:30:44and extraordinary calls to prayer.
0:30:44 > 0:30:46HORN BELLOWS
0:30:48 > 0:30:53The Tibetan horn may be the world's most unwieldy instrument,
0:30:53 > 0:30:55but its sound is unique.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00HORN BELLOWS
0:31:09 > 0:31:12MULTIPLE HORNS BELLOW
0:31:13 > 0:31:15Every morning, the nuns assemble for practice.
0:31:24 > 0:31:26The air is chilly, but they soon warm up.
0:31:35 > 0:31:40Monks and nuns comprise a substantial portion of society,
0:31:40 > 0:31:42largely self-contained and isolated.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53CHANTING
0:31:57 > 0:32:00Deep within the monastery is the spiritual engine
0:32:00 > 0:32:02that drives much of Tibetan culture.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13Buddhists believe in an endless cycle of rebirth,
0:32:13 > 0:32:17in which the actions of this life will impact on the next.
0:32:17 > 0:32:21The goal of Buddhism is to escape from this earthly cycle of pain
0:32:21 > 0:32:26and suffering by achieving a state of freedom called enlightenment.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29CHANTING CONTINUES
0:32:43 > 0:32:47The enlightened guides, or spiritual teachers, are called lamas.
0:32:53 > 0:32:56The possibility of escaping the cycle of life and death
0:32:56 > 0:33:03and the promise of enlightenment, encourages people to perform activities that benefit all beings.
0:33:06 > 0:33:10METALLIC TINKLING
0:33:10 > 0:33:16This belief assigns as much importance to the environment and its creatures as it does to humans,
0:33:16 > 0:33:20since every living creature is believed to have a soul.
0:33:25 > 0:33:29In the remote lands of Tibet, for over 1,000 years
0:33:29 > 0:33:30this concept has been translated
0:33:30 > 0:33:33into practical benefits for wildlife,
0:33:33 > 0:33:37and it starts literally on their doorstep.
0:33:47 > 0:33:50Buddhist monasteries have sacred sites,
0:33:50 > 0:33:54areas where taboos are placed on the hunting and killing of animals.
0:33:57 > 0:34:03Some creatures have become so tame that the nuns are able to hand-feed them,
0:34:03 > 0:34:06like these Tibetan-eared pheasants.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16NUN BECKONS BIRD
0:34:16 > 0:34:22Thanks to hand-outs from the nuns, these rare birds can survive the worst of the winter.
0:34:29 > 0:34:32In this extreme place, people with few resources
0:34:32 > 0:34:36are prepared to share them with their needy fellow creatures.
0:34:45 > 0:34:48The Tibetan example is a model for conservation.
0:35:05 > 0:35:07This respect for wildlife
0:35:07 > 0:35:09extends beyond the monasteries
0:35:09 > 0:35:11and into the wider community.
0:35:26 > 0:35:30One of Tibet's most sacred creatures is the black-necked crane.
0:35:30 > 0:35:32In summer, they live and breed
0:35:32 > 0:35:33out on the plateau,
0:35:33 > 0:35:37but in winter they congregate on farmland.
0:35:37 > 0:35:4070% of the world's population can be found here.
0:35:44 > 0:35:49The species was only recently identified by scientists,
0:35:49 > 0:35:53but it has been known to Tibetans for hundreds of years.
0:35:53 > 0:35:57In the 17th century, Tibet's supreme lama wrote,
0:35:57 > 0:36:03"Crane, lend me your wings, I go no farther than Lithang county.
0:36:03 > 0:36:06"And thence, return again."
0:36:07 > 0:36:13Tibetans believed he was predicting the site of his own reincarnation
0:36:13 > 0:36:17and in due course his successor was found,
0:36:17 > 0:36:20sure enough, living in Lithang county.
0:36:22 > 0:36:26Even today, black-necked cranes are treated with reverence and
0:36:26 > 0:36:31are welcomed by farmers as they land in the fields around the villages.
0:36:54 > 0:36:58Here, they perform their elaborate sky-pointing rituals.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22After the dignified business of parading,
0:37:22 > 0:37:24they begin to forage for leftover barley...
0:37:26 > 0:37:29..helped by the pigs which break up the soil.
0:37:31 > 0:37:35The farmers are happy to have these sacred birds on their fields.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44Within the village, religion is an integral part of life.
0:37:47 > 0:37:51Each prayer wheel is inscribed with mantras.
0:37:51 > 0:37:55Spinning them has much the same effect as reciting the prayers.
0:37:56 > 0:38:02Perhaps the Buddha would have enjoyed the thought that his teachings could provide so much fun!
0:38:16 > 0:38:21Buddhist respect for nature may find expression in practical ways too.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36This bird has a broken wing
0:38:36 > 0:38:40and has been nursed back to health by the villagers.
0:38:40 > 0:38:45Such kind acts are common where people believe that helping other
0:38:45 > 0:38:51beings, animals or people, in this life, may bring rewards in the next.
0:39:06 > 0:39:09The culture of veneration and protection
0:39:09 > 0:39:10extends right across Tibet,
0:39:10 > 0:39:15helping to preserve a unique yet fragile ecosystem.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18THUNDER RUMBLES
0:39:22 > 0:39:26Out on the plateau, there's a small creature that's at the root
0:39:26 > 0:39:29of much of the grasslands' delicate ecology.
0:39:30 > 0:39:35Despite summer snowstorms, the pika, a relative of rabbits and hares,
0:39:35 > 0:39:39is perpetually eating and gathering grass,
0:39:39 > 0:39:41and digging burrows for its family.
0:39:44 > 0:39:49The pika's constant excavations aerate the soil,
0:39:49 > 0:39:51which helps the plants to grow.
0:39:54 > 0:39:59In the short summer, the landscape is carpeted with hardy grasses
0:39:59 > 0:40:01and decorated with endemic flowers.
0:40:25 > 0:40:27In such a frugal environment,
0:40:27 > 0:40:30the pika's farming helps to kick-start the food chain.
0:40:31 > 0:40:34But the pika itself is a very tasty morsel.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40Its presence has enabled an uneasy relationship to develop
0:40:40 > 0:40:44between two of the plateau's most opportunistic predators...
0:40:45 > 0:40:47..the fox and the bear.
0:41:31 > 0:41:36The Tibetan brown bear, a close relative of the grizzly,
0:41:36 > 0:41:39tries to dig the pikas out of their burrows.
0:41:40 > 0:41:43Even hard-frozen soil presents little obstacle
0:41:43 > 0:41:45to a determined bear.
0:41:55 > 0:41:59The wily Tibetan fox is quick to spot any opportunity.
0:42:25 > 0:42:29True to form, the crafty fox claims the prize.
0:42:39 > 0:42:44A combination of inaccessibility and ancient traditions which forbid hunting,
0:42:44 > 0:42:47means that in some parts of the plateau,
0:42:47 > 0:42:51wild animals have remained relatively undisturbed, even today.
0:42:52 > 0:42:56But in those areas which are within reach of motor vehicles,
0:42:56 > 0:42:59these historical safeguards have been undermined.
0:43:01 > 0:43:06This change is illustrated in the fortunes of the chiru.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09A century ago, millions migrated across the plateau.
0:43:11 > 0:43:16Unfortunately for the chiru, its fur, known as "shahtoosh",
0:43:16 > 0:43:19or "king of wools", is highly prized.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22In recent decades, poachers have been able to venture
0:43:22 > 0:43:26deep into the wilderness, killing thousands of chiru.
0:43:26 > 0:43:28However, the situation is improving.
0:43:28 > 0:43:33Anti-poaching laws are now actively enforced, so every summer,
0:43:33 > 0:43:38female chiru can head to the birthing grounds in relative safety.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53Out on the plateau, new-born chiru are vulnerable to predators.
0:43:55 > 0:43:58So the mothers must try to hide and protect them.
0:44:13 > 0:44:16The most recent problem faced by the chiru is the new Tibet-Qinghai
0:44:16 > 0:44:22railway, which cuts right through their traditional migration routes.
0:44:22 > 0:44:25Running nearly 2,000 kilometres through some of the highest
0:44:25 > 0:44:29terrain on Earth, the railway is an astonishing technical feat.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34It's too early to see its effect on the wildlife,
0:44:34 > 0:44:39but the engineers have made efforts to incorporate underpasses,
0:44:39 > 0:44:42where wildlife can cross the line in safety.
0:44:53 > 0:44:57As the modern world increasingly impacts on Tibet,
0:44:57 > 0:45:01its traditions could be in danger of being eroded.
0:45:15 > 0:45:17But thanks to the sheer scale of this remote region,
0:45:17 > 0:45:24there are still many wild places that have so far remained largely intact.
0:45:26 > 0:45:32The least explored area of all is found in Tibet's far south-east.
0:45:38 > 0:45:42Here the Yarlung River, Tibet's longest,
0:45:42 > 0:45:45has carved through the Himalayas,
0:45:45 > 0:45:48allowing monsoon clouds from India to pass through.
0:45:55 > 0:45:57This is Tibet's most secret corner.
0:46:01 > 0:46:04According to legend, the Yarlung gorge
0:46:04 > 0:46:07was rendered magically invisible in the eighth century
0:46:07 > 0:46:13and can only be seen by those who have attained sufficient spiritual knowledge and wisdom.
0:46:21 > 0:46:24At two days' walk from the nearest road,
0:46:24 > 0:46:30this hidden region wasn't explored by outsiders until the 1990s.
0:46:36 > 0:46:38Thanks to the annual monsoon,
0:46:38 > 0:46:41the whole landscape is covered in lush forest.
0:46:44 > 0:46:47The scale of the gorge is breathtaking.
0:46:50 > 0:46:53As the Yarlung River cuts through the mountains,
0:46:53 > 0:46:56it's created the world's deepest gorge,
0:46:56 > 0:46:59three times deeper than America's Grand Canyon.
0:47:04 > 0:47:06This vast and mysterious place
0:47:06 > 0:47:07provides a vital clue
0:47:07 > 0:47:10to Tibet's importance for the rest of the world.
0:47:14 > 0:47:18The monsoon which sustains this lush and fertile valley
0:47:18 > 0:47:21owes its very existence to the Tibetan plateau.
0:47:30 > 0:47:34Like a giant hotplate, the plateau heats up in the spring and summer.
0:47:36 > 0:47:38The change in air pressure
0:47:38 > 0:47:41draws in warm moist air from the Indian Ocean in the south.
0:47:45 > 0:47:50Thanks to this, over a billion people from India to Burma
0:47:50 > 0:47:54benefit from the monsoon rain that this wind brings with it.
0:47:54 > 0:48:00Tibet is the engine that drives the fertility of a whole subcontinent.
0:48:04 > 0:48:08But Tibet has an even greater role in the ecology of the region.
0:48:10 > 0:48:15Clues to this function are found in a legend that pre-dates even the ancient Tibetan culture
0:48:15 > 0:48:19and which still draws pilgrims from all over the world.
0:48:26 > 0:48:29Several world religions believe in a mythical mountain
0:48:29 > 0:48:32that's equivalent to the Garden of Eden.
0:48:32 > 0:48:38Its peak has four faces, aligned to the points of the compass,
0:48:38 > 0:48:43and from its summit four rivers are said to flow to the four quarters of the world.
0:48:43 > 0:48:45Thanks to its life-giving waters,
0:48:45 > 0:48:49this mountain is known as the "axis of the world."
0:48:51 > 0:48:57In one of the remotest areas of Tibet, there's a place where this legend takes physical form.
0:48:58 > 0:49:00That place is Mount Kailash.
0:49:12 > 0:49:16By an uncanny coincidence, Mount Kailash perfectly matches the legend
0:49:16 > 0:49:19of the mythical axis of the world.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23Its four faces are roughly aligned to the compass,
0:49:23 > 0:49:26and four major rivers flow from its foothills.
0:49:30 > 0:49:33These are some of the most significant rivers in Asia.
0:49:34 > 0:49:38The Yarlung, which becomes India's Brahmaputra,
0:49:38 > 0:49:42the Indus and Sutlej, which flow to Pakistan,
0:49:42 > 0:49:45and the Karnali, a major feeder for the Ganges.
0:49:50 > 0:49:54Thanks to its connection with the mythical mountain,
0:49:54 > 0:49:58Kailash is so sacred that it has never been climbed.
0:49:58 > 0:50:02It's Tibet's most important pilgrimage site.
0:50:04 > 0:50:09For Tibetans, pilgrimage is a journey from ignorance to enlightenment.
0:50:09 > 0:50:12A pilgrimage around the sacred mountain is believed to wipe out
0:50:12 > 0:50:17the sins of a lifetime, increasing the chance of a better rebirth.
0:50:22 > 0:50:28Most pilgrims time their visit for the most important festival in the Tibetan calendar.
0:50:28 > 0:50:32For over 1,000 years they have gathered at the foot of Kailash
0:50:32 > 0:50:36for the Saga Dawa festival to celebrate Buddha's enlightenment.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39HORN BELLOWS, METALLIC TINKLING
0:50:39 > 0:50:44The festival climaxes with the raising of the newly dressed altar,
0:50:44 > 0:50:46a 25-metre flagpole.
0:51:02 > 0:51:06The full entourage of Tibetan monks make the most of the occasion,
0:51:06 > 0:51:09with music, prayers, and blessings.
0:51:18 > 0:51:23Hundreds of fresh prayer flags are prepared and added to the pole.
0:51:28 > 0:51:32The head lama's sacred scarf adds the final touch to the proceedings.
0:51:34 > 0:51:37HE SPEAKS IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:51:39 > 0:51:45But the significance of Mount Kailash isn't confined to Buddhists alone.
0:51:45 > 0:51:48Other faiths venture to this remote place,
0:51:48 > 0:51:51many from far beyond the Himalayas.
0:51:53 > 0:51:58Threatening to upstage the Buddhists, the Hindus arrive,
0:51:58 > 0:52:01adding their own mix of colour and music.
0:52:15 > 0:52:18When suitable respect has been paid,
0:52:18 > 0:52:22it's time for the newly dressed prayer pole to be raised.
0:52:25 > 0:52:28MAN YELLS COMMAND
0:52:38 > 0:52:40The pole must end up straight...
0:52:40 > 0:52:43or it will be a bad omen for Tibet.
0:52:46 > 0:52:49SHELL HOWLS
0:52:53 > 0:52:56LOUD CLAMOURING
0:53:09 > 0:53:15At last the pole stands true and the new prayers can be blown to the heavens.
0:53:15 > 0:53:22Around this point, the power of the Tibetan landscape and the beliefs of many cultures converge.
0:53:25 > 0:53:32More prayers, written on pieces of paper called "wind horses", are thrown into the air and flutter
0:53:32 > 0:53:38upwards towards the peak of Kailash, where the gods of the different faiths are believed to reside.
0:53:49 > 0:53:54Here, at the axis of the world, is a rare vision of harmony.
0:54:01 > 0:54:06For a few, there is one final but essential task to perform.
0:54:08 > 0:54:12Buddhists believe in the concept of rebirth, and at Kailash,
0:54:12 > 0:54:14the journey from one life to the next
0:54:14 > 0:54:18is marked with an ancient but outlandish ritual.
0:54:20 > 0:54:24Tibetans believe there's no need to keep or bury the bodies of their dead,
0:54:24 > 0:54:28since a departed life will already have kindled a new one elsewhere.
0:54:32 > 0:54:38The word for burial in Tibetan means "giving offerings to the birds",
0:54:38 > 0:54:43an act of generosity in line with the concept of compassion for all beings.
0:54:47 > 0:54:54By doing good deeds, Buddhists believe that they can contribute to the process of enlightenment.
0:54:54 > 0:55:00So, a sky burial at Kailash contributes to a brighter future.
0:55:18 > 0:55:24There may be legends of mythical mountains and rivers that form the "axis of the world".
0:55:24 > 0:55:29But the Tibetan plateau itself, with its mountains, glaciers, and rivers,
0:55:29 > 0:55:33and as the engine that drives the monsoon,
0:55:33 > 0:55:37lays fair claim to being the real axis of the world.
0:55:41 > 0:55:44Apart from feeding the rivers of India and Pakistan,
0:55:44 > 0:55:49Tibet's glaciers are the source of even more great rivers.
0:55:49 > 0:55:54Vietnam's Mekong, Burma's Salween and the Yangtze and the Yellow,
0:55:54 > 0:55:57both of which flow into China.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04Each year, enough water flows from the Tibetan plateau
0:56:04 > 0:56:07to fill the entire Yellow River,
0:56:07 > 0:56:10the mother river of Chinese civilisation.
0:56:10 > 0:56:15Today, in China alone, 300 million people depend on water
0:56:15 > 0:56:17from the Tibetan plateau.
0:56:29 > 0:56:33With its profound effect on Asia's weather and water systems,
0:56:33 > 0:56:38the Tibetan plateau helps to sustain almost half the world's population.
0:56:41 > 0:56:44For the moment, at least.
0:56:48 > 0:56:51Close to the summit of Mount Everest,
0:56:51 > 0:56:55a forest of ice once covered much of the area.
0:56:55 > 0:56:58But now, thanks to climate change,
0:56:58 > 0:57:00much of it has gone.
0:57:01 > 0:57:03Within the next 30 years
0:57:03 > 0:57:08it's predicted that 80% of the Tibetan glaciers could disappear.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11In many ways,
0:57:11 > 0:57:16Tibet's fragile environment is the barometer of our world.
0:57:16 > 0:57:18What happens to it today,
0:57:18 > 0:57:21in time, will affect us all.