0:00:15 > 0:00:21For centuries, we've known Arabia as a desolate and forbidding land.
0:00:21 > 0:00:23WIND BLOWS
0:00:26 > 0:00:29A vast and barren desert, where little survives.
0:00:38 > 0:00:43But there's one corner of Arabia where life thrives.
0:00:48 > 0:00:53A mountain range that rises dramatically from the ocean below.
0:01:01 > 0:01:06Once a year, this coast undergoes an amazing transformation...
0:01:20 > 0:01:26..making it home to more wildlife than anywhere else in Arabia.
0:01:39 > 0:01:44In the far south of Arabia, on the border between Oman and Yemen,
0:01:44 > 0:01:46lies the Dhofar coast.
0:01:50 > 0:01:52BIRDS CRY
0:01:56 > 0:01:59Here, beside the Indian Ocean,
0:01:59 > 0:02:04a range of mountains rises 1,000 metres from the shore.
0:02:07 > 0:02:12This remote region is home to an amazing variety of wildlife.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29BIRDS CRY
0:02:29 > 0:02:31It's January in Dhofar.
0:02:34 > 0:02:37The start of a year in which a team of biologists
0:02:37 > 0:02:40will try to discover what makes Dhofar so rich.
0:02:46 > 0:02:50Hadi and Khaled Al Hikmani grew up on this escarpment.
0:02:55 > 0:02:58Now, as Omani government researchers,
0:02:58 > 0:03:01they want to find out just how many species live here.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04THEY SPEAK IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:03:12 > 0:03:16Using remote cameras, triggered by an infrared beam,
0:03:16 > 0:03:19they hope to film as many animals as they can,
0:03:19 > 0:03:23including one so rare, locals call it a living ghost -
0:03:23 > 0:03:25the Arabian leopard.
0:03:25 > 0:03:29These cameras will run throughout the year,
0:03:29 > 0:03:31opening a window onto the private life
0:03:31 > 0:03:34of Dhofar's most elusive animals.
0:03:40 > 0:03:42But not all the creatures here are so shy.
0:03:48 > 0:03:51A female Verreaux's eagle is on patrol.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09She's a fussy eater.
0:04:09 > 0:04:11A pygmy owl won't do.
0:04:16 > 0:04:20Her diet is so specialised, she needs a partner to help capture it.
0:04:29 > 0:04:33They're searching for a prey whose nearest living relative
0:04:33 > 0:04:35is the African elephant.
0:04:38 > 0:04:41The tusks are a giveaway.
0:04:41 > 0:04:42BIRD SQUAWKS
0:04:42 > 0:04:44A rock hyrax.
0:04:44 > 0:04:49They feed on bushes on the cliff face, safe from most predators.
0:04:51 > 0:04:55But these eagles use a tactic rarely seen in the bird world.
0:05:02 > 0:05:04They go to work as a team.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08It won't be easy.
0:05:08 > 0:05:11Fan-tailed ravens don't like eagles in their air-space.
0:05:19 > 0:05:22This is a test of aerobatic skills.
0:05:29 > 0:05:33A nesting kestrel doesn't want the eagles around either.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57HYRAX CHITTERS
0:06:00 > 0:06:01The eagles split up.
0:06:04 > 0:06:06HYRAX CHITTER
0:06:06 > 0:06:09The female hugs the cliff edge...
0:06:13 > 0:06:15..while the male soars in front of the sun...
0:06:18 > 0:06:20..hiding in the blinding light.
0:06:24 > 0:06:27But the hyrax have a unique blue-tinted retina
0:06:27 > 0:06:30that acts like sunglasses,
0:06:30 > 0:06:33allowing them to stare directly back.
0:06:33 > 0:06:37They don't let the male eagle out of their sight.
0:06:41 > 0:06:44But the male was merely a decoy.
0:06:50 > 0:06:52His partner has already made the kill.
0:06:56 > 0:07:00By working together, they've captured their favourite meal.
0:07:16 > 0:07:18HYRAX TRILLS
0:07:20 > 0:07:23To feed themselves and a hungry chick,
0:07:23 > 0:07:26the pair must kill over ten hyrax a week.
0:07:30 > 0:07:32CHICK CHIRPS
0:07:34 > 0:07:38These little cousins of the elephant are part of a rich food chain.
0:07:47 > 0:07:51But it's not only the mountains of Dhofar where wildlife thrives.
0:08:01 > 0:08:02Just offshore...
0:08:04 > 0:08:06..is the Indian Ocean...
0:08:11 > 0:08:14..home to one of the rarest animals on earth.
0:08:20 > 0:08:24It's February, and the waters echo with a song heard nowhere else.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28WHALE MOANS
0:08:35 > 0:08:39WHALE GROANS SOFTLY
0:08:43 > 0:08:45An Arabian humpback whale.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57There are less than 100 left on the planet.
0:09:04 > 0:09:07They're so special they've become targets.
0:09:24 > 0:09:27WHALE SONG CONTINUES
0:09:41 > 0:09:44Researchers are now on the hunt for whale DNA.
0:10:03 > 0:10:09The dart merely pricks the skin, and the whale barely feels a thing -
0:10:09 > 0:10:12but the scientists have the sample they need.
0:10:16 > 0:10:20WHALE SONG
0:10:20 > 0:10:23The DNA results have revealed something amazing
0:10:23 > 0:10:24about this population.
0:10:24 > 0:10:27SCIENTISTS CONFER
0:10:33 > 0:10:37These humpbacks have not bred with any other whales
0:10:37 > 0:10:39for over 60,000 years.
0:10:44 > 0:10:47The last time they met with others of their kind,
0:10:47 > 0:10:50sabre-toothed cats roamed the earth
0:10:50 > 0:10:55and the Arabian peninsula was still joined to Asia by land.
0:11:01 > 0:11:03Using underwater microphones,
0:11:03 > 0:11:06scientists are recording whale songs never heard before,
0:11:06 > 0:11:11and think they may have discovered a new race of whales.
0:11:11 > 0:11:13WHALES TRILL AND GROAN
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Perhaps the most remarkable discovery about these whales
0:11:27 > 0:11:31is that they're the only humpbacks in the world that don't migrate.
0:11:34 > 0:11:38All other humpbacks breed in warm oceans,
0:11:38 > 0:11:40then travel to polar waters to feed.
0:11:41 > 0:11:44Only cold water carries the nutrients they need.
0:11:47 > 0:11:50WHALE SONG
0:11:51 > 0:11:54But in 60,000 years,
0:11:54 > 0:11:57these humpbacks of the Arabian Sea have never left.
0:12:06 > 0:12:09For these giants to survive here year-round,
0:12:09 > 0:12:13cold water full of food must arrive from somewhere.
0:12:19 > 0:12:21This holds the key,
0:12:21 > 0:12:23not just for the humpbacks' survival,
0:12:23 > 0:12:26but for all life in these coastal mountains.
0:12:35 > 0:12:39But, for now, these waters remain warm and barren,
0:12:39 > 0:12:41just like the Arabian coastline.
0:12:48 > 0:12:49It's April,
0:12:49 > 0:12:53and not a drop of rain has fallen in the mountains for over six months.
0:13:01 > 0:13:05Arabia is so dry that not a single river flows permanently
0:13:05 > 0:13:07on this entire sub-continent.
0:13:11 > 0:13:14The daytime temperature reaches 45 degrees Celsius.
0:13:27 > 0:13:30WIND WHISTLES
0:13:30 > 0:13:32Shamal winds from the north
0:13:32 > 0:13:35bring no relief for those living in the Dhofar mountains.
0:13:43 > 0:13:47Hadi and Khaled's families have herded goats here for generations.
0:13:51 > 0:13:54They are Jibali people, originally from Africa.
0:13:54 > 0:13:58At this time of year, they travel far and wide
0:13:58 > 0:14:00to find grazing for their animals.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07Hadi and Khaled's village sits on the top of the Dhofar escarpment.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19Khaled's mother carries a weapon to protect her flock.
0:14:23 > 0:14:26GOAT BLEATS
0:14:26 > 0:14:31In these remote mountains, their livestock are exposed to predators.
0:14:32 > 0:14:36And in the heat of early summer,
0:14:36 > 0:14:39it seems the predators are becoming more bold.
0:14:41 > 0:14:44A neighbour has called for Khaled's help.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46LIVESTOCK SQUAWKS
0:14:46 > 0:14:48As a government researcher,
0:14:48 > 0:14:51he's first on call when wildlife comes into the village.
0:15:00 > 0:15:03Once a predator breaks in,
0:15:03 > 0:15:05there's usually only one outcome.
0:15:14 > 0:15:17The teeth marks suggest a large carnivore.
0:15:19 > 0:15:21Losing one goat is bad.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24The loss of eight goats will hit the family very hard.
0:15:29 > 0:15:30In the past,
0:15:30 > 0:15:34Khaled's village would've set out to hunt this killer.
0:15:36 > 0:15:38Now Khaled wants to hunt for answers.
0:15:38 > 0:15:41FLIES BUZZ
0:15:41 > 0:15:45He suspects the killer will return to the scene of the crime.
0:15:47 > 0:15:50He sets a trap with remote-control cameras.
0:15:53 > 0:15:57An image of the culprit may help efforts to compensate farmers.
0:16:12 > 0:16:16Khaled is a goat herder himself, as well as a biologist.
0:16:18 > 0:16:22On the one hand, he hopes to protect rare carnivores in these hills.
0:16:22 > 0:16:26On the other, his family rely on him to keep their goats safe.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37GOATS BLEAT
0:16:58 > 0:17:02It's a clear, starry night, but there's no moon.
0:17:02 > 0:17:06When the village lights go out, it's pitch-black.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09Only by using a special heat-sensitive camera
0:17:09 > 0:17:11can we witness the night's drama.
0:17:11 > 0:17:13GOATS BLEAT
0:17:13 > 0:17:16CRICKETS CHIRRUP
0:17:16 > 0:17:19The thermal camera shows a cold, dark night
0:17:19 > 0:17:21dotted with warm-blooded mammals.
0:17:25 > 0:17:29To the human eye, there's nothing but darkness.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34CAMELS GRUNT
0:17:37 > 0:17:40The nightwatchman can't see the predators gathering.
0:17:43 > 0:17:45WOLF HOWLS
0:17:49 > 0:17:50Arabian wolves.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52WOLVES HOWL
0:17:52 > 0:17:54The Jibali often hear wolves,
0:17:54 > 0:17:57but no-one knew they came so close to the village.
0:18:06 > 0:18:09They have rarely been seen in groups bigger than four.
0:18:12 > 0:18:14This pack numbers 12 individuals,
0:18:14 > 0:18:16the largest ever recorded -
0:18:16 > 0:18:19a clear sign there's more food for them in the Dhofar mountains
0:18:19 > 0:18:21than anywhere else in Arabia.
0:18:23 > 0:18:26But they may not be the only ones feasting tonight.
0:18:32 > 0:18:34The party's over.
0:18:34 > 0:18:36ANIMAL SNUFFLES
0:18:38 > 0:18:42There's only one beast not afraid to take on 12 wolves.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48A female striped hyena moves into position.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56The scout can't see the intruder in the darkness.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02And the hyena makes her move.
0:19:08 > 0:19:12One-on-one, a wolf is no match for a hyena.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20She's not quick, but she's immensely strong.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23With one bite, she could crush a wolf's skull.
0:19:26 > 0:19:28THEY GROWL
0:19:37 > 0:19:39THEY SNARL
0:19:44 > 0:19:48In the darkness, the wolves lose their nerve,
0:19:48 > 0:19:50and the thief helps herself.
0:19:59 > 0:20:01WOLF WHIMPERS
0:20:04 > 0:20:06Dhofar is one of the few places on earth
0:20:06 > 0:20:09where wolves and hyenas come face-to-face.
0:20:14 > 0:20:17But it won't be the rivalry between the two species
0:20:17 > 0:20:19that affects their survival.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30It's the conflict between predators and Jibali farmers
0:20:30 > 0:20:32that Hadi and Khaled are most concerned about.
0:20:39 > 0:20:42BIRDSONG
0:20:46 > 0:20:50At dawn, Hadi and Khaled download their cameras.
0:20:52 > 0:20:53The villagers heard wolves,
0:20:53 > 0:20:57but the appearance of a striped hyena is a surprise.
0:21:07 > 0:21:09The video will be a useful first step
0:21:09 > 0:21:12in resolving the locals' conflict with predators.
0:21:24 > 0:21:27If they can identify individual culprits,
0:21:27 > 0:21:29it may prevent indiscriminate revenge.
0:21:33 > 0:21:35THEY SPEAK IN OWN LANGUAGE
0:21:38 > 0:21:41ANIMALS GROWL AND BARK
0:21:42 > 0:21:47The cameras not only capture the behaviour of large carnivores,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50they shed light on some more obscure night hunters.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04Honey badgers usually forage alone.
0:22:11 > 0:22:14In the mountains, it appears they roam in packs.
0:22:14 > 0:22:15HE CHUCKLES
0:22:20 > 0:22:24And then a sight of one the rarest animals in the world...
0:22:26 > 0:22:28..an Arabian leopard.
0:22:30 > 0:22:33THEY CONFER
0:22:35 > 0:22:38These are the shots they're after.
0:22:39 > 0:22:41They set out to check their cameras,
0:22:41 > 0:22:45covering over 100 miles of the Dhofar mountains.
0:23:02 > 0:23:07The cameras are capturing a rich food chain, from top to bottom.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Hadi and Khaled's results are revealing a remarkable web of life.
0:23:27 > 0:23:31But what is the one thing that connects all this wildlife
0:23:31 > 0:23:34and makes the Dhofar mountains so rich?
0:23:38 > 0:23:42The answer lies in their position, right by the Indian Ocean.
0:23:51 > 0:23:54It's May, the hottest month of the year.
0:24:00 > 0:24:05And one predator knows that Dhofar's riches come from the sea.
0:24:08 > 0:24:09An Arabian fox.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16Tonight, this predator from the mountains
0:24:16 > 0:24:19will come face-to-face with a creature from the Indian Ocean.
0:24:25 > 0:24:27ANIMAL SCUFFLES
0:24:27 > 0:24:31An ancient mariner has brought treasure ashore to bury.
0:24:34 > 0:24:38An animal that has changed little since the time of the dinosaurs.
0:24:43 > 0:24:46A female green sea turtle.
0:24:50 > 0:24:54She is here to do what her ancestors have done
0:24:54 > 0:24:56for over 100 million years.
0:24:59 > 0:25:01With her hind flippers,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04she carefully digs a hole of just the right depth.
0:25:06 > 0:25:10Her tears excrete salt and keep sand out of her eyes,
0:25:10 > 0:25:12as she lays over 100 eggs.
0:25:14 > 0:25:18This is the only activity that will ever bring her ashore.
0:25:21 > 0:25:23And it has not gone unnoticed.
0:25:25 > 0:25:29Once her eggs are buried, her job as mother is done.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50She returns to the sea for another year...
0:25:52 > 0:25:55..but it's her buried treasure that the thief is after.
0:26:06 > 0:26:09An egg is a nutritious meal for this skinny fox.
0:26:18 > 0:26:22A second female arrives to take her chances.
0:26:24 > 0:26:27Two more, and the turtles are improving their odds.
0:26:31 > 0:26:33But the fox isn't alone either.
0:26:45 > 0:26:50These foxes can dig up eggs quicker than turtles can bury them.
0:26:50 > 0:26:53Theirs is the most specialised diet of any fox.
0:26:54 > 0:26:5990% of everything they eat in their whole life will be turtle eggs.
0:27:01 > 0:27:03There is little the turtles can do to defend their clutch,
0:27:03 > 0:27:07but they have one strategy the foxes can never match.
0:27:09 > 0:27:10Numbers.
0:27:12 > 0:27:15Each year, over 10,000 female turtles
0:27:15 > 0:27:18lay over three million eggs along this coast.
0:27:20 > 0:27:23It would take the foxes over 50 years
0:27:23 > 0:27:25to eat this season's batch alone.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49Riches from the Indian Ocean are feeding the Arabian land.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56Ultimately, all of Dhofar's riches are sustained by the sea.
0:27:58 > 0:28:03And the sea itself is undergoing a radical transformation.
0:28:07 > 0:28:10Warm surface waters are being dragged away,
0:28:10 > 0:28:13sucked to the north by the mighty Indian monsoon.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21An oceanic vacuum is created, and something must fill the space.
0:28:26 > 0:28:28Cold water wells up from the depths,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31bringing nutrients from the sea floor with it.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49Chilled water also holds more oxygen,
0:28:49 > 0:28:52and more oxygen means more life.
0:28:54 > 0:28:57As the temperature drops, these seas are transforming
0:28:57 > 0:28:59into some of the richest in the world.
0:29:04 > 0:29:09Microscopic plankton flourish, and an explosion of life begins.
0:29:15 > 0:29:19Fish from every corner of the Indian Ocean have come to feed.
0:29:20 > 0:29:22Fusiliers...
0:29:23 > 0:29:25..blue triggerfish...
0:29:31 > 0:29:33..and graceful devil rays.
0:29:36 > 0:29:40Some have travelled from as far as Australia to enjoy these riches.
0:29:46 > 0:29:49This is why the humpbacks never leave.
0:29:50 > 0:29:54They don't need to migrate to cold waters to feed.
0:29:54 > 0:29:56Cold water comes to them.
0:30:01 > 0:30:06And this bounty attracts one species that arrives not in thousands,
0:30:06 > 0:30:08not even millions.
0:30:11 > 0:30:15The Indian oil sardine arrives in billions.
0:30:18 > 0:30:22A single shoal can be over three miles long.
0:30:44 > 0:30:48By moving in unison, they confuse predators.
0:30:52 > 0:30:53Rays are too slow.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00Socotra cormorants struggle to pick a target.
0:31:05 > 0:31:07But synchronised swimming won't protect them
0:31:07 > 0:31:10from the ocean's most voracious predator...
0:31:12 > 0:31:13..man.
0:31:17 > 0:31:21The arrival of the sardines means the Jibali mountain-men
0:31:21 > 0:31:22become part-time fishermen.
0:31:28 > 0:31:31Over half a million tonnes of fish will be brought in.
0:32:15 > 0:32:18While the cold water is a boon for sardines,
0:32:18 > 0:32:21it's brought hard times for the resident corals.
0:32:23 > 0:32:27The water temperature has dropped ten degrees in a matter of weeks.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33Tropical species are now being overrun by a cold-water bully.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44Kelp grows up to 50 centimetres per day, smothering the reef.
0:32:49 > 0:32:53Most warm-water residents have no choice but to stay put.
0:33:01 > 0:33:04A lone clownfish.
0:33:04 > 0:33:07He has made his home in a small anemone.
0:33:07 > 0:33:11A tiny tropical island in a sea that's turned cold.
0:33:20 > 0:33:24For these tropical species, their world has been turned upside down.
0:33:39 > 0:33:43The Indian monsoon has struck the Dhofar coast.
0:34:11 > 0:34:14The monsoon brings with it the magic ingredient
0:34:14 > 0:34:16that sustains life in these mountains.
0:34:19 > 0:34:22The chilled waters cool the air above them...
0:34:27 > 0:34:30..creating clouds which pour inland.
0:35:00 > 0:35:02The air is so humid,
0:35:02 > 0:35:06the clouds need only touch an object to release their moisture.
0:35:08 > 0:35:10CAMEL GRIZZLES
0:35:16 > 0:35:19The mist is about to work miracles.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28Condensation settles on everything.
0:35:52 > 0:35:55Some homes are waterlogged.
0:35:58 > 0:36:01A female golden orb spider.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08Her oily exoskeleton helps keep water out,
0:36:08 > 0:36:11but shedding the droplets isn't easy.
0:36:27 > 0:36:30Her male is one-tenth her size,
0:36:30 > 0:36:33and even less skilled at drying off.
0:36:48 > 0:36:49Through June, the monsoon builds
0:36:49 > 0:36:53into one of the biggest weather systems on earth.
0:36:59 > 0:37:03Cool ocean winds meet warm Arabian air
0:37:03 > 0:37:05creating vast cloud banks.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27The Dhofar escarpment provides the perfect barrier...
0:37:29 > 0:37:33..trapping the clouds and hijacking their precious moisture.
0:37:40 > 0:37:44There is more rainfall here than the rest of Arabia combined.
0:37:48 > 0:37:54In July, the monsoon's blanket rests heavy on the land,
0:37:54 > 0:37:56and mist turns to rain.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14Plants grow on other plants to gain height
0:38:14 > 0:38:16and steal as much moisture as they can.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23Even the animals here have amazing methods of catching rain.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29The Arabian chameleon absorbs water directly through his skin.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34And the head-shield funnels raindrops to his mouth.
0:38:36 > 0:38:39Perhaps a little too much, today.
0:38:54 > 0:38:57Down below, the ground is now so sodden
0:38:57 > 0:39:00that others are emerging from months underground.
0:39:03 > 0:39:05Snails have been avoiding the heat,
0:39:05 > 0:39:09but now conditions are just right, and there's lots to catch up on.
0:39:12 > 0:39:15Snails are seeking other snails.
0:39:21 > 0:39:24And the tree trunks have become singles bars.
0:39:36 > 0:39:38Within a few short months,
0:39:38 > 0:39:40the monsoon moisture has worked its magic...
0:39:42 > 0:39:48..turning the once-parched hills into a green paradise.
0:39:59 > 0:40:03This is a side of Arabia that few of us could imagine.
0:40:07 > 0:40:11A practically hidden ecosystem springs to life.
0:40:37 > 0:40:41The Dhofar coast has become the jewel of Arabia.
0:40:44 > 0:40:49By August, the earth cannot soak up any more water
0:40:49 > 0:40:52and the Dhofar mountains drain what they can't hold.
0:41:11 > 0:41:15When creeks turn to rivers, some opt for a spot of fishing.
0:41:16 > 0:41:18There are beginners...
0:41:18 > 0:41:19and experts.
0:41:23 > 0:41:28A few fish have clung on though the dry season in tiny pools,
0:41:28 > 0:41:30and now their numbers explode.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35Each pond contains species different to the next,
0:41:35 > 0:41:37some found nowhere else on earth.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Millions of litres of water have permeated the mountains...
0:41:48 > 0:41:51..a treasure that will trickle out all year round
0:41:51 > 0:41:56in the form of springs, sustaining life for another year.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Many animals rely on the summer monsoon to build fat reserves
0:42:10 > 0:42:12for the lean times ahead.
0:42:26 > 0:42:28In the final days of greenery,
0:42:28 > 0:42:31the Jibali gather their camels together
0:42:31 > 0:42:33to graze in their thousands.
0:42:55 > 0:42:58Hadi and Khaled continue their research through the wet season.
0:43:08 > 0:43:12After a few short months, the monsoon begins to fade.
0:43:16 > 0:43:22September gives way to October, and the Arabian sun regains control.
0:43:38 > 0:43:42Arabia is once again a land without rivers.
0:43:55 > 0:43:59Her mountains face the Indian Ocean, awaiting next year's gifts.
0:44:17 > 0:44:19By December, Hadi and Khaled's cameras
0:44:19 > 0:44:22have been running in isolation for a year.
0:44:26 > 0:44:28Their persistence has paid off.
0:44:30 > 0:44:33Their Holy Grail appears closer than expected.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38GROWLING
0:44:48 > 0:44:50Technology has brought them face to face
0:44:50 > 0:44:53with one of the most elusive predators on the planet.
0:45:09 > 0:45:10GROWLING
0:45:10 > 0:45:14Their cameras are not only capturing images,
0:45:14 > 0:45:18but the first-ever sound recordings of the leopard's mating call.
0:45:18 > 0:45:20SONOROUS PANTING
0:45:49 > 0:45:52Hadi and Khaled will use this footage to raise awareness
0:45:52 > 0:45:54of the Arabian leopard.
0:45:54 > 0:45:56With support from the Oman government,
0:45:56 > 0:45:59they hope to ensure the cats' survival
0:45:59 > 0:46:00in these mountains by the sea.
0:46:08 > 0:46:13For the Arabian leopard, the Dhofar mountains are their last stronghold.
0:46:18 > 0:46:19Caves in these cliffs
0:46:19 > 0:46:22provide shelter for these secretive creatures.
0:46:45 > 0:46:47For the first time ever, we have a glimpse
0:46:47 > 0:46:50into the private life of these elusive animals.
0:46:57 > 0:47:00And we know now that the leopards share these mountains
0:47:00 > 0:47:03with some equally remarkable predators.
0:47:11 > 0:47:13The story of the striped hyena
0:47:13 > 0:47:16is intricately linked with that of the Arabian wolf.
0:47:18 > 0:47:22All these large carnivores sit at the top of a fragile food chain.
0:47:24 > 0:47:26A web of life that relies on
0:47:26 > 0:47:30the spectacular setting of their mountain fortress.
0:47:52 > 0:47:57As long as the Indian monsoon sweeps past each summer,
0:47:57 > 0:47:58Dhofar will remain home
0:47:58 > 0:48:01to the greatest diversity of life in Arabia.
0:48:16 > 0:48:19There are less than 200 Arabian leopards left in the world.
0:48:21 > 0:48:23They are critically endangered.
0:48:30 > 0:48:35And yet a simple mist is all that's needed to sustain this living ghost,
0:48:35 > 0:48:39and everything that lives in these Arabian mountains.
0:48:57 > 0:48:58For the Wild Arabia team,
0:48:58 > 0:49:02one animal above all posed their greatest filming challenge.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07Deep in the remote mountains of Oman,
0:49:07 > 0:49:09these animals are notoriously elusive.
0:49:11 > 0:49:15Spotting an Arabian wolf in daylight is tricky enough,
0:49:15 > 0:49:18but it's only after the sun goes down that they hunt.
0:49:20 > 0:49:23By braving the Arabian nights,
0:49:23 > 0:49:26the team got a lot more than they bargained for.
0:49:29 > 0:49:31WOLF HOWLS
0:49:36 > 0:49:40Cameraman Mateo Willis grew up in Oman,
0:49:40 > 0:49:43and since an early age has been intrigued by the Arabian wolf.
0:49:43 > 0:49:46So, I think we have to make several trips.
0:49:46 > 0:49:49To find them he'll need the help of biologist Hadi Al Hikmani.
0:49:49 > 0:49:51Hadi, have you got the laptop?
0:49:54 > 0:49:56Mateo has known Hadi for over 20 years,
0:49:56 > 0:50:01and between them they know these mountains extremely well.
0:50:01 > 0:50:04Whose idea was it to bring so much luggage?
0:50:04 > 0:50:07And there's one spot where Hadi's camera traps
0:50:07 > 0:50:08have had a lot of success.
0:50:08 > 0:50:09Hey!
0:50:11 > 0:50:13Porcupine.
0:50:17 > 0:50:20Large packs of wolves are known to patrol this canyon.
0:50:22 > 0:50:24Mateo has a lot to set up before the sun sets.
0:50:37 > 0:50:42This ledge will be Mateo's bedroom for the foreseeable future,
0:50:42 > 0:50:44and he won't be getting much sleep.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52Mateo has illuminated the track with infrared lights.
0:50:52 > 0:50:55The camera can capture an image,
0:50:55 > 0:50:57but infrared is invisible to the wolves.
0:50:57 > 0:51:00He's hoping they won't spot him.
0:51:03 > 0:51:06We've had a lot of luck with remote cameras. We've got some great stuff.
0:51:06 > 0:51:09But the problem is, they're only ever snapshots of animals.
0:51:09 > 0:51:12What's really great about being back here behind the camera
0:51:12 > 0:51:14is that for the first time we're hoping
0:51:14 > 0:51:16we'll be able to follow them in greater detail
0:51:16 > 0:51:19and reveal a bit more about their behaviour.
0:51:22 > 0:51:27It has now been days, and Mateo hasn't filmed a thing.
0:51:33 > 0:51:36There's just nothing coming through.
0:51:36 > 0:51:38And yet we know from the remote cameras
0:51:38 > 0:51:41that animals come through here almost every night.
0:51:43 > 0:51:45WOLVES HOWL
0:51:45 > 0:51:49Very frustrating. I can hear the wolves, I just can't see them.
0:51:49 > 0:51:51Our lights are so concentrated
0:51:51 > 0:51:53that the wolves just have to be ten feet to the left or right,
0:51:53 > 0:51:56and I just can't see them at all.
0:52:00 > 0:52:03It's time to head back to the drawing board.
0:52:03 > 0:52:06To get any footage of these shy animals,
0:52:06 > 0:52:10the team will need a camera that sees much further into the darkness.
0:52:21 > 0:52:26After two months, the crew return with a possible solution.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31In the last few weeks,
0:52:31 > 0:52:35Khaled's family have heard wolves howling at night.
0:52:35 > 0:52:39He suggests that they set up their hide on the edge of his village.
0:52:41 > 0:52:45The night crew are now armed with a completely new system -
0:52:45 > 0:52:47a camera they hope will let them film wolves
0:52:47 > 0:52:49without the use of any lights at all.
0:52:51 > 0:52:53Camerawoman Sue Gibson
0:52:53 > 0:52:55and assistant Dave Mothershaw
0:52:55 > 0:52:56are the first try it out.
0:52:59 > 0:53:01This camera sees heat.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04On a cold night, warm-blooded animals
0:53:04 > 0:53:07can be seen up to a mile away.
0:53:07 > 0:53:09Oh, he's turned around.
0:53:09 > 0:53:12'Can you see through my clothes?'
0:53:12 > 0:53:14"Can you see through my clothes?" THEY CHUCKLE
0:53:14 > 0:53:17Yeah. What's that?(!)
0:53:17 > 0:53:19Is that why he's facing the other way?
0:53:19 > 0:53:21Is that why he thinks I asked him to turn the other way?
0:53:22 > 0:53:24Cor, it's incredible.
0:53:24 > 0:53:27It's amazing piece of kit - it's unbelievable.
0:53:27 > 0:53:28Such a cool thing!
0:53:34 > 0:53:38Filming village life may pass the time on long nights,
0:53:38 > 0:53:42but three weeks in and still no wolves.
0:53:43 > 0:53:47One of Arabia's other nocturnal hunters has come to them.
0:53:49 > 0:53:50- Oh,- BLEEP!
0:53:52 > 0:53:58Oh, God, I've got one in the bag. He is massive.
0:53:58 > 0:54:00Massive. Oh!
0:54:03 > 0:54:06Oh, my God, I've been kneeling here all night.
0:54:07 > 0:54:09Oh, look at him!
0:54:09 > 0:54:10The deathstalker scorpion
0:54:10 > 0:54:13is one of the most dangerous animals in Arabia.
0:54:13 > 0:54:14- There he goes.- OK.
0:54:14 > 0:54:16Watch your feet, I'm going to flick him high.
0:54:16 > 0:54:18No, I'm joking! I'm joking.
0:54:18 > 0:54:19Here we go - ready?
0:54:21 > 0:54:22- Oh, Christ. - HE LAUGHS
0:54:24 > 0:54:26- Right... OK, big guy.- Arrh!
0:54:27 > 0:54:30Don't worry about it, guys. I know what I'm doing.
0:54:30 > 0:54:31I know what I'm doing.
0:54:32 > 0:54:33Here we go.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37Here we go...easy, big guy. Easy, big guy.
0:54:37 > 0:54:38Oh, look at him!
0:54:40 > 0:54:41Wow-wee. Oh...woo. There we go.
0:54:43 > 0:54:46Man, he is off! Look at the speed he's going!
0:54:50 > 0:54:53Nocturnal filming is exhausting work.
0:54:53 > 0:54:56The team rotate, and now it's cameraman Rolf Steinmann's turn
0:54:56 > 0:54:57to take on the challenge.
0:54:58 > 0:55:00Just outside Khaled's village
0:55:00 > 0:55:02Rolf is filming the Jibali.
0:55:03 > 0:55:07While retrieving a stray goat, Khaled spots something in the dust.
0:55:09 > 0:55:11You see the hyena here?
0:55:11 > 0:55:13Hyena tracks?
0:55:13 > 0:55:17- Hyena track here, you see. It's going in this direction.- Wow.
0:55:19 > 0:55:23Later that day, Khaled is called to the other side of the village,
0:55:23 > 0:55:25where eight goats have been killed.
0:55:27 > 0:55:29FLIES BUZZ
0:55:29 > 0:55:33Khaled is sure that the predators will return tonight.
0:55:33 > 0:55:37But we can't go there because we have these rocks in the view.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42Rolf must pick his spot carefully.
0:55:42 > 0:55:45Once set up he won't be able to move position.
0:55:46 > 0:55:48And all he can do now is wait.
0:55:55 > 0:55:57Finally, a glimpse.
0:56:09 > 0:56:12At last, their patience has paid off -
0:56:12 > 0:56:16and not just one, 12 Arabian wolves!
0:56:16 > 0:56:19This is the largest pack ever recorded.
0:56:22 > 0:56:26But no-one on the team was expecting what happened next.
0:56:33 > 0:56:35A striped hyena.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39There are very few places on our planet
0:56:39 > 0:56:41where hyena from the south
0:56:41 > 0:56:43overlap with the wolves from the north.
0:56:46 > 0:56:49This is the first time these two formidable carnivores
0:56:49 > 0:56:52have ever been filmed side by side.
0:56:56 > 0:56:57It was very risky to try this -
0:56:57 > 0:57:00and I have these 12 wolves in front of my hyena -
0:57:00 > 0:57:02I simply couldn't believe it -
0:57:02 > 0:57:04but then this hyena shows up
0:57:04 > 0:57:07and chases away all the wolves from the kill.
0:57:07 > 0:57:10I mean, that was spectacular.
0:57:10 > 0:57:13These images have a greater value.
0:57:13 > 0:57:16Local farmers do lose goats to predators,
0:57:16 > 0:57:20and this footage might help establish a system of compensation.
0:57:26 > 0:57:28And in the long run,
0:57:28 > 0:57:32that will help Hadi and Khaled's quest to protect the wildlife
0:57:32 > 0:57:35in these spectacular mountains of Arabia.
0:57:57 > 0:58:01Next time, we discover how animals have adapted to the huge changes
0:58:01 > 0:58:03that have swept Arabia since the discovery of oil.
0:58:05 > 0:58:08Today, extraordinary animals live alongside technology
0:58:08 > 0:58:12in the fastest-changing place on earth.