0:00:02 > 0:00:04India.
0:00:08 > 0:00:13A vibrant, bustling world, home to over a billion people.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16But if you know where to look...
0:00:16 > 0:00:18The most spectacular wildlife...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24Ancient cultures...
0:00:26 > 0:00:29And extreme landscapes can be found.
0:00:34 > 0:00:36I'm Liz Bonnin.
0:00:36 > 0:00:39I'm here to explore India's spectacular
0:00:39 > 0:00:42wildlife in one of the most bio diverse places on Earth.
0:00:42 > 0:00:46I've spent years studying wildlife,
0:00:46 > 0:00:50but every time I return to India, I discover something new.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52LION ROARS
0:00:52 > 0:00:57I completely underestimated how extraordinary
0:00:57 > 0:00:59and eye-opening this was going to be.
0:01:00 > 0:01:03Actor Freida Pinto was born here.
0:01:04 > 0:01:06She wants to share the remarkable bond
0:01:06 > 0:01:09between India's people and the natural world.
0:01:10 > 0:01:14You always see that there is a connection between man and animal.
0:01:17 > 0:01:18Wow!
0:01:18 > 0:01:23And from the highest peaks on Earth, mountaineer Jon Gupta
0:01:23 > 0:01:25explores India's most extreme landscapes.
0:01:26 > 0:01:29My passion is mountains,
0:01:29 > 0:01:32and there is nowhere in the world like the Himalayas.
0:01:37 > 0:01:42We're travelling the length and breadth of this subcontinent
0:01:42 > 0:01:45to reveal the hidden wonders of India's natural world.
0:01:48 > 0:01:49These are...
0:01:49 > 0:01:52- ALL:- The Wonders of India!
0:02:15 > 0:02:19India is home to a spectacular array of habitats and species,
0:02:19 > 0:02:22many of which are found nowhere else.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30I've been enchanted by India ever since my first visit.
0:02:30 > 0:02:33My great-grandparents came from here.
0:02:33 > 0:02:38This land is so vast, you could spend a lifetime exploring it
0:02:38 > 0:02:40and still only scratch the surface.
0:02:47 > 0:02:50I'm starting my journey 300 miles west of Delhi.
0:02:53 > 0:02:55In a place which seems rather unremarkable.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01But this village hosts a unique wildlife event.
0:03:02 > 0:03:06A collaboration between birds and people I've heard about
0:03:06 > 0:03:08but have never witnessed.
0:03:09 > 0:03:12If it's half as impressive as they say, I'm in for a real treat.
0:03:15 > 0:03:20This is Khichan and it's known as the village of the cranes.
0:03:20 > 0:03:23Every year, tens of thousands of birds migrate here
0:03:23 > 0:03:27from their breeding grounds on the steppes of Eurasia and Mongolia.
0:03:27 > 0:03:29And it's not just the watering holes that border
0:03:29 > 0:03:32this village that draw the birds here -
0:03:32 > 0:03:36the people play an integral part in the lives of these elegant birds.
0:03:38 > 0:03:41I've discovered that the story of India's wildlife
0:03:41 > 0:03:43is one of ancient reverence.
0:03:45 > 0:03:49Every day in winter, the people of this village fill a square
0:03:49 > 0:03:51with food for some weary travellers.
0:03:54 > 0:03:55Demoiselle cranes.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00It has created one of the most spectacular
0:04:00 > 0:04:02sights on the subcontinent.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Like all the best spectacles, it starts slowly.
0:04:14 > 0:04:18At dawn, the birds start to arrive in small numbers.
0:04:18 > 0:04:22They fly in formation, like ribbons stretched across the sky.
0:04:24 > 0:04:30There's something really emotive about watching them fly overhead.
0:04:32 > 0:04:38This fluid, coordinated movement. Oh, it's just, just beautiful.
0:04:41 > 0:04:45As the sun rises, so the number of birds increases.
0:04:46 > 0:04:50Gradually, the sky fills with cranes.
0:04:50 > 0:04:54LOUD COOING
0:04:54 > 0:04:56It might sound a bit like a cacophony
0:04:56 > 0:05:00when they're all together, and there is a real order to it all.
0:05:03 > 0:05:06They land on a hillside overlooking the village.
0:05:09 > 0:05:13Once the numbers reach a critical mass, they take to the skies again.
0:05:13 > 0:05:15Oh, my God!
0:05:16 > 0:05:18Look at that!
0:05:18 > 0:05:22It started off ever so gently, and now it's really,
0:05:22 > 0:05:25really kicking off. That's extraordinary!
0:05:50 > 0:05:54But the birds don't enter the feeding area straight away.
0:05:54 > 0:05:56They are extremely wary.
0:06:00 > 0:06:04So while the people of the village go about their morning routine...
0:06:09 > 0:06:11..the cranes circle above.
0:06:13 > 0:06:16Waiting for the first bird to take the plunge.
0:06:22 > 0:06:26For some unknown reason, the first bird is quite often this one.
0:06:26 > 0:06:28A bird with only one foot.
0:06:30 > 0:06:33Day after day, it's the first one to feed.
0:06:33 > 0:06:36Maybe it needs this head start because it can't compete
0:06:36 > 0:06:38when the square is crowded.
0:06:40 > 0:06:44The rest of the cranes are circling in what looks like a really
0:06:44 > 0:06:48synchronised, coordinated type of activity.
0:06:48 > 0:06:51All contact calling to each other nonstop.
0:06:54 > 0:06:57Once the rest can see there's no danger,
0:06:57 > 0:07:00they flock to the square in their thousands.
0:07:03 > 0:07:05I'm so impressed with how orderly this all is.
0:07:05 > 0:07:07They don't all land en masse to feed.
0:07:09 > 0:07:14There's a sort of controlled movement of the birds outside
0:07:14 > 0:07:17the enclosure, and then the front bit takes off,
0:07:17 > 0:07:19circles overhead and lands on the outside
0:07:19 > 0:07:21of the already feeding birds,
0:07:21 > 0:07:23and they're doing this in stages.
0:07:24 > 0:07:26It could be pandemonium, but it's not -
0:07:26 > 0:07:29it's incredibly civilised and orderly.
0:07:33 > 0:07:38I completely underestimated how extraordinary
0:07:38 > 0:07:41and eye-opening this was going to be.
0:07:41 > 0:07:44This flock acts like a well-oiled machine.
0:07:44 > 0:07:48No call, no movement is made by accident,
0:07:48 > 0:07:51and even the subtlest change in behaviour...
0:07:51 > 0:07:54moves through the flock like a ripple!
0:07:54 > 0:07:57This has to be seen to be believed.
0:08:00 > 0:08:04Demoiselle cranes are the smallest of all cranes.
0:08:04 > 0:08:07They were given their name when the French queen, Marie Antoinette,
0:08:07 > 0:08:08first saw one.
0:08:08 > 0:08:10She loved their delicate appearance.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13Demoiselle means maiden or young lady.
0:08:14 > 0:08:17But these birds are much tougher than they look.
0:08:18 > 0:08:22To get to Khichan, they have travelled 1,200 miles
0:08:22 > 0:08:24across the Central Asian plain.
0:08:26 > 0:08:29But it's the height they fly that is remarkable.
0:08:30 > 0:08:34Specially adapted lungs process oxygen more efficiently,
0:08:34 > 0:08:36so they can rise up into thinner air.
0:08:36 > 0:08:42They fly over the Himalayas at altitudes of up to 7,000 metres.
0:08:46 > 0:08:48The cranes started to come here
0:08:48 > 0:08:52because of the watering holes surrounding this desert village.
0:08:54 > 0:08:58Sevaram Mali Parihar is one of those that began this project.
0:09:01 > 0:09:05How many cranes were there at the beginning compared to how
0:09:05 > 0:09:07- many there are now? - HE TRANSLATES
0:09:16 > 0:09:19So how much grain do you put out every day?
0:09:21 > 0:09:23That is a lot. So how do they pay for this?
0:09:27 > 0:09:31The people of Khichan are mostly members of the Jain community.
0:09:31 > 0:09:35It is a central belief of this ancient religion that animals
0:09:35 > 0:09:38and people should be treated with equal respect.
0:09:39 > 0:09:42When they saw hungry birds on their long migration,
0:09:42 > 0:09:44they felt it was their duty to help them.
0:09:47 > 0:09:51The villagers of Khichan have dedicated themselves to the
0:09:51 > 0:09:53preservation of these magnificent cranes.
0:09:56 > 0:09:59And you go beyond just feeding them, is that right?
0:09:59 > 0:10:04I saw some newspaper clippings about telephone or electricity wires?
0:10:04 > 0:10:07Yes. HE TRANSLATES
0:10:28 > 0:10:31It's an extraordinary amount of dedication.
0:10:34 > 0:10:36Why...why go through all of that?
0:10:36 > 0:10:39HE TRANSLATES
0:10:42 > 0:10:46Do you ever get tired of this, every morning, this incredible spectacle?
0:10:49 > 0:10:52But these wild birds are nervous feeders.
0:10:52 > 0:10:55Anything can scare them off.
0:10:55 > 0:10:58As quickly as the cranes entered the square, they leave.
0:11:05 > 0:11:08The villagers lay out the food for the next day
0:11:08 > 0:11:11and the routine starts all over again.
0:11:17 > 0:11:20I've been lucky enough to witness many spectacles.
0:11:21 > 0:11:25But they tend to be in wild places, away from people.
0:11:27 > 0:11:30To see something as dramatic as these cranes right in the
0:11:30 > 0:11:34centre of an otherwise ordinary village is a rare treat indeed.
0:11:43 > 0:11:48As an actor growing up in India, performance is in my blood.
0:11:48 > 0:11:51One of India's oldest forms of theatre mixes animals and
0:11:51 > 0:11:56people into a world-famous spectacle packed with spirit of my home.
0:12:03 > 0:12:08To witness it, I've travelled to Assam in the northeast of India,
0:12:08 > 0:12:11where, thanks to their isolation, the island communities
0:12:11 > 0:12:14of the Brahmaputra River maintain age-old traditions.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23Indian culture and religion have a very strong link to the natural
0:12:23 > 0:12:28world, specifically animals, and a lot of gods in Indian mythology
0:12:28 > 0:12:31and religion seem to appear in some animal form or the other.
0:12:31 > 0:12:35So how do they bring these gods to life?
0:12:35 > 0:12:38This is the ancient skill of mask making.
0:12:38 > 0:12:41They are used to tell mythological stories of the struggles
0:12:41 > 0:12:42between gods.
0:12:42 > 0:12:46In India's religions, such gods often take the form of animals.
0:12:48 > 0:12:50I think it will be absolutely incomplete,
0:12:50 > 0:12:53this trip, if I didn't try to gather some skills myself.
0:12:53 > 0:12:56IN HINDI:
0:13:15 > 0:13:16So the next step
0:13:16 > 0:13:21- is cow dung and what else? - Cow dung, yeah, and clay.
0:13:21 > 0:13:23And clay. OK, it's a mixture of cow dung and clay
0:13:23 > 0:13:26to give the mask whatever character they desire to give it.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28So right now you have...
0:13:28 > 0:13:30Yeah, yeah, Hanuman.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32So right now, he is busy making a very,
0:13:32 > 0:13:35very famous character in the Ramayana.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38- Ramayana, yeah. - It's Hanuman, the monkey god.
0:13:38 > 0:13:43Hanuman is one of the most recognisable gods throughout India,
0:13:43 > 0:13:47a deity with the face of a monkey and the quick witted instincts too.
0:13:51 > 0:13:55THEY SPEAK IN HINDI
0:13:55 > 0:13:58Well, basically, what he's saying is that I'm very good at this
0:13:58 > 0:13:59and I don't need any help.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06I'm actually the worst when it comes to crafts and arts, so this
0:14:06 > 0:14:12is me pretending that I'm actually an expert, when I'm actually not.
0:14:16 > 0:14:18Indian life is full of stories
0:14:18 > 0:14:21and religious fables that serve as a bedrock of this culture.
0:14:23 > 0:14:27The masks are an ideal way to bring those stories to life.
0:14:27 > 0:14:31They are the most colourful and expressive I've ever seen.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37One look is enough to convince me I need to try them on.
0:14:38 > 0:14:40OK.
0:14:45 > 0:14:49This is going to be a battle. Good and bad.
0:14:49 > 0:14:53THEY GROWL
0:15:00 > 0:15:02LIGHT APPLAUSE
0:15:02 > 0:15:04That's my Oscar!
0:15:07 > 0:15:11Legend has it that the inhabitants of these islands were urged to
0:15:11 > 0:15:16learn how to make these masks by a voice from the Brahmaputra itself.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21The masks have a spiritual purpose.
0:15:22 > 0:15:25These characters are from the story I'm to be shown.
0:15:30 > 0:15:33The Ramayana is not just one of the most important books in the
0:15:33 > 0:15:37Hindu religion, it's one of the best known stories in the whole of India.
0:15:40 > 0:15:41It's the story of Rama
0:15:41 > 0:15:46and his battle with the demon Ravana, who is after his wife, Sita.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51Here, Sita is being captured.
0:15:51 > 0:15:53The vulture, Jatayu, tries to save her.
0:16:03 > 0:16:07The demon king kills the vulture and runs off with Sita.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10But in the story, it is Rama who triumphs,
0:16:10 > 0:16:12thanks to the help of the animal kingdom.
0:16:12 > 0:16:15Especially the monkey army,
0:16:15 > 0:16:17led by the nimble Hanuman.
0:16:17 > 0:16:20THEY YELL
0:16:24 > 0:16:28These legends have been a part of our culture for centuries.
0:16:28 > 0:16:33Like millions of other Indians, they were a central part of my childhood.
0:16:38 > 0:16:40This constant telling and retelling of stories
0:16:40 > 0:16:43where nature helps overcome adversity
0:16:43 > 0:16:46reminds us of the importance of the animals that surround us.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49APPLAUSE
0:16:49 > 0:16:52And I want to say thank you so much for this wonderful performance.
0:16:52 > 0:16:55This was absolutely wonderful to bring it to life.
0:16:55 > 0:16:59Thank you so much for doing this for us. Thank you, thank you.
0:17:06 > 0:17:09From a man-made spectacle to one that was created
0:17:09 > 0:17:1140 million years ago.
0:17:13 > 0:17:16To my mind, these are India's greatest marvel of all,
0:17:16 > 0:17:18the Himalayas.
0:17:27 > 0:17:30I've climbed throughout the Himalayas in Nepal
0:17:30 > 0:17:33and Central Asia, but never before in India.
0:17:35 > 0:17:38The reason I wanted to come here is that my grandfather was born
0:17:38 > 0:17:40in the foothills of these mountains.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45Though he left India for Britain, this vast landscape was
0:17:45 > 0:17:47the backdrop to his childhood.
0:17:49 > 0:17:53Finally, I have the chance to come and explore it for myself.
0:17:56 > 0:18:00The higher I climb, the thinner the air gets.
0:18:00 > 0:18:03It means I can only ever visit these heights for a short period.
0:18:05 > 0:18:09At these altitudes, everything is difficult, even breathing.
0:18:09 > 0:18:10But all around me
0:18:10 > 0:18:13there are animals that have made this place their home.
0:18:16 > 0:18:19To stay in their world for any length of time,
0:18:19 > 0:18:22I would need to use specialist clothing and equipment.
0:18:23 > 0:18:27I want to learn about animals that have perfectly adapted
0:18:27 > 0:18:28to life amongst these peaks.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35To see them, I've had to come to just below the snow line.
0:18:40 > 0:18:42These are tahr.
0:18:42 > 0:18:45There's a reason I want to see them in action.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I've heard this goat is the ultimate mountain animal.
0:18:58 > 0:19:00They've adapted to live in the most extreme mountain
0:19:00 > 0:19:02environment on Earth.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10Their long, thick fur keeps them warm in the harsh mountain winters.
0:19:15 > 0:19:18Their hooves have hard edges and soft rubbery centres.
0:19:20 > 0:19:22Perfect to wedge into rocky cracks.
0:19:25 > 0:19:27Their shoulders are shock absorbers.
0:19:36 > 0:19:40They can go anywhere, and I do mean ANYWHERE.
0:19:44 > 0:19:47Life in these mountains lives on a knife edge -
0:19:47 > 0:19:49there's very little room for error.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53I've climbed Everest,
0:19:53 > 0:19:56but I'd think twice before attempting to descend that.
0:19:58 > 0:20:02Yet this is the daily commute for even the youngest tahr.
0:20:22 > 0:20:24At each step they take, there's rocks
0:20:24 > 0:20:27and grass tumbling down the rock face.
0:20:27 > 0:20:30Tahr eat grass, herbs and leaves,
0:20:30 > 0:20:33but food is a scarce commodity up here.
0:20:34 > 0:20:37By climbing, they can get to vegetation that no other
0:20:37 > 0:20:39animal can access.
0:20:42 > 0:20:44I can barely watch it!
0:20:47 > 0:20:51I can't believe it. There are now two families descending the cliff.
0:20:59 > 0:21:02Even the youngest tahr takes this in its stride.
0:21:07 > 0:21:11I just wonder at what point the mother stands at the top
0:21:11 > 0:21:15of a cliff as big as this, at least 300 or 400 metres high,
0:21:15 > 0:21:16looks over and just says,
0:21:16 > 0:21:22"Yes, I think it's about time that you, my tiny, tiny little tahr
0:21:22 > 0:21:24"come down this rock face with me, and off you go."
0:21:26 > 0:21:29I can't help but be impressed at the agility
0:21:29 > 0:21:31and the dexterity of the tahr.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35It's a perfect example of how India's wildlife has adapted
0:21:35 > 0:21:38to live in even the most inhospitable places.
0:21:48 > 0:21:51The sheer size of India means there are many extreme
0:21:51 > 0:21:53habitats for wildlife.
0:21:54 > 0:21:57I've travelled a short way down the Brahmaputra to
0:21:57 > 0:22:02Kaziranga National Park - 160 square miles of grassland.
0:22:02 > 0:22:04I'm here to see India's longest-running
0:22:04 > 0:22:06conservation success story -
0:22:06 > 0:22:11India's rhinoceros, the one-horned rhino.
0:22:11 > 0:22:13And this is the best way to get close to one.
0:22:15 > 0:22:18So this is quite early in the morning.
0:22:18 > 0:22:22And the elephant is our chosen mode of transportation.
0:22:22 > 0:22:26I'm riding with wildlife cameraman Sandesh Kadur.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29He's spent a lifetime studying the rhinos.
0:22:30 > 0:22:34We're going to hopefully spot these rhinos today.
0:22:34 > 0:22:37Well, where we are, Kaziranga, is one of the best places to see
0:22:37 > 0:22:39- the one-horned rhino.- Right.
0:22:39 > 0:22:42It has half the world's population right here,
0:22:42 > 0:22:44- but we do have to look for them.- OK.
0:22:44 > 0:22:48As we enter the grass, I'm desperate for my first glimpse
0:22:48 > 0:22:49of this rare beast.
0:22:54 > 0:22:55Look at that, look at that.
0:22:55 > 0:22:59Oh, wow, that's amazing. Oh, we're very close to this guy.
0:22:59 > 0:23:00Oh, yeah.
0:23:00 > 0:23:04This is probably one of the best rhino sightings I've had
0:23:04 > 0:23:05in a long time.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07Now you can see how big the rhino is.
0:23:07 > 0:23:10I've never seen a one-horned rhino before
0:23:10 > 0:23:12so this is literally my first time.
0:23:12 > 0:23:17The rhinoceros conservation story goes back over 100 years.
0:23:18 > 0:23:23Kaziranga was created in 1905 when habitat destruction and hunting
0:23:23 > 0:23:27had brought rhino numbers in India crashing to just ten or so.
0:23:30 > 0:23:35Since then, these protected lands have helped numbers rise.
0:23:35 > 0:23:37There are now over 2,000 here.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43People come from all over the world to see them.
0:23:46 > 0:23:49They've got very, very small eyes.
0:23:49 > 0:23:51- They're practically blind.- Aw!
0:23:52 > 0:23:57Rhinos have bad eyesight but good hearing.
0:23:57 > 0:24:02Their ears swivel at the slightest sound to locate danger.
0:24:02 > 0:24:03When threatened,
0:24:03 > 0:24:08these massive beasts can charge at up to 30mph.
0:24:11 > 0:24:13Oh, my God, he's been... He's had a little bit of a fight.
0:24:13 > 0:24:16- Oh, yeah!- He's got a... - Got a little...- ..gash.
0:24:16 > 0:24:18See, that's how delicate the skin is.
0:24:18 > 0:24:21Any little thing punctures it and wounds it.
0:24:21 > 0:24:24It looks like armour, but it is actually very, very soft.
0:24:24 > 0:24:27- Really?- And another little titbit. - Uh-huh.
0:24:27 > 0:24:29They get sunburnt very quickly.
0:24:29 > 0:24:31Aw.
0:24:33 > 0:24:37In summer, temperatures approach 40 degrees.
0:24:38 > 0:24:40The rhinos take to the water to cool down.
0:24:42 > 0:24:44Their skin gets covered in ticks and mites,
0:24:44 > 0:24:47the rhino relies on mina birds
0:24:47 > 0:24:51and egrets to pick the parasites from those hard-to-reach places.
0:24:53 > 0:24:56So what's...what's your...? What do you feel like? Your first rhino.
0:24:56 > 0:24:59My first rhino experience! I actually am...am...
0:25:00 > 0:25:02Ah! This is beautiful.
0:25:02 > 0:25:03It makes you emotional, right?
0:25:03 > 0:25:07Just to be in the presence of these wild animals.
0:25:07 > 0:25:11For me, that was the most beautiful thing. It's a real privilege.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16Just as we're about to leave,
0:25:16 > 0:25:18Sandesh spots an unbelievable treat.
0:25:21 > 0:25:25- Oh, look at that! Baby rhino. - Ah! It's a baby rhino.
0:25:25 > 0:25:27Aw. How old do you think...?
0:25:27 > 0:25:31Oh, this is a newborn, hardly two months old. This is incredible.
0:25:31 > 0:25:34God, we're so lucky. We actually see the mother and the baby.
0:25:34 > 0:25:36That's right.
0:25:36 > 0:25:39This is a rare sight.
0:25:40 > 0:25:43Rhinos only have a single calf every three years.
0:25:44 > 0:25:48But this is a sign of the continued health of the rhino programme
0:25:48 > 0:25:49here, in Kaziranga.
0:25:51 > 0:25:54- Incredible. - You couldn't have asked for more.
0:25:55 > 0:25:59Once, rhinos were found all across the northern plains.
0:25:59 > 0:26:02But poaching threatened their very existence.
0:26:02 > 0:26:06Thanks to over 100 years of protection in this park,
0:26:06 > 0:26:08numbers are on the increase.
0:26:08 > 0:26:12There are now over 3,000 of them in the wild.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17Over half live in these protected lands.
0:26:23 > 0:26:27The lush vegetation that gives the one-horned rhino a home
0:26:27 > 0:26:30is typical of the sights you associate with India.
0:26:33 > 0:26:36But India is also home to desert.
0:26:42 > 0:26:46The Thar Desert in the northwest of India is the largest
0:26:46 > 0:26:48desert in the country.
0:26:48 > 0:26:50It's as large as Britain.
0:26:52 > 0:26:56In places, the average rainfall is just ten centimetres a year.
0:26:58 > 0:27:03An ancient legend explains how such a forbidding place came into being.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08According to mythology, the Thar Desert was created
0:27:08 > 0:27:12when Rama tried to dry the sea to reach Sita, who was being held
0:27:12 > 0:27:13captive on an island.
0:27:15 > 0:27:19The sea god begged Rama not to dry out his entire ocean
0:27:19 > 0:27:22and just to dry out a small section where wicked people lived.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27Rama agreed, and so the sea god granted him passage to Sita.
0:27:28 > 0:27:33And as a thank you, Rama turned the dried out sea into a fertile desert.
0:27:37 > 0:27:39The most barren part is the Rann of Kutch.
0:27:41 > 0:27:45This is the home of an animal that is a true natural wonder of India.
0:27:47 > 0:27:50It's able to call this baking furnace home.
0:27:52 > 0:27:56It's the only place in the world where you'll find
0:27:56 > 0:27:57the Indian wild ass.
0:28:00 > 0:28:04In the most arid parts of the Rann of Kutch, the wild ass ekes out
0:28:04 > 0:28:06an almost impossible existence,
0:28:06 > 0:28:09surviving on the little nourishment available in the sparse scrub
0:28:09 > 0:28:10that grows there.
0:28:14 > 0:28:17This is one of the hottest places in India.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21Temperatures peak at almost 50 degrees Celsius.
0:28:22 > 0:28:26Living year round in this relentless heat, the Indian wild ass is
0:28:26 > 0:28:29one of the hardiest animals in the world.
0:28:30 > 0:28:33It has had to adapt to survive.
0:28:34 > 0:28:37Rain comes for just a few months of the year.
0:28:40 > 0:28:43When the surface water dries up,
0:28:43 > 0:28:46the Indian wild ass gets the hydration it needs from eating
0:28:46 > 0:28:50the scrubby plants that draw their moisture from the ground.
0:28:53 > 0:28:56But it's not the only animal that lives here.
0:28:57 > 0:28:59At certain times of the year,
0:28:59 > 0:29:02wolves and hyenas will enter the desert, too.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05To evade these predators,
0:29:05 > 0:29:07the Indian wild ass has a special talent.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11It's one of the fastest animals in India,
0:29:11 > 0:29:14with a top speed of 50mph.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22Every aspect of their lives is driven by water.
0:29:26 > 0:29:30The brief rains turn the plains into green marshland.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35Mating is timed so that foals will be born into this period
0:29:35 > 0:29:37of relative plenty.
0:29:41 > 0:29:43Females make it very clear
0:29:43 > 0:29:46if they don't think it's the right time to mate.
0:29:53 > 0:29:58Living in a place of such extremes, the Indian wild ass is a perfect
0:29:58 > 0:30:02example of the resilience of India's wildlife in a hostile landscape.
0:30:05 > 0:30:07From a land of baking heat,
0:30:07 > 0:30:10it is just 600 miles north
0:30:10 > 0:30:12to one of frozen ice.
0:30:16 > 0:30:19The Himalayas are home to the greatest quantity
0:30:19 > 0:30:22of freshwater ice outside of the poles.
0:30:23 > 0:30:27It gives the mountains their empty, barren appearance.
0:30:28 > 0:30:29But that's deceptive.
0:30:34 > 0:30:36Everything here is alive.
0:30:38 > 0:30:40The Himalayas are still growing.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Even though they are the highest mountains on Earth,
0:30:46 > 0:30:48they are actually the youngest.
0:30:48 > 0:30:52In geological terms, at just 40 million years old,
0:30:52 > 0:30:53they are mere infants.
0:30:57 > 0:31:00As the land masses they sit on continue their slow motion collision,
0:31:00 > 0:31:02the Himalayas gradually rise.
0:31:05 > 0:31:08It's mind boggling to think that this is still taking place today
0:31:08 > 0:31:12and that the Himalayas are growing by a few centimetres each year.
0:31:14 > 0:31:17For me, life in these mountains is simply on a different
0:31:17 > 0:31:18scale from the world below.
0:31:22 > 0:31:26Having spent a lot of my time living in these high mountains,
0:31:26 > 0:31:30it's clear to me that these mountains are very much alive.
0:31:30 > 0:31:33Last year, I was on a high camp on a mountain just near Everest and
0:31:33 > 0:31:38I took the day off to rest. And as I spent the day sat there watching the
0:31:38 > 0:31:42mountains, I couldn't help feel that they were also breathing with me.
0:31:44 > 0:31:47In the morning, it's clear, crystal clear. And through the duration of
0:31:47 > 0:31:52the day, clouds come up the valleys and disperse into the big hills.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56And then later on in the afternoon,
0:31:56 > 0:31:59when the temperatures start to plummet, the clouds do the opposite.
0:31:59 > 0:32:01They then descend back into the valleys
0:32:01 > 0:32:04and slowly dissipate back away, leaving this clear again.
0:32:06 > 0:32:09And as I watched these clouds, I couldn't help but feel that these
0:32:09 > 0:32:14mountains had taken an entire day just to take one full breath.
0:32:20 > 0:32:23But even giants need help.
0:32:23 > 0:32:24In the Himalayas,
0:32:24 > 0:32:27it comes in the form of one of the smallest inhabitants.
0:32:29 > 0:32:30The pika.
0:32:33 > 0:32:37I want to see how this tiny creature plays a vital role
0:32:37 > 0:32:38in the life of them.
0:32:39 > 0:32:44Sahas Barve studies the animals of these mountains.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49Oh. There's one right there. It's...
0:32:49 > 0:32:52Oh, yes, yeah. Ah, they are quite small.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54It's sleeping. Yeah, they are.
0:32:54 > 0:32:57Pika are known locally as the friendly mouse,
0:32:57 > 0:32:59but they are actually part of the rabbit family.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02(He's going some place.) 'Their hopping run is the giveaway.'
0:33:04 > 0:33:07You can definitely see that this is part of the rabbit family.
0:33:07 > 0:33:09- Yeah.- It runs like a rabbit.
0:33:09 > 0:33:10I know, yeah.
0:33:11 > 0:33:13Pika do not hibernate.
0:33:13 > 0:33:18During the winter, they make burrows under the snow and under the rocks.
0:33:18 > 0:33:21In spring, the tunnels they create become drainage channels,
0:33:21 > 0:33:23dispersing the meltwater.
0:33:25 > 0:33:28Through the winter, Pika live off food
0:33:28 > 0:33:30they have gathered in the short summer.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34Pikas live below the snow in the winters.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37First of all, they have this big cache of food in their burrow.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40But if they need to get to another cache,
0:33:40 > 0:33:41they have paths under the snow.
0:33:41 > 0:33:43- It's all connected?- Yeah.
0:33:44 > 0:33:48Their activity disperses the seeds of many plants.
0:33:48 > 0:33:51Their food stores and droppings become fertiliser.
0:33:53 > 0:33:55And because they are active year round,
0:33:55 > 0:33:59they are one of the few sources of food for predators in the winter.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04Pikas are really vital to the Himalayan system
0:34:04 > 0:34:08because not only do they aerate the soil, which helps the grass grow,
0:34:08 > 0:34:12but they're also a really key prey species for a bunch of animals
0:34:12 > 0:34:15like weasels and martens and foxes and eagles.
0:34:17 > 0:34:18Without these busy creatures,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21the Himalayas would be a very different place.
0:34:25 > 0:34:29This vast landscape owes so much to such a tiny creature.
0:34:40 > 0:34:44Throughout India, people have a bond with the natural world.
0:34:48 > 0:34:51If you go through any book that talks about religion or
0:34:51 > 0:34:53Hinduism just in general, you always see that there is
0:34:53 > 0:34:56a connection between man and animal.
0:35:02 > 0:35:05I'm travelling to Majuli on the Brahmaputra River.
0:35:09 > 0:35:13Majuli is the largest river island in India.
0:35:13 > 0:35:15It's three times as big as the Isle of Wight.
0:35:17 > 0:35:20One of the islands that cluster around Majuli is home to
0:35:20 > 0:35:24a man whose dedication to nature is an example to us all.
0:35:26 > 0:35:28To meet him, I need to get on a ferry,
0:35:28 > 0:35:32and that's not as straightforward as it sounds.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35Getting across the Brahmaputra can be quite a task.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38As you can see, it gets pretty chaotic.
0:35:38 > 0:35:41Somehow, through all this chaos,
0:35:41 > 0:35:44like most of India is, things get done.
0:35:44 > 0:35:47We will get on the ferry, our cars will load
0:35:47 > 0:35:50and we'll finally get to our destination.
0:35:50 > 0:35:51Shall I load?
0:35:52 > 0:35:55The river is up to six miles wide.
0:35:55 > 0:35:57There's constant toing and froing of people,
0:35:57 > 0:35:59livestock and other animals.
0:36:01 > 0:36:03Which explains the price list for tickets.
0:36:05 > 0:36:08OK, we've found it. This one's very important.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11India is a very, very kind country
0:36:11 > 0:36:14and a very hospitable country, you probably know that by now.
0:36:14 > 0:36:16Unlike many other modes of transportation,
0:36:16 > 0:36:19we have no passenger restrictions here on the ferry,
0:36:19 > 0:36:23so if you want to bring a buffalo, you can.
0:36:23 > 0:36:25An elephant with a mahout, of course you can.
0:36:25 > 0:36:31Sheep, goat, calf, pig, bull, cow, horse and like animal, we can.
0:36:31 > 0:36:35And... If you want to get a wild animal like tiger or lion, you can.
0:36:35 > 0:36:37So let's go!
0:36:55 > 0:36:58If you're wondering how much a wild tiger costs...
0:36:58 > 0:36:59Less than a pound.
0:37:06 > 0:37:09150,000 people live on Majuli.
0:37:12 > 0:37:14It's a place where time has stood still.
0:37:17 > 0:37:21And all over the island, people are looking for ways to work with
0:37:21 > 0:37:22the natural world.
0:37:24 > 0:37:27This man has even made a bike using bamboo.
0:37:29 > 0:37:31I can never resist trying something new!
0:37:33 > 0:37:39IN HINDI:
0:37:43 > 0:37:44OK.
0:37:50 > 0:37:53So he says the only trick to the bicycle is learning how to
0:37:53 > 0:37:55manoeuvre the handles.
0:37:57 > 0:37:59But he's not the man I'm here to see.
0:38:00 > 0:38:03See you later! Aaah!
0:38:04 > 0:38:06This unique culture is under threat.
0:38:07 > 0:38:11Not by man, but by the very thing that gives it life -
0:38:11 > 0:38:14the Brahmaputra river itself.
0:38:25 > 0:38:29Since the 1950s, Majuli has lost a third of its landmass
0:38:29 > 0:38:31due to erosion from the river.
0:38:32 > 0:38:36In 15 to 20 years, Majuli and her neighbouring islands
0:38:36 > 0:38:37could cease to exist.
0:38:39 > 0:38:41Unless something is done.
0:38:45 > 0:38:49I'm crossing to a neighbouring island with someone who has
0:38:49 > 0:38:51become a legend.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55He has taken action that has highlighted
0:38:55 > 0:38:56the plight of these islands...
0:38:58 > 0:39:00By planting trees.
0:39:00 > 0:39:01Thousands of them.
0:39:03 > 0:39:07IN HINDI:
0:39:12 > 0:39:1428 years.
0:39:24 > 0:39:25- Soft sand.- Sand.
0:39:25 > 0:39:30OK. He's planted every single tree in this forest.
0:39:30 > 0:39:33There was practically nothing, it was just sand,
0:39:33 > 0:39:37just barren land, and he's planted every single tree.
0:39:37 > 0:39:40It has taken three decades, but on this island,
0:39:40 > 0:39:43Jadav Pareng has created his own rainforest.
0:39:45 > 0:39:48Now roots and vegetation bind the land together,
0:39:48 > 0:39:50forming a natural barrier against the current.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54And wildlife has returned, too.
0:39:55 > 0:40:00Jadav has seen elephants, rhinos and even tigers in his forest.
0:40:04 > 0:40:07IN HINDI:
0:40:33 > 0:40:34Jadav tells me his story
0:40:34 > 0:40:39and why he has worked so tirelessly to save the land he grew up in.
0:40:42 > 0:40:47The fruits that he ate on this island, as a child,
0:40:47 > 0:40:49he realised that after the floods,
0:40:49 > 0:40:54when the trees would be destroyed and future generations would not
0:40:54 > 0:40:58have the opportunity to taste those lovely fruits that he ate as a kid.
0:40:58 > 0:41:03So a part of it is him trying to save this place for the animals
0:41:03 > 0:41:07but it's also a very...it's a pride in his childhood that he wants to
0:41:07 > 0:41:10pass on to the next generation of children.
0:41:10 > 0:41:12He's a very generous man.
0:41:17 > 0:41:21It's through the efforts of heroes like Jadav that India's wild
0:41:21 > 0:41:23places remain protected.
0:41:35 > 0:41:38At the other end of the country is a mountain range called
0:41:38 > 0:41:39the Western Ghats.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44They're India's oldest mountains.
0:41:44 > 0:41:48They run for 1,000 miles from Mumbai to the southern tip of India.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56They're home to 50 million people.
0:41:56 > 0:41:59But the monsoon rains and southern heat create
0:41:59 > 0:42:02near perfect conditions for wildlife, too.
0:42:04 > 0:42:07This great mountainous tropical rainforest is one of the most
0:42:07 > 0:42:09biodiverse places on Earth.
0:42:12 > 0:42:15The Western Ghats explode with life,
0:42:15 > 0:42:18packed with species that are only found here.
0:42:19 > 0:42:2550% of all of India's amphibians are found in the Western Ghats.
0:42:25 > 0:42:28Many live nowhere else in the world.
0:42:28 > 0:42:31Like the rare purple frog.
0:42:35 > 0:42:37IT CROAKS
0:42:37 > 0:42:40This species may be one of the strangest looking creatures
0:42:40 > 0:42:44on the planet, but scientists believe it's a rare survivor of a
0:42:44 > 0:42:49lineage that dates back 130 million years, to the time of the dinosaurs.
0:42:51 > 0:42:54For 50 weeks, this male has remained hidden underground,
0:42:54 > 0:42:57buried in the mud where his food is.
0:43:00 > 0:43:04His pointed nose allows him to burrow, but it limits the size
0:43:04 > 0:43:09of his mouth, restricting his diet to termites and other small bugs.
0:43:12 > 0:43:16He emerges for just two weeks every year as the monsoon begins.
0:43:18 > 0:43:21He has just one thing on his mind - to breed.
0:43:23 > 0:43:27After he's mated, he'll return to his muddy burrow.
0:43:31 > 0:43:34With such a short time above ground, this species remained
0:43:34 > 0:43:39undiscovered until 2003, when it was formally identified.
0:43:41 > 0:43:45And it was instantly added to the endangered list.
0:43:55 > 0:44:00The Western Ghats are home to over 300 endangered species.
0:44:03 > 0:44:06The one I'm travelling to see is the lion-tailed macaque.
0:44:11 > 0:44:15It's thought to be one of the ancestors of all Asian macaques.
0:44:16 > 0:44:19This is the only area in which they're found.
0:44:24 > 0:44:27Wildlife cameraman Kalyan Varma is one of those helping
0:44:27 > 0:44:30to protect the local population of macaques.
0:44:31 > 0:44:34Like all monkeys, they're very inquisitive.
0:44:37 > 0:44:40Ah, they're just coming from the morning roost.
0:44:40 > 0:44:43Wow, look at... Oop! Oh, he's so handsome!
0:44:43 > 0:44:45Oh, look at that hand.
0:44:45 > 0:44:47They're definitely used to cars anyway.
0:44:47 > 0:44:49- Oh, wow, look at this!- Oh!
0:44:49 > 0:44:53SHE MUFFLES LAUGH
0:44:53 > 0:44:57- They're just very curious about us. - I didn't even see him!
0:44:57 > 0:44:59Well, good morning.
0:45:03 > 0:45:05And that's a lion-tailed macaque.
0:45:08 > 0:45:12These are the most endangered of all India's macaques.
0:45:12 > 0:45:15There are just 4,000 left in the wild.
0:45:17 > 0:45:21Their home in rainforest canopy is being cut down to make way
0:45:21 > 0:45:22for tea plantations.
0:45:24 > 0:45:27They're being forced to share space with people.
0:45:28 > 0:45:31It makes these wild animals more approachable.
0:45:34 > 0:45:38I've got lion-tailed macaques above me to my right.
0:45:38 > 0:45:40This beautiful female behind me.
0:45:43 > 0:45:46And I can't quite believe just how close I am to...
0:45:46 > 0:45:49Oh, a mother and infant!
0:45:49 > 0:45:53Two. Oh, my God, they're... This is...unbelievable.
0:45:53 > 0:45:57There are three females in this troop
0:45:57 > 0:46:00with very young infants hanging on to their bellies.
0:46:00 > 0:46:02There's one there, there's another one there
0:46:02 > 0:46:04and there was another female over there with an infant,
0:46:04 > 0:46:09up in the tree. And that is SO rare to see!
0:46:09 > 0:46:14Females will only bear maybe three or four offspring in their lives.
0:46:16 > 0:46:19Like many species of macaques, science has named these
0:46:19 > 0:46:24beautiful animals after their tails, which is somewhat surprising.
0:46:24 > 0:46:28For me, it's more the mane around the face that reminds me of lions,
0:46:28 > 0:46:31why aren't they called lion-maned macaques?
0:46:31 > 0:46:35I always wondered that as well because in the local languages
0:46:35 > 0:46:37and all of South India, they call it the lion-faced or
0:46:37 > 0:46:40- the lion-maned macaques. - Do they really?- Absolutely.
0:46:40 > 0:46:42And I don't know why in English the scientific name
0:46:42 > 0:46:44is lion-tailed macaque.
0:46:47 > 0:46:51Lion-tailed macaques face threats every day from busy roads.
0:46:51 > 0:46:53HORN BLARES
0:46:53 > 0:46:56WHISTLING AND YELLING
0:46:56 > 0:47:00The Nature Conservation Foundation has come up with an ingenious
0:47:00 > 0:47:03solution to the problem of getting across the thoroughfares that
0:47:03 > 0:47:05slice through their forests.
0:47:10 > 0:47:12Bridges made from fire hoses.
0:47:14 > 0:47:17How much of a difference has this made to casualties and fatalities?
0:47:17 > 0:47:20It's quite a bit. I think a lot of them, especially the young ones,
0:47:20 > 0:47:23love using this. It's the older ones that are on the road mostly.
0:47:23 > 0:47:26So the young ones definitely like the protection of the bridges.
0:47:26 > 0:47:30- Right.- But once in a while, some of these alpha males have taken that
0:47:30 > 0:47:33over as their territory. So you see one alpha male sitting on there,
0:47:33 > 0:47:36being a bully, not letting anyone pass through.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40So it's no longer a bridge, it's the alpha male's territory.
0:47:40 > 0:47:43Absolutely. They like those places. They get a vantage point,
0:47:43 > 0:47:46- all this traffic going underneath them.- Uh-huh.
0:47:46 > 0:47:48What I'm loving - not only do you have these bridges,
0:47:48 > 0:47:51you've also got those two guys with the signs to slow the traffic down.
0:47:51 > 0:47:54- Yeah.- So the will is there. There's a lot of effort being put
0:47:54 > 0:47:56into protecting your remaining monkeys.
0:47:56 > 0:48:00Yes. And you know, this population is one of the largest single
0:48:00 > 0:48:03populations. So we are hoping that as this population grows,
0:48:03 > 0:48:06eventually they'll colonise other forest fragments in this landscape.
0:48:06 > 0:48:10Lion-tails still face huge challenges.
0:48:11 > 0:48:15But thanks to the people here, their future already looks a lot brighter.
0:48:18 > 0:48:23I really didn't expect to get this close to these macaques.
0:48:23 > 0:48:26I mean, I suppose we're used to seeing monkeys climbing over
0:48:26 > 0:48:29cars these days, but these are lion-tailed macaques -
0:48:29 > 0:48:32they live really high up in the canopy.
0:48:32 > 0:48:35And the only reason this has been possible is
0:48:35 > 0:48:38because a very tiny proportion of the remaining population
0:48:38 > 0:48:42have adapted and they've become habituated to humans,
0:48:42 > 0:48:44and that's the reason why we came here.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46And it's totally been worth it.
0:48:58 > 0:49:02I normally spend my time thousands of metres up in the mountains.
0:49:04 > 0:49:07But for our last wonder, I've left the heights
0:49:07 > 0:49:11of the Himalayas to come down to sea level to witness a wildlife event...
0:49:12 > 0:49:15..featuring an animal that's very close to my heart.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18The olive ridley turtle.
0:49:21 > 0:49:23I've actually been fortunate enough to dive with
0:49:23 > 0:49:28olive ridley turtles. Now, of all the big animals in the ocean,
0:49:28 > 0:49:32there is something totally unique about watching turtles swim.
0:49:32 > 0:49:36It's incredibly graceful and effortless.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38The experience of swimming with turtles
0:49:38 > 0:49:41was so intimate that I've never forgotten it.
0:49:42 > 0:49:45So when I heard of the mass hatching of olive ridley turtles
0:49:45 > 0:49:50that takes place here every year, I simply had to come.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56This is Odisha, on the Bay of Bengal.
0:49:56 > 0:49:59The seas here are rich with nutrients picked up
0:49:59 > 0:50:04and carried by India's great rivers on the 1,500 mile journey
0:50:04 > 0:50:08from their source high in the Himalayas.
0:50:08 > 0:50:11Where the rivers meet the sea, they deposit their bounty.
0:50:12 > 0:50:14These waters are bursting with life.
0:50:16 > 0:50:18This beach is about to add to it.
0:50:20 > 0:50:24At the moment, as you can see, this beach is just calm,
0:50:24 > 0:50:27like any other normal beach. And it's hard to believe that
0:50:27 > 0:50:30through the night and tomorrow morning,
0:50:30 > 0:50:33this entire beach will be alive
0:50:33 > 0:50:36and will erupt with baby olive ridley turtles.
0:50:37 > 0:50:39This is the largest mass nesting
0:50:39 > 0:50:42site in the world for the olive ridley turtle.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46It's vital to the survival of the species.
0:50:49 > 0:50:52It's considered so important that the local government post
0:50:52 > 0:50:55guards to protect the young turtles.
0:50:59 > 0:51:02Olive ridley turtles spend their lives out at sea.
0:51:04 > 0:51:07But each year, at one particular time,
0:51:07 > 0:51:10hundreds of thousands of females return here.
0:51:10 > 0:51:15It's the beach they hatched on, and they too will lay their eggs here.
0:51:15 > 0:51:19It's an event that is known as the arribada.
0:51:19 > 0:51:21It means the arrival.
0:51:27 > 0:51:29Once the eggs are laid...
0:51:31 > 0:51:32..she returns to the sea.
0:51:37 > 0:51:39Leaving the eggs to incubate in the sand.
0:51:41 > 0:51:44They'll take between 40 and 60 days to grow.
0:51:49 > 0:51:52I'm here to see hundreds of thousands of baby turtles
0:51:52 > 0:51:54bursting out of the sand.
0:51:56 > 0:51:58As night draws in,
0:51:58 > 0:52:01the first turtles begin to hatch.
0:52:02 > 0:52:04These two little fellas
0:52:04 > 0:52:07are the first two that I've seen this evening.
0:52:07 > 0:52:10They've just literally popped out of a hole, just to the right
0:52:10 > 0:52:14of my foot here, and are now slowly taking their very first steps
0:52:14 > 0:52:17towards the ocean, which is just here.
0:52:17 > 0:52:19And it's just lovely to watch.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24My first baby turtle makes it to the sea,
0:52:24 > 0:52:26but this is just the beginning.
0:52:35 > 0:52:38The hatching is so important that we have to use a camera
0:52:38 > 0:52:40that films by moonlight alone.
0:52:44 > 0:52:47It's such a big moment for this little turtle. He's clearly just
0:52:47 > 0:52:51taking his time to look around and decide which way he thinks is best.
0:52:53 > 0:52:54We believe that they follow the light.
0:52:54 > 0:52:57And often when they come out at night like this,
0:52:57 > 0:52:59the moon and the reflection of the moon on the sea
0:52:59 > 0:53:02is the way...is how they know which way to go.
0:53:03 > 0:53:07Light pollution inland makes some of the young head the wrong way.
0:53:12 > 0:53:15Across the beach, hundreds of nests start to move.
0:53:18 > 0:53:22Scientists have discovered that the turtles co-ordinate
0:53:22 > 0:53:26hatching by calling to each other while they're still in the eggs.
0:53:30 > 0:53:33Most of the turtles hatch under cover of darkness.
0:53:41 > 0:53:44As dawn breaks, I can see why.
0:53:45 > 0:53:48They are easy pickings for predators.
0:53:51 > 0:53:54Like jungle crows and Brahminy kites.
0:54:03 > 0:54:06Even those that make it to the sea aren't safe.
0:54:06 > 0:54:08Sharks and other threats await.
0:54:10 > 0:54:12Of all the turtles born here,
0:54:12 > 0:54:15only one in 1,000 will reach maturity.
0:54:17 > 0:54:20It's the reason that there are over a million young.
0:54:22 > 0:54:24But it's not just predators that are a hazard.
0:54:27 > 0:54:31This poor little turtle's really well caught up in this fishing net,
0:54:31 > 0:54:32and I'm trying to free him.
0:54:34 > 0:54:37But I've just got to be really gentle, he's so fragile
0:54:37 > 0:54:40that I'm desperately trying not to hurt him while I do this.
0:54:43 > 0:54:44This could take me a long time.
0:54:46 > 0:54:49Here we go, got his little fin free.
0:54:49 > 0:54:51Yay!
0:54:52 > 0:54:56The local fishermen stop work during the arribada and the hatching.
0:54:59 > 0:55:01And it's not just the fishermen who are helping.
0:55:03 > 0:55:08Chetan Rao has spent the last year trying to understand this phenomenon.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13There's a few folk on the beach with buckets, can you tell me
0:55:13 > 0:55:15what they're doing, what their purpose is?
0:55:15 > 0:55:17A lot of these hatchlings start probably and instead of moving
0:55:17 > 0:55:20towards the sea, they end up going towards the other side.
0:55:20 > 0:55:23- Away from the beach. - Away from the beach, yes.- Right, OK.
0:55:23 > 0:55:27So a lot of these locals have volunteered themselves to come here
0:55:27 > 0:55:30and sort of pick up hatchlings which are disoriented and
0:55:30 > 0:55:32release them close to the water
0:55:32 > 0:55:33so that they can all can go back safely.
0:55:33 > 0:55:36So these guys are volunteers from the local village?
0:55:36 > 0:55:38Yes, they're all local villagers who are here.
0:55:38 > 0:55:41They'll pick up any hatchling that they find that's not
0:55:41 > 0:55:44going the right direction, and just lead it towards the sea.
0:55:51 > 0:55:53- So these baby turtles we see today... - Yeah.
0:55:53 > 0:55:56How long will it be before they return here and how do
0:55:56 > 0:55:59they know that this is their beach? How do they know to come here?
0:55:59 > 0:56:03They return after a span of 15 to 16 years,
0:56:03 > 0:56:05when they're sexually mature.
0:56:05 > 0:56:09But how they come back is probably part of
0:56:09 > 0:56:10an inbred homing instinct.
0:56:10 > 0:56:13You know, like, they know where they were born.
0:56:13 > 0:56:14That's incredible to think,
0:56:14 > 0:56:17cos hopefully these turtles will go, they'll swim for hundreds,
0:56:17 > 0:56:21thousands of miles round the ocean. And you're saying in 15 years plus,
0:56:21 > 0:56:24they'll come back to this beach and lay their eggs.
0:56:24 > 0:56:26- Exactly.- That's incredible, you know.
0:56:26 > 0:56:29It is, it is. It's one of nature's great mysteries.
0:56:29 > 0:56:30- Great mysteries.- Yeah.
0:56:34 > 0:56:38As the baby turtles enter the water, the sun rises on a new day.
0:56:41 > 0:56:45The people here are doing everything they can to make sure this
0:56:45 > 0:56:49beach continues to be somewhere that babies can hatch in safety.
0:57:04 > 0:57:09India has shown us sights found nowhere else in the world.
0:57:09 > 0:57:13We've witnessed spectacles on a scale we would never have imagined.
0:57:14 > 0:57:17And everywhere we visited, we've met people.
0:57:18 > 0:57:20People who don't just want to help,
0:57:20 > 0:57:24but who know the true value of the world around them.
0:57:24 > 0:57:29Because in India, people and nature go hand in hand.
0:57:29 > 0:57:31It's a relationship that dates back
0:57:31 > 0:57:33to the beginning of this civilisation.
0:57:34 > 0:57:39A relationship forged in the religions and cultures of India.
0:57:39 > 0:57:43A gift from the past that can help to ensure that what makes India
0:57:43 > 0:57:46so special today will still be here tomorrow.
0:57:50 > 0:57:54Maybe that's the true wonder of India.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57In a country of over a billion people, there is still a place here
0:57:57 > 0:58:01for some of the most extraordinary wildlife on Earth.