0:00:03 > 0:00:05'My name is Gordon Buchanan.
0:00:05 > 0:00:07'I'm a wildlife cameraman.
0:00:08 > 0:00:10'I've filmed some of the most dangerous
0:00:10 > 0:00:14'and misunderstood animals on the planet.'
0:00:14 > 0:00:15Oh, my God!
0:00:15 > 0:00:20'But what's it like to actually live alongside terrifying predators?
0:00:23 > 0:00:27'And raise your children with neighbours that might just eat you?
0:00:30 > 0:00:34'To find out, I'm going to live with three extraordinary tribal families.
0:00:36 > 0:00:38'They'll teach me to see these creatures
0:00:38 > 0:00:40'from a totally new perspective.'
0:00:40 > 0:00:42(Whoa! Look, look, look, look!)
0:00:45 > 0:00:49'In the Amazon, I discovered the secrets of the giant anaconda.'
0:00:49 > 0:00:52It is just simply a monster.
0:00:52 > 0:00:56'In Africa, I learned to stand up to wild lions.'
0:00:56 > 0:00:59(My heart is in my mouth!)
0:00:59 > 0:01:03'Now, in Papua New Guinea, I'll enter the mysterious world
0:01:03 > 0:01:04'of the crocodile.'
0:01:04 > 0:01:06I didn't realise it was that big!
0:01:08 > 0:01:12'Spending time with these tribes will be a life-changing experience.
0:01:12 > 0:01:14'One that will transform
0:01:14 > 0:01:18'my understanding of the animals we fear the most.
0:01:30 > 0:01:33'In this episode, I've come to Papua New Guinea.
0:01:35 > 0:01:38'Much of this island paradise remains unexplored.'
0:01:38 > 0:01:41BIRDSONG
0:01:41 > 0:01:46It's home to over 800 individual tribes,
0:01:46 > 0:01:49each with their own languages and beliefs.
0:01:51 > 0:01:54Some of them only recently stopped practising cannibalism.
0:01:57 > 0:01:59'I'm travelling up the country's longest river
0:01:59 > 0:02:02'to meet some of its most remote people.
0:02:04 > 0:02:06'People who have an extraordinary relationship
0:02:06 > 0:02:10'with the world's most-feared reptile: crocodiles.'
0:02:24 > 0:02:26Crocodiles do have somewhat of a reputation.
0:02:26 > 0:02:30I think for maybe a lot of people, they send a shiver down their spine.
0:02:33 > 0:02:35The people that share this world with the crocodile
0:02:35 > 0:02:37have done for over 40,000 years.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43And I want to learn all I can about these animals
0:02:43 > 0:02:45from the people that know them best.
0:02:47 > 0:02:51'Over the next couple of weeks, I'm going to visit two remote tribes.
0:02:53 > 0:02:57'I want to see how people can live alongside such dangerous predators.
0:03:01 > 0:03:04'Many of these people are wary of outsiders,
0:03:04 > 0:03:07'so the chief of a tribe of crocodile hunters
0:03:07 > 0:03:10'has agreed to guide me into the interior.'
0:03:10 > 0:03:12- Hello.- Hello.
0:03:12 > 0:03:13- I'm Gordon.- You're welcome.
0:03:15 > 0:03:18Nice to meet you, Kowspi. You'll be looking after me?
0:03:18 > 0:03:20I will. I will. I'll try.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25'Kowspi's headdress, the axe over his shoulder
0:03:25 > 0:03:28'and a dagger made from his grandfather's leg bone
0:03:28 > 0:03:32'are all symbols of his power and authority.
0:03:32 > 0:03:36'And straightaway, he's got advice for me about crocodiles.'
0:03:39 > 0:03:41- Really?- Yeah.
0:03:56 > 0:04:02We're travelling 300 miles up this river, the Sepik...
0:04:04 > 0:04:06..to a tribe called the Ngala.
0:04:09 > 0:04:13'The Ngala speak a language that has never been documented.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16'And their whole culture is based on crocodiles.'
0:04:18 > 0:04:23It's the first sign of humanity in hours and hours.
0:04:23 > 0:04:25Just some dugout canoes there.
0:04:25 > 0:04:27One, two, three, four.
0:04:27 > 0:04:29My goodness!
0:04:31 > 0:04:33Like something you'd expect to find
0:04:33 > 0:04:37if you sailed up this river 500 years ago.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39BIRDSONG
0:04:42 > 0:04:45- These people, they got their own language.- OK.
0:04:45 > 0:04:47They're independent.
0:04:47 > 0:04:52- They don't speak with any village nearby.- Oh, really?
0:04:56 > 0:04:59'Kowspi's told me this tribe of just 300 people
0:04:59 > 0:05:04'have learned to catch fully-grown crocodiles with their bare hands.
0:05:06 > 0:05:08'It sounds extremely dangerous.'
0:05:16 > 0:05:19Hello. I'm Gordon.
0:05:20 > 0:05:22Sakias. Good to meet you, Sakias.
0:05:22 > 0:05:26'Kowspi's grandfather helped negotiate peace between this tribe
0:05:26 > 0:05:28'and warring neighbours.
0:05:28 > 0:05:31'And only thanks to this connection,
0:05:31 > 0:05:33'Sakias and his brother, Charles,
0:05:33 > 0:05:37'have agreed to show me what they know about crocodiles.'
0:05:54 > 0:05:55He can't fall.
0:05:55 > 0:05:58Him OK.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05OK.
0:06:14 > 0:06:18It's a ramshackle,
0:06:18 > 0:06:21higgledy-piggledy hut
0:06:21 > 0:06:25with more floor missing than there is floor present.
0:06:25 > 0:06:30My nearest neighbour is a dead, roasted crocodile.
0:06:30 > 0:06:34There are some scurryings up in the roof
0:06:34 > 0:06:40and I think... Yeah, a few of the village people will drift in
0:06:40 > 0:06:45and come and watch this strange visitor sleeping.
0:06:45 > 0:06:48Which is fine by me, because I'm absolutely knackered.
0:06:48 > 0:06:52'This has got to be one of the creepiest places I've ever slept.
0:06:52 > 0:06:55'With a quick dram to settle my nerves,
0:06:55 > 0:06:58'I'm glad to be zipping into my mosquito net.'
0:07:01 > 0:07:04CHILDREN CHATTER, DOGS BARK
0:07:04 > 0:07:07Next morning, I get a chance to see the remarkable way
0:07:07 > 0:07:10these people have adapted to life in the swamps.
0:07:13 > 0:07:16'The houses are up on stilts because in the wet season,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20'the river rises several metres and floods the village.'
0:07:22 > 0:07:26Looking down at the creek, there's loads of movement in the water.
0:07:26 > 0:07:29Yeah, there could be crocodiles in there.
0:07:29 > 0:07:33'There are two types of crocodiles that live in these waters.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36'One is a freshwater crocodile
0:07:36 > 0:07:39'and the other is the saltwater.'
0:07:40 > 0:07:44The saltwater crocodile is the planet's largest reptile
0:07:44 > 0:07:47and can weigh over a tonne.
0:07:47 > 0:07:50They can live right out at sea,
0:07:50 > 0:07:54but prefer to establish their territories in rivers and lakes.
0:08:01 > 0:08:03Every year, mostly in small communities,
0:08:03 > 0:08:06crocodiles attack hundreds of people.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10Half of these attacks result in death.
0:08:17 > 0:08:20'And yet extraordinarily, for these people,
0:08:20 > 0:08:24'crocodiles are the very thing that keeps their community alive.'
0:08:24 > 0:08:25Morning, morning.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28'The Ngala hunt crocodiles for their meat,
0:08:28 > 0:08:30'but they also sell their skins.
0:08:31 > 0:08:34'This helps them buy fuel and other items, like tobacco.'
0:08:34 > 0:08:37BARKING
0:08:39 > 0:08:42'Everything else, they get from the natural world around them,
0:08:42 > 0:08:44'including breakfast.'
0:08:46 > 0:08:47OK.
0:08:47 > 0:08:50Good climbing, Greg. That is quite impressive.
0:08:53 > 0:08:55Ah, easy-peasy! Very good.
0:08:55 > 0:08:58Can I try?
0:08:58 > 0:09:00- OK.- OK, wait, Greg.
0:09:00 > 0:09:03'Helping out could be a chance for me to earn the respect
0:09:03 > 0:09:05'of hunters, Charles and Sakias.'
0:09:05 > 0:09:08Oi! Nearly. One more. Let me try again.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12OK.
0:09:12 > 0:09:13Go, Greg, yeah.
0:09:15 > 0:09:16Ooo!
0:09:16 > 0:09:19THEY CHUCKLE
0:09:26 > 0:09:28- Very, very good.- Yeah.
0:09:28 > 0:09:30'In addition to their own language,
0:09:30 > 0:09:34'the men also speak a kind of pidgin English,
0:09:34 > 0:09:36'which makes it easier for me to understand.'
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Yeah.
0:09:41 > 0:09:42That's great!
0:09:45 > 0:09:47'Having seen how it's done, it's my turn.'
0:09:52 > 0:09:54- Oh!- Do I look like a climber?
0:09:56 > 0:09:58No?
0:10:00 > 0:10:02GORDON LAUGHS
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Right, OK.
0:10:09 > 0:10:11Stretches. Ah! Ah!
0:10:11 > 0:10:14'With the eyes of the tribe looking on,
0:10:14 > 0:10:17'this is starting to feel like a test.'
0:10:28 > 0:10:30Yeah, I'm getting eaten by the ants.
0:10:33 > 0:10:35Ah! LAUGHTER
0:10:35 > 0:10:37I'm covered in red ants.
0:10:37 > 0:10:40No. I could get to the top, if I had to.
0:10:40 > 0:10:44If I was dying, dying of thirst, I could climb to the top.
0:10:44 > 0:10:46Yeah.
0:10:51 > 0:10:53'I may not be the best climber,
0:10:53 > 0:10:56'but having a go may have won me some friends.
0:11:02 > 0:11:04'Charles and Sakias have promised to teach me
0:11:04 > 0:11:06'how to catch crocodiles by hand.
0:11:07 > 0:11:09'But to show me what I'm in for,
0:11:09 > 0:11:13'they're taking me to look at some very large crocodiles.
0:11:15 > 0:11:17'To live safely around here,
0:11:17 > 0:11:21'you need to find them before they find you.'
0:11:23 > 0:11:24How big?
0:11:24 > 0:11:27Really?
0:11:27 > 0:11:29- Really?- Yeah.
0:11:36 > 0:11:39'Just a few minutes upstream is a bend in the river,
0:11:39 > 0:11:41'patrolled by what the men say
0:11:41 > 0:11:44'are some of the biggest crocodiles in the world.'
0:11:44 > 0:11:46- Yeah.- And I can touch the bottom.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49Don't want to hang around for too long in this water!
0:12:04 > 0:12:06SAKIAS CHIRPS
0:12:09 > 0:12:12'Sakias is imitating the call of a baby crocodile.
0:12:15 > 0:12:19'It's a vital trick for determining the presence of an adult.
0:12:22 > 0:12:24'And almost immediately, it works.'
0:12:24 > 0:12:27(Whoa! Look, look, look, look, look!)
0:12:32 > 0:12:34MOUTHS: Enormous!
0:12:39 > 0:12:41'Charles explains crocodiles' bodies
0:12:41 > 0:12:44'are seven times the length of their skulls.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48'And he thinks this one's head is nearly a metre long.'
0:12:48 > 0:12:50How big?
0:12:54 > 0:12:55- Whoa!- Yeah.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58There is not a tail, the tail is still in the water.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00- Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah. - He's looking.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02Maybe he'll... Yeah, maybe he'll come closer.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04Him go down.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16So, you think, Charles, if I was to swim
0:13:16 > 0:13:20to the other side, do you think I'd make it?
0:13:20 > 0:13:22No. You'd die.
0:13:22 > 0:13:24THEY LAUGH
0:13:27 > 0:13:31This is the biggest crocodile I have ever, ever seen.
0:13:34 > 0:13:36This is great.
0:13:38 > 0:13:42- These ones, you...you don't hunt? - No.- You don't?- Yeah.
0:13:42 > 0:13:45- Why...why not?- Because it's too big.
0:13:47 > 0:13:49- Too dangerous?- Yeah, dangerous.
0:13:53 > 0:13:55OK, yeah.
0:13:55 > 0:14:00So if you keep the big ones, they can produce the crocodile factory.
0:14:00 > 0:14:02- Yeah. - GORDON CHUCKLES
0:14:06 > 0:14:09Charles and Sakias aren't saying, "Yeah, it'd be great to hunt it!"
0:14:09 > 0:14:12No, they just let these animals be, respect them
0:14:12 > 0:14:16and know that that's what's going to provide them their future.
0:14:16 > 0:14:19'It's incredible to think that these crocodiles
0:14:19 > 0:14:21'will keep growing for decades,
0:14:21 > 0:14:24'just getting bigger... and more dangerous.
0:14:24 > 0:14:30'It's an amazing example of men and prehistoric monsters
0:14:30 > 0:14:33'living side by side.
0:14:46 > 0:14:49'Back in the village, the tropical heat
0:14:49 > 0:14:50'leaves me desperate to cool off.
0:14:52 > 0:14:55'The only place to bathe is the creek.
0:14:55 > 0:14:57'They say it's safe.'
0:14:58 > 0:15:03If I stick my foot in, it disappears within four inches.
0:15:03 > 0:15:07So to come down here, pitch-dark,
0:15:07 > 0:15:09dip my toes in the water...
0:15:11 > 0:15:14..it's not completely stress-free, if I'm honest,
0:15:14 > 0:15:19but the chances of a big crocodile coming up here
0:15:19 > 0:15:21and dragging me into the water
0:15:21 > 0:15:25are very, very, very, very, very slim.
0:15:26 > 0:15:30At least that's what I say to myself when I come down here to wash.
0:15:30 > 0:15:31Ah!
0:15:31 > 0:15:35'Charles told me not to splash about too much.
0:15:35 > 0:15:38'Splashing could attract crocodiles.
0:15:40 > 0:15:43'This is the quietest bath I've ever had.'
0:15:46 > 0:15:49I'm settling into life in the village,
0:15:49 > 0:15:52but a big crocodile hunt is planned for tomorrow.
0:15:54 > 0:15:57'Charles and Sakias are concerned about my taking part
0:15:57 > 0:16:01'because these hunts are dangerous and injuries are common.
0:16:05 > 0:16:07'To initiate me into the swamps,
0:16:07 > 0:16:11'they're taking me in search of a crocodile's nest.'
0:16:15 > 0:16:19Walking through a swamp like this,
0:16:19 > 0:16:22you do wonder how close the nearest crocodile is.
0:16:24 > 0:16:27I reckon within 20 yards from here,
0:16:27 > 0:16:31there'll be a crocodile of some size.
0:16:35 > 0:16:38'The nest we're looking for belongs to a little-studied species
0:16:38 > 0:16:41'called the New Guinea freshwater crocodile.
0:16:44 > 0:16:49'The swamp is full of insects. Perfect food for baby crocs.'
0:16:57 > 0:17:01It's all really quite boggy and marshy here.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04If you stand too long, you start sinking in.
0:17:06 > 0:17:08'The razor-sharp grass gets so thick
0:17:08 > 0:17:12'that we have to follow paths made by crocodiles.
0:17:14 > 0:17:17'When we find a nest, the men are deliberately noisy
0:17:17 > 0:17:20'to warn off the mother in case she's nearby.'
0:17:21 > 0:17:23A-ha!
0:17:24 > 0:17:26Ah, OK, OK. I see.
0:17:26 > 0:17:28THEY SPEAK IN NATIVE TONGUE
0:17:28 > 0:17:29Ah, yeah!
0:17:29 > 0:17:31Can we look in? Look at that!
0:17:31 > 0:17:33- Can I go in?- Yeah.- Thank you.
0:17:35 > 0:17:37Mama crocodile not here?
0:17:38 > 0:17:42'Mother crocodiles will often defend their nests aggressively,
0:17:42 > 0:17:43'so Charles wants us to be quick.'
0:17:43 > 0:17:45Open it.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48- Wow!- OK. So, eggs.
0:17:48 > 0:17:52- How many do you think? - Maybe 20 plus.
0:17:52 > 0:17:55'The New Guinea crocodile is secretive
0:17:55 > 0:17:58'and scientists know very little about it.
0:17:58 > 0:18:02'Yet Charles's knowledge of their biology and behaviour
0:18:02 > 0:18:04'is amazingly intimate.'
0:18:22 > 0:18:24Why is that?
0:18:24 > 0:18:27Oh, OK! I see.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31'We take the whole clutch, but it's a sustainable harvest
0:18:31 > 0:18:35'because this swamp is full of healthy nests,
0:18:35 > 0:18:37'ensuring future generations.
0:18:40 > 0:18:43'On our way back, we cross a patch of swamp
0:18:43 > 0:18:45'which Charles set fire to earlier on.'
0:18:45 > 0:18:48They burn some places so you can walk through it.
0:18:48 > 0:18:50And that helps with the crocodile hunting.
0:18:50 > 0:18:52To walk through all this thick stuff is quite hard-going.
0:18:52 > 0:18:55But there's a kind of dual purpose to it, as well.
0:18:55 > 0:18:56When you burn these areas,
0:18:56 > 0:18:59it gets rid of all the grass, a lot of this vegetation.
0:18:59 > 0:19:01So in the rainy season, when the river comes up,
0:19:01 > 0:19:05there's all these open areas where fish can feed, fish can congregate
0:19:05 > 0:19:08and they've got this stuff to hide in.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11So it is, yeah, in effect, a massive crocodile farm.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16'It's fascinating to see the Ngala
0:19:16 > 0:19:19'and crocodiles using these swamps together.
0:19:19 > 0:19:21'And the men are happy,
0:19:21 > 0:19:23'now that I've seen the lay of the land,
0:19:23 > 0:19:25'I'm ready to join tomorrow's hunt.
0:19:36 > 0:19:39'The following day, I'm sent out with Sakias's family
0:19:39 > 0:19:40'to get lunch for the hunters.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51'This river is a highly productive ecosystem,
0:19:51 > 0:19:53'full of nutrients and fish.'
0:19:53 > 0:19:57Oh! Oh-ho! Catfish.
0:19:59 > 0:20:02Every stretch of water you look at is kind of bubbling and boiling.
0:20:02 > 0:20:05There's always something leaping to the surface.
0:20:05 > 0:20:09So I suppose it's not a surprise that where there's lots of fish,
0:20:09 > 0:20:12you find lots of...lots of crocodiles.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15Ooo-hoo! It's a big one!
0:20:20 > 0:20:22Thank you. Oh!
0:20:22 > 0:20:24Ah!
0:20:24 > 0:20:26THEY CHUCKLE I'm never coming again.
0:20:29 > 0:20:31Ah! Well done, Edna.
0:20:37 > 0:20:39'To bring good luck in the hunt,
0:20:39 > 0:20:42'we share part of our catch with these kites.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13'With lunch in hand, everything is in place for the hunt.
0:21:19 > 0:21:22'Over the last few days, Sakias and Charles have given me
0:21:22 > 0:21:24'a crash course in crocodiles.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31'But now they're taking me deep into the crocodile's world.
0:21:38 > 0:21:42'They're about to show me something most of us would think impossible.
0:21:44 > 0:21:47'Tackling adult crocodiles with their bare hands.'
0:21:49 > 0:21:51- It looks like we're going to war. - Yeah.
0:21:51 > 0:21:53GORDON CHUCKLES
0:21:53 > 0:21:57'Before we enter the swamp, we stop in the shade to fuel up.
0:22:04 > 0:22:06'The atmosphere is tense.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20'Kowspi tells me the Ngala are able to touch crocodiles
0:22:20 > 0:22:22'with their bare hands and feet.
0:22:22 > 0:22:27'They believe that by being gentle, the crocodiles won't bite.'
0:22:29 > 0:22:32- Is that so the grass doesn't cut your feet?- Yeah.- OK.
0:22:32 > 0:22:35The plan is to go into a swamp and start feeling around
0:22:35 > 0:22:37for fairly large crocodiles with our toes.
0:22:37 > 0:22:40And...everyone's saying,
0:22:40 > 0:22:43"Watch, you might cut yourself on the grass."
0:22:43 > 0:22:46No-one has mentioned the huge jaws of a crocodile.
0:22:48 > 0:22:50Yeah.
0:22:52 > 0:22:53BIRDSONG
0:22:56 > 0:23:00'After the meal, the eldest member of our party begins a chant.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18'He makes an extra wish on my behalf,
0:23:18 > 0:23:21'as I could be a liability to the hunters.'
0:23:32 > 0:23:36'He chews a sacred plant and the spit from it will keep us safe.'
0:23:39 > 0:23:41- OK.- Yeah.
0:23:41 > 0:23:45'From here on, there's no turning back.'
0:23:45 > 0:23:47- I'm ready, I'm ready.- OK.
0:23:47 > 0:23:50I'm feeling strong. Feeling brave.
0:23:52 > 0:23:54- Yeah.- OK.
0:23:54 > 0:23:57- Gordon?- Yeah? - I have a question to ask you.- Mm-hm.
0:23:57 > 0:24:01- I'd like you to try your best so you can grab one, please.- OK.
0:24:01 > 0:24:05- Or help them to grab one.- OK.- That's what I'd like.- I'll do my best.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07Yes, you have to.
0:24:15 > 0:24:18'The swamp is a giant mat of floating vegetation.
0:24:21 > 0:24:23'Keen to escape the fierce tropical sun,
0:24:23 > 0:24:28'crocodiles seek out cool pools of water under the grass.'
0:24:29 > 0:24:31OK.
0:24:32 > 0:24:36'The men split off into different groups to search for the pools.
0:24:49 > 0:24:50'The plan is simple.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53'If we find a crocodile, we grab it.'
0:24:54 > 0:24:56It goes down quite a long way.
0:25:00 > 0:25:04I'm not sure the crocodiles are the most dangerous thing around here.
0:25:05 > 0:25:08Gosh, it's actually...fetid! It really stinks!
0:25:11 > 0:25:14I'm feeling with my toes
0:25:14 > 0:25:18to see if I can feel anything that resembles a crocodile.
0:25:18 > 0:25:24You can actually feel under the grass, there's a layer of water,
0:25:24 > 0:25:26so there's a sort of void.
0:25:26 > 0:25:29So even a big crocodile could be swimming about underneath
0:25:29 > 0:25:31this carpet that's sitting on top.
0:25:37 > 0:25:41Do you know what? I really don't want to find a crocodile.
0:25:41 > 0:25:42The thought of actually...
0:25:42 > 0:25:45of even putting my hand wrist-deep in this water
0:25:45 > 0:25:47freaks me out somewhat.
0:25:47 > 0:25:50Putting my arm all the way down,
0:25:50 > 0:25:54it is...horrible.
0:25:56 > 0:25:58It feels like the worst lucky dip in the world.
0:25:58 > 0:26:00Unlucky dip!
0:26:02 > 0:26:06'Every so often, crocodiles come to the surface to warm up in the sun.
0:26:09 > 0:26:12'And we find one doing exactly that.
0:26:14 > 0:26:16ANIMATED SHOUTS
0:26:21 > 0:26:24'The crocodile is cornered.
0:26:24 > 0:26:26'It may try to defend itself.'
0:26:31 > 0:26:34They all think there's a crocodile in...in here.
0:26:34 > 0:26:36He said it was a very big one
0:26:36 > 0:26:39and it was very angry.
0:26:39 > 0:26:41'The men are ready to hunt it with their spears,
0:26:41 > 0:26:46'but if it really is that big, they may just leave it to breed.
0:26:48 > 0:26:52'To make a decision, we need a closer look.'
0:26:52 > 0:26:54HISSING
0:26:54 > 0:26:57OK. He's found it.
0:26:58 > 0:27:00He's very angry.
0:27:01 > 0:27:04This is not like sheep farming.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08- Look, look, look, look! - Yeah, look, look!
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Charles has managed to part the grass so he can see it.
0:27:12 > 0:27:14So I'm just going to go forward...
0:27:14 > 0:27:16to see if we can get a look at it.
0:27:16 > 0:27:20Do I want to do that? Not really.
0:27:21 > 0:27:24It's quite hard to actually see it,
0:27:24 > 0:27:29so I'm hoping if I move this in slowly, it's not going to upset it.
0:27:30 > 0:27:32Maybe get a bit of a better look at it.
0:27:32 > 0:27:34(OK.)
0:27:34 > 0:27:36'I've offered to help determine its size
0:27:36 > 0:27:38'by using this camera on a long pole.'
0:27:39 > 0:27:42It's quite hard to make out.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44I can just see maybe one third of the snout.
0:27:51 > 0:27:56'If I can see him side-on, we'll get an idea of how big he is.'
0:27:56 > 0:27:58No, I won't touch him, don't worry.
0:27:58 > 0:28:00I'm definitely not going to touch him.
0:28:04 > 0:28:06He is a biggie!
0:28:06 > 0:28:10'At around four metres, it's the biggest New Guinea crocodile
0:28:10 > 0:28:12'Charles has ever seen.
0:28:12 > 0:28:15'And to the Ngala, an animal of this size
0:28:15 > 0:28:17'is better left to keep breeding.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23'So we're off. And soon, they find another one.
0:28:25 > 0:28:27'This time, it's underwater.'
0:28:33 > 0:28:36ANIMATED SHOUTS
0:28:36 > 0:28:38Have you got one?
0:28:38 > 0:28:41'The men are in the water with the crocodile.
0:28:44 > 0:28:46'They want me to get in, too.
0:28:49 > 0:28:53'I'm instructed to feel very gently for the crocodile's head.'
0:28:53 > 0:28:56OK. Is it OK to put my hand down the side,
0:28:56 > 0:28:58so I can feel its side?
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Yeah. Don't...
0:29:00 > 0:29:03I will just be very gentle, and then...
0:29:03 > 0:29:06- Just don't touch this!- OK.
0:29:06 > 0:29:08Don't worry, I'm going to be very gentle.
0:29:09 > 0:29:11No, no, no.
0:29:12 > 0:29:14Whose foot was that?
0:29:14 > 0:29:16'The final step is mind-blowing.
0:29:18 > 0:29:24'By carefully raising the crocodile, it becomes mesmerised.'
0:29:24 > 0:29:28Whoa! I didn't realise it was that big! My God!
0:29:32 > 0:29:34I would never, ever have thought
0:29:34 > 0:29:38that there was a crocodile of this size right under my feet.
0:29:39 > 0:29:42And the first thing we want to do is find where the head is,
0:29:42 > 0:29:44secure the head, get the hands around it.
0:29:44 > 0:29:51But you can just get a real sense of how powerful this crocodile is.
0:29:58 > 0:30:00- Could be a mother?- Yeah.
0:30:00 > 0:30:03So, do you think she's got eggs at the moment?
0:30:05 > 0:30:07In the stomach.
0:30:09 > 0:30:12'At over two metres long, this adult female
0:30:12 > 0:30:14'could feed the hunters' families.
0:30:14 > 0:30:17'But the fact she's pregnant is a dilemma.'
0:30:21 > 0:30:25There is a real respect for crocodiles around here.
0:30:25 > 0:30:27You know, there's no... No-one's laughing, no-one's cheering,
0:30:27 > 0:30:29there's no bloodlust.
0:30:29 > 0:30:34It just feels very much like a necessity. Um...
0:30:34 > 0:30:38Yeah, it's been handled with... It has been handled with
0:30:38 > 0:30:40respect and care.
0:30:43 > 0:30:47'After much deliberation, they've decided to let her go.
0:30:51 > 0:30:54'Today, more important than her meat and skin
0:30:54 > 0:30:56'are her eggs and her future young.'
0:31:02 > 0:31:06This beautiful creature has had a reprieve.
0:31:09 > 0:31:11Slide her down.
0:31:12 > 0:31:15Ah! You are one lucky crocodile.
0:31:18 > 0:31:20There you go.
0:31:22 > 0:31:24ANIMATED SHOUTS
0:31:26 > 0:31:28'There's a nervous moment as she's untied.'
0:31:33 > 0:31:37I see. Covering her...covering her over.
0:31:37 > 0:31:39OK, OK.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42OK...and she's loose.
0:31:44 > 0:31:46THEY LAUGH
0:31:48 > 0:31:51- Great. She's moving, she's moving.- Yeah.
0:31:51 > 0:31:53OK. Good luck, girl.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56That's a lucky escape.
0:31:58 > 0:32:01'To most people, crocodiles are nightmarish creatures.
0:32:03 > 0:32:04'Yet the Ngala have shown me
0:32:04 > 0:32:07'it's possible to handle them without fear.
0:32:10 > 0:32:13'These are the toughest people I have ever met.
0:32:15 > 0:32:17'But their knowledge of crocodiles
0:32:17 > 0:32:20'and their respect for them is truly inspiring.'
0:32:31 > 0:32:33They have to hunt to survive, they hunt the crocodiles.
0:32:33 > 0:32:38And a lot of that is, um...is brutal, I suppose.
0:32:38 > 0:32:41But it's a very rare thing indeed, I think,
0:32:41 > 0:32:44when there's a natural resource in the form of a wild animal
0:32:44 > 0:32:47that isn't overhunted.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51They haven't had a negative impact on the natural environment.
0:32:51 > 0:32:53And I suppose that's just what, you know,
0:32:53 > 0:32:56we should all aspire to...you know, to be like.
0:32:57 > 0:32:59CHILDREN SING
0:32:59 > 0:33:01'I've been on the river for a week
0:33:01 > 0:33:04'and today, I'm leaving the Ngala.
0:33:09 > 0:33:11'I've heard about a much remoter tribe,
0:33:11 > 0:33:14'who Kowspi says have a giant saltwater crocodile
0:33:14 > 0:33:17'that they consider to be their friend.
0:33:19 > 0:33:23'It sounds implausible and intriguing.
0:33:24 > 0:33:27'But before I go, Charles and Sakias
0:33:27 > 0:33:30'want to remind me of the dangers I face.
0:33:37 > 0:33:40'Saltwater crocodiles can be extremely aggressive,
0:33:40 > 0:33:43'especially at night, when they're hunting.
0:33:43 > 0:33:47'Just a few days ago, one of them attacked two boys
0:33:47 > 0:33:49'out canoeing after dark.'
0:33:49 > 0:33:50Come and see this big one.
0:33:50 > 0:33:52No! Very big!
0:33:52 > 0:33:57My golly...gosh!
0:33:57 > 0:34:00- This one. - This is the whole belly?- Yeah.
0:34:00 > 0:34:02- Maybe this wide?- Yeah.
0:34:06 > 0:34:08What happened?
0:34:16 > 0:34:19'With the massive crocodile in hot pursuit,
0:34:19 > 0:34:22'the boys just managed to escape.'
0:34:22 > 0:34:25- Whoa! So, this is a footprint here? - Yeah.
0:34:28 > 0:34:30OK.
0:34:30 > 0:34:32They are monsters. They really are.
0:34:32 > 0:34:36Look at the size of that. It's like something from Jurassic Park.
0:34:39 > 0:34:42Yeah. I didn't actually... These holes in the mud are so big,
0:34:42 > 0:34:44I didn't realise actually that was footprints.
0:34:44 > 0:34:49But when you look close, you can see the claw marks...here.
0:34:49 > 0:34:53Then a big score. My goodness!
0:34:53 > 0:34:57I mean, its feet are much, much, much, much wider than my hands are.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02'Charles and Sakias urge me to be very careful
0:35:02 > 0:35:04'as I venture further upriver.'
0:35:08 > 0:35:10Thank you, thank you, thank you.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13'I'm so grateful to the Ngala tribe.
0:35:13 > 0:35:16'Their amazing skills and knowledge
0:35:16 > 0:35:19'have shown me that people CAN survive around crocodiles.'
0:35:19 > 0:35:21Bye! Bye!
0:35:21 > 0:35:24'I'm sad to leave. And what I've learnt here
0:35:24 > 0:35:26'makes me worry about going in search of
0:35:26 > 0:35:29'an even bigger saltwater crocodile.
0:35:31 > 0:35:32'But Kowspi insists.
0:35:32 > 0:35:35'He says this next tribe's relationship
0:35:35 > 0:35:36'with an individual crocodile
0:35:36 > 0:35:40'will change my view of crocs forever.
0:35:43 > 0:35:46'The journey takes us the best part of a day upstream
0:35:46 > 0:35:51'to a tiny, isolated lake, home to the Maw'pa.
0:35:57 > 0:35:59'According to Kowspi,
0:35:59 > 0:36:02'this tribe have been sharing their lake with a crocodile for decades.
0:36:08 > 0:36:11'Saltwater crocs can live as long as humans,
0:36:11 > 0:36:14'and can grow to monstrous proportions.
0:36:14 > 0:36:19'The biggest on record measure over six metres.
0:36:19 > 0:36:23'Crocodiles of this size become dominant.
0:36:24 > 0:36:26'They can terrorise communities.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31'Often resulting in their being killed, or relocated.
0:36:40 > 0:36:42'I'm feeling increasingly nervous
0:36:42 > 0:36:44'about where my mission is taking me.
0:36:49 > 0:36:53'Approaching the village, Kowspi tells me that until recently,
0:36:53 > 0:36:57'this tribe were engaged in a bitter war with their neighbours.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59RHYTHMIC DRUMBEAT
0:37:05 > 0:37:09'Fortunately, they seem welcoming to me.'
0:37:11 > 0:37:14Hey. Hey! Incredible!
0:37:14 > 0:37:16Hello.
0:37:18 > 0:37:22Ah, wow! It's amazing. Thank you.
0:37:22 > 0:37:24I'm Gordon.
0:37:25 > 0:37:27- James. - James. Nice to meet you, James.
0:37:27 > 0:37:29What a welcome!
0:37:29 > 0:37:32It's the friendliest welcome. Thank you.
0:37:32 > 0:37:35'Kowspi tells me the Maw'pa first saw outsiders
0:37:35 > 0:37:37'less than ten years ago.'
0:37:40 > 0:37:43So, how many people in Paru?
0:37:47 > 0:37:49OK.
0:37:49 > 0:37:51'It feels very special to be here.'
0:37:59 > 0:38:01ROOSTER CROWS
0:38:01 > 0:38:06'Next morning, I get to see the Maw'pa's small, but pretty village.
0:38:11 > 0:38:14'Right beside it is a serene lake dotted with trees.
0:38:17 > 0:38:20'It's surrounded by beautiful hills and forests.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26'These people survive by hunting wild pigs,
0:38:26 > 0:38:29'cassowaries and other animals that live here.
0:38:32 > 0:38:34'Just opposite the village is a beach,
0:38:34 > 0:38:37'where I'm told the monster crocodile I'm looking for
0:38:37 > 0:38:39'sometimes basks in the sun.
0:38:41 > 0:38:44'It could be anywhere in this water.
0:38:44 > 0:38:48'And yet people are splashing around without a care in the world.'
0:38:50 > 0:38:53I've been given this lovely accommodation,
0:38:53 > 0:38:55a house that's half-built.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58So there's going to be a floor here at some point,
0:38:58 > 0:39:01but I've got the under-storey.
0:39:01 > 0:39:04This is the best accommodation for a crocodile hunter
0:39:04 > 0:39:05because I keep on looking out,
0:39:05 > 0:39:08expecting to see the enormous head of the crocodile.
0:39:16 > 0:39:19'From time to time, the tribe get together
0:39:19 > 0:39:20'to test their hunting skills.
0:39:23 > 0:39:27'And one of the hunters, Joseph, has invited me to join in.
0:39:28 > 0:39:32'I'm excited to get a glimpse of the Maw'pa's unique culture.
0:39:32 > 0:39:35'And I'm hoping to find out more about this legendary crocodile.'
0:39:37 > 0:39:40Yeah. Nervous...nervous-looking children over there.
0:39:43 > 0:39:45HE YELLS
0:39:47 > 0:39:52'As a guest, it's my turn to go first.'
0:39:52 > 0:39:54- Oh!- Ahhhhh!
0:39:58 > 0:39:59FAINT LAUGHTER
0:39:59 > 0:40:03'The men take over to show me how it's done.'
0:40:03 > 0:40:05Whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo-whoo!
0:40:06 > 0:40:09'And Joseph explains to me why these skills are so important.'
0:40:25 > 0:40:28CHEERING
0:40:33 > 0:40:36'Kowspi tells me the best bowman is James.
0:40:37 > 0:40:42'In his younger days, James killed 14 men from a rival tribe.'
0:40:42 > 0:40:43Oh!
0:40:45 > 0:40:47'But despite being such skilled hunters,
0:40:47 > 0:40:52'no-one has tried to kill the crocodile in the lake.
0:40:52 > 0:40:54BABY WAILS
0:40:56 > 0:40:59'Joseph and the others have even given it a name.
0:40:59 > 0:41:01'Masalai.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04'It means, spirit of the water.'
0:41:04 > 0:41:06What size?
0:41:07 > 0:41:08Oh, wow!
0:41:12 > 0:41:15And did anyone want to try and...try and kill it?
0:41:30 > 0:41:33'Dominant crocodiles are highly territorial.
0:41:33 > 0:41:34'So the Maw'pa's belief
0:41:34 > 0:41:37'that Masalai keeps other crocs out makes sense.
0:41:45 > 0:41:48'They also believe he keeps their human enemies at bay.
0:42:03 > 0:42:07'Joseph says they've known Masalai for over 50 years.
0:42:07 > 0:42:11'And yet in all that time, he's not attacked a single person.'
0:42:16 > 0:42:18BIRDSONG
0:42:19 > 0:42:21'I would love to get a look at him.
0:42:22 > 0:42:26'So I head off in a dugout to see if I can find him.
0:42:31 > 0:42:34'Big saltwater crocodiles have large territories,
0:42:34 > 0:42:35'so he could be anywhere.
0:42:37 > 0:42:40'In the lake, out on the tributary,
0:42:40 > 0:42:43'or in other lakes nearby.
0:42:46 > 0:42:50'There's another factor reducing the chances of my seeing him.
0:42:52 > 0:42:54'By restricting the blood flow to essential organs,
0:42:54 > 0:42:58'big crocodiles can hold their breath for over an hour.
0:43:01 > 0:43:03'This allows them to creep up on prey,
0:43:03 > 0:43:06'but also stay hidden from me.
0:43:11 > 0:43:12'We pass a number of mud banks
0:43:12 > 0:43:15'where crocodiles would be likely to haul out.
0:43:20 > 0:43:22'My search goes on for several days.
0:43:25 > 0:43:28'But while it's great to get a sense of this country...
0:43:29 > 0:43:32'..the giant crocodile is proving elusive.'
0:43:35 > 0:43:39It is quite easy to imagine that this crocodile is everywhere
0:43:39 > 0:43:42and nowhere at the same time.
0:43:43 > 0:43:46I've got this weird feeling
0:43:46 > 0:43:48that Masalai knows that I'm looking for him.
0:43:51 > 0:43:55'Then, on my last night, we get a tip-off.
0:43:56 > 0:44:00'Apparently, Masalai was seen in a small lake
0:44:00 > 0:44:02'very close to the village.
0:44:09 > 0:44:12'Small canoes are more vulnerable to attack at night...
0:44:13 > 0:44:17'..but it could be my last chance to prove Masalai exists.'
0:44:33 > 0:44:35CHIRPING
0:44:45 > 0:44:46SPLASHING
0:44:48 > 0:44:51(A crocodile just splashed into the water in these bushes.
0:44:51 > 0:44:55(It sounded big, but not massive.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57(I got a bit of a fright there.)
0:45:15 > 0:45:18'We're nearing the spot Joseph said they saw him.'
0:45:19 > 0:45:23(There's an area just up ahead, right in front of me.
0:45:23 > 0:45:29(This area is completely devoid of leaves and vegetation,
0:45:29 > 0:45:32(which is very unusual.)
0:45:34 > 0:45:37'To find evidence, I've got to get onto the bank.
0:45:37 > 0:45:39'This is nerve-racking.
0:45:39 > 0:45:42'He could easily be lurking in the bushes.'
0:45:42 > 0:45:45I'm just going to switch the lights on, switch off the infrared.
0:45:45 > 0:45:48Don't want to be walking about here in the dark.
0:45:50 > 0:45:54I actually feel safer in the canoe than I do on land.
0:45:56 > 0:45:58OK. You're not around, big croc, are you?
0:45:58 > 0:46:01'I follow a gap to a smooth area
0:46:01 > 0:46:05'which can only have been made by the weight of a huge animal.'
0:46:05 > 0:46:09Just banks off into another lake.
0:46:12 > 0:46:14Look, you can see here...
0:46:17 > 0:46:19..the croc's been sliding off.
0:46:22 > 0:46:24So it is...
0:46:26 > 0:46:28It must be about that wide.
0:46:29 > 0:46:31That is an enormous crocodile.
0:46:36 > 0:46:38This has to be Masalai.
0:46:38 > 0:46:41It has to be this huge crocodile.
0:46:41 > 0:46:44The camera trap is on.
0:46:46 > 0:46:49'It's great to have found such clear signs of him.
0:46:49 > 0:46:52'It would be even better to get an image of Masalai
0:46:52 > 0:46:54'with these remote cameras.
0:46:59 > 0:47:02'Although I still haven't seen him, I can sense his presence.
0:47:05 > 0:47:07THUNDERCLAP
0:47:10 > 0:47:12LIGHTNING BOLT
0:47:13 > 0:47:15BIRDSONG
0:47:18 > 0:47:22The next day, the remote cameras reveal some nocturnal activity.
0:47:24 > 0:47:27And a rare Victoria crowned pigeon.
0:47:29 > 0:47:31But no giant crocodile.
0:47:37 > 0:47:40'Joseph can tell I'm disappointed.
0:47:40 > 0:47:44'To cheer me up, he's brought me a baby croc he found in the lake.'
0:47:45 > 0:47:47Did you paddle it in the canoe?
0:47:51 > 0:47:53GORDON CHUCKLES
0:47:53 > 0:47:57He is great. Did you see...? You didn't see Masalai?
0:47:57 > 0:47:59- No.- No, no.
0:47:59 > 0:48:01OK. Masalai baby.
0:48:03 > 0:48:06I'll get a good, firm hold of you. Look at you, you're a beaut!
0:48:10 > 0:48:15These creatures have been on this planet for 200 million years
0:48:15 > 0:48:18and have changed very, very little.
0:48:20 > 0:48:24In these jaws, there's about 68 needle-sharp teeth.
0:48:25 > 0:48:28And as the croc gets bigger, the teeth get bigger
0:48:28 > 0:48:30and the jaws get more powerful.
0:48:30 > 0:48:33It's quite possibly why we fear them so much.
0:48:33 > 0:48:36There's all this primal power.
0:48:36 > 0:48:39It is beautiful. And it's completely relaxed.
0:48:40 > 0:48:42It is a very chilled-out crocodile.
0:48:44 > 0:48:48'This relaxed baby makes me realise something about Masalai.
0:48:49 > 0:48:53'Crocodiles look inscrutable, but they're very intelligent.
0:48:56 > 0:48:58'Masalai may have worked out
0:48:58 > 0:49:02'that if he doesn't harm the Maw'pa, they won't harm him.
0:49:03 > 0:49:06'It's a relationship based on mutual respect.'
0:49:06 > 0:49:10I think it's time to put you back where you belong.
0:49:10 > 0:49:12Go and find somewhere nice to hide.
0:49:13 > 0:49:16OK, you're going to like this. You're going to like it.
0:49:16 > 0:49:18How's that?
0:49:20 > 0:49:22GORDON CHUCKLES Oh, wow, look at it go!
0:49:23 > 0:49:26Good luck. That's really lovely.
0:49:29 > 0:49:31Stay out of trouble.
0:49:36 > 0:49:38'It's my final day in the village.
0:49:41 > 0:49:45'James has been out hunting and has brought home a wild pig.
0:49:48 > 0:49:50'In preparation for a farewell feast,
0:49:50 > 0:49:53'the women want me to help gather food.'
0:49:53 > 0:49:54BABY WAILS
0:49:57 > 0:49:59'We're heading to Masalai's favourite basking beach.'
0:50:01 > 0:50:03Here, safe and sound.
0:50:03 > 0:50:05Thank you.
0:50:08 > 0:50:10BIRDSONG
0:50:13 > 0:50:15- Gordon!- Yes?
0:50:16 > 0:50:19Hang on, I'm foraging. WOMEN LAUGH
0:50:24 > 0:50:26Mm! Mm, it's nice.
0:50:26 > 0:50:28SHE LAUGHS It's very sour.
0:50:31 > 0:50:34It doesn't seem to be five yards that we cover
0:50:34 > 0:50:37without something being pointed out to me.
0:50:37 > 0:50:40And it's fascinating, um...
0:50:40 > 0:50:43and also it's just quite...it's quite good fun.
0:50:43 > 0:50:46The ladies seem kind of really keen just to sort of show off
0:50:46 > 0:50:47what they know about the forest.
0:50:51 > 0:50:54WOMEN LAUGH
0:50:54 > 0:50:57Is there anything sweet in the forest? Everything's sour.
0:50:57 > 0:50:59- Yes.- Yeah!
0:51:09 > 0:51:10Are they gone?
0:51:10 > 0:51:12WOMEN LAUGH They haven't bitten me yet.
0:51:16 > 0:51:20'On the way home, the ladies show me a warning sign
0:51:20 > 0:51:23'that tells other tribes to keep out.'
0:51:30 > 0:51:32I see.
0:51:35 > 0:51:38'This sign reminds me of Masalai,
0:51:38 > 0:51:40'and the Maw'pa's belief that he protects them.
0:51:40 > 0:51:43'So I ask the women what they think.'
0:51:43 > 0:51:48The big Masalai pukpuk, do you ever see it in the lake?
0:51:48 > 0:51:50- Yes. Yeah.- Yeah!
0:51:52 > 0:51:54Oh, really?
0:52:01 > 0:52:03'They're adamant that he is dangerous,
0:52:03 > 0:52:06'but confident they can predict his behaviour.'
0:52:06 > 0:52:09Do you think the crocodile's in the lake at the moment?
0:52:12 > 0:52:15'This lady, Susan, is sure Masalai isn't in the lake today.'
0:52:15 > 0:52:18- Shall I swim across the lake and see what happens?- Yeah.
0:52:18 > 0:52:20No, I don't think I'll bother.
0:52:20 > 0:52:22I'll...I'll...I'll sit in the...sit in the canoe.
0:52:29 > 0:52:31Will you swim with me, or will you be in the canoe?
0:52:31 > 0:52:33SHE LAUGHS
0:52:33 > 0:52:35THEY LAUGH
0:52:37 > 0:52:39You're supposed to think about it.
0:52:44 > 0:52:46- Are you going to swim?- Yeah.
0:52:46 > 0:52:48- Really?- Yeah.- It's safe?
0:52:51 > 0:52:53Swim, go!
0:52:53 > 0:52:55THEY LAUGH OK.
0:52:57 > 0:53:01Um...I don't feel massively comfortable doing this.
0:53:04 > 0:53:06'The channel is only 100 metres wide,
0:53:06 > 0:53:10'but that's easily far enough to attract a crocodile
0:53:10 > 0:53:11'with our splashing.
0:53:14 > 0:53:17'Every instinct tells me this is wrong.
0:53:17 > 0:53:22'But I decide to let go and hope that Susan is right.
0:53:45 > 0:53:49'I'm relieved to have made it to the shallows by the village.
0:53:49 > 0:53:53'But I feel transformed, too.
0:53:53 > 0:53:56'It's like I'm losing my fear of crocodiles.'
0:53:56 > 0:53:59I never, ever imagined when I first arrived here
0:53:59 > 0:54:03that I'd happily get into the water and swim across a channel
0:54:03 > 0:54:07where one of these giants is frequently seen.
0:54:08 > 0:54:12And I think it's just learning about the crocodiles
0:54:12 > 0:54:14from the people that know them best.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18That's what makes me feel...that's what makes me feel safe.
0:54:26 > 0:54:32I could almost say these people see crocodiles as friends, of a sort.
0:54:34 > 0:54:36A kind of relationship
0:54:36 > 0:54:40that's actually quite...quite profound.
0:54:42 > 0:54:46For the Maw'pa, the spirit crocodile, Masalai,
0:54:46 > 0:54:49is everywhere, watching over them.
0:54:50 > 0:54:54Protecting this magical world which they call home.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13LOW CHATTER
0:55:13 > 0:55:17'Susan takes me to her house to get ready for tonight's festivities.'
0:55:17 > 0:55:19- Gordon?- Yeah?
0:55:20 > 0:55:21Ah!
0:55:23 > 0:55:25OK. Nice.
0:55:25 > 0:55:27OK. Thank you, Susan.
0:55:32 > 0:55:36This is quite nice, just chilling and letting everyone kind of relax
0:55:36 > 0:55:39and then just do what everyone naturally does. And it's very nice.
0:55:39 > 0:55:42Susan's decided that I'm looking a bit scruffy
0:55:42 > 0:55:45in my smelly shirt and my dirty trousers
0:55:45 > 0:55:48and I need a little bit of local colour.
0:55:59 > 0:56:02The villagers are sending me off with a celebration,
0:56:02 > 0:56:04which they call a sing-sing.
0:56:06 > 0:56:09'They're giving thanks to every single animal in the forest
0:56:09 > 0:56:11'for providing food,
0:56:11 > 0:56:15'and to Masalai for being their protector.'
0:56:15 > 0:56:17THEY SING IN NATIVE TONGUE
0:56:17 > 0:56:22Every part of their costume is...is taken from nature.
0:56:22 > 0:56:24These are plants that have just been picked,
0:56:24 > 0:56:26there's tusks from wild pigs,
0:56:26 > 0:56:28feathers from cassowaries and different birds,
0:56:28 > 0:56:31grasses making up their skirts.
0:56:33 > 0:56:37Kind of almost feels like the people have just become nature.
0:56:37 > 0:56:39Become one of the same thing.
0:56:45 > 0:56:48'This place is a paradise.
0:56:48 > 0:56:53'And for these people, it's a paradise thanks to a crocodile.'
0:56:57 > 0:57:02It is a real privilege to spend time and live among people
0:57:02 > 0:57:06that have such a close relationship with nature.
0:57:06 > 0:57:09They have their own understanding.
0:57:09 > 0:57:11And their understanding is very different to mine.
0:57:11 > 0:57:15Much of it is just founded in their beliefs,
0:57:15 > 0:57:17in their spirituality.
0:57:17 > 0:57:21But I think at the very heart of that understanding
0:57:21 > 0:57:25is a respect. A respect for all living things.
0:57:25 > 0:57:28And they rely on this river and these waterways,
0:57:28 > 0:57:31you know, for food, for shelter.
0:57:31 > 0:57:35And I think the most amazing thing of all for me
0:57:35 > 0:57:38is that THE most feared,
0:57:38 > 0:57:41most dangerous reptile on the planet
0:57:41 > 0:57:45is...is a good neighbour.