1
00:00:34,400 --> 00:00:36,120
Mount Everest.

2
00:00:38,300 --> 00:00:44,120
It's known in Nepal as Sagarmatha,
or "Goddess of the Sky".

3
00:00:47,440 --> 00:00:51,480
It rises to a height of almost
9,000 metres.

4
00:00:53,400 --> 00:00:58,400
Those who succeed in climbing it
spend only moments at the top.

5
00:01:01,920 --> 00:01:05,320
Nothing can live for long
on its summit.

6
00:01:11,480 --> 00:01:16,200
But on many of Asia's peaks,
some specialised animals

7
00:01:16,200 --> 00:01:21,040
and plants flourish
in remarkable ways.

8
00:01:33,920 --> 00:01:38,360
Asia is the most mountainous
continent on Earth.

9
00:01:40,600 --> 00:01:44,520
The peaks in the Himalaya
may be the most dramatic of them...

10
00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:50,080
..but in Southeast Asia,

11
00:01:50,080 --> 00:01:53,280
there are mountains full of life.

12
00:01:58,520 --> 00:02:00,160
Tropical forests

13
00:02:00,160 --> 00:02:02,760
grow here in abundance.

14
00:02:11,440 --> 00:02:15,200
This is the Daen Lao range,
in northern Thailand.

15
00:02:22,120 --> 00:02:25,400
And here, there is an
astonishing gathering.

16
00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:39,680
This is the largest flock of swifts

17
00:02:39,680 --> 00:02:41,840
to be found anywhere in the world.

18
00:02:44,920 --> 00:02:48,560
The heavy rains have cloaked
the land with dense forest

19
00:02:48,560 --> 00:02:52,280
and carved the rocks
into great caves.

20
00:02:58,960 --> 00:03:01,400
The Tham Nam Lod Cave

21
00:03:01,400 --> 00:03:04,160
is big enough to accommodate

22
00:03:04,160 --> 00:03:06,480
a 16-storey building...

23
00:03:08,760 --> 00:03:12,120
..and its walls provide a home

24
00:03:12,120 --> 00:03:15,240
for over a quarter of
a million swifts.

25
00:03:28,440 --> 00:03:30,320
It's the nesting season.

26
00:03:38,320 --> 00:03:40,480
Almost every available ledge

27
00:03:40,480 --> 00:03:42,640
and crevice is occupied.

28
00:03:56,320 --> 00:03:59,400
Disputes for the few vacant sites

29
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:00,960
are frequent...

30
00:04:32,080 --> 00:04:35,120
..and rivals only too often

31
00:04:35,120 --> 00:04:36,880
end up in the river.

32
00:04:45,400 --> 00:04:49,000
Wet feathers make it difficult
to get back into the air.

33
00:04:54,080 --> 00:04:58,560
And there are hidden dangers here.

34
00:05:06,360 --> 00:05:08,640
Keeping still is one way

35
00:05:08,640 --> 00:05:10,480
of avoiding detection.

36
00:05:19,560 --> 00:05:22,840
Yet the urge to fly is strong.

37
00:05:37,320 --> 00:05:40,360
The giant carp and catfish

38
00:05:40,360 --> 00:05:43,720
that lurk beneath the surface

39
00:05:43,720 --> 00:05:45,480
are always hungry.

40
00:06:07,040 --> 00:06:08,600
A pair crash-land.

41
00:06:12,040 --> 00:06:14,440
One bird is pulled under...

42
00:06:16,320 --> 00:06:19,680
..but some birds
won't go down without a fight.

43
00:06:37,120 --> 00:06:38,840
A second chance.

44
00:06:44,440 --> 00:06:48,840
Its frantic splashing has already
attracted more hungry fish.

45
00:07:47,400 --> 00:07:49,960
A near-miraculous escape.

46
00:07:57,600 --> 00:08:00,920
It was saved by the sheer
strength of its wings.

47
00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:12,680
The shelter of the cave is clearly
worth the risks it brings.

48
00:08:16,120 --> 00:08:18,760
For every swift that
is caught by a fish,

49
00:08:18,760 --> 00:08:22,680
countless thousands
breed successfully.

50
00:08:26,920 --> 00:08:30,120
And each evening, in
the dwindling light,

51
00:08:30,120 --> 00:08:33,040
the sky fills with adult birds.

52
00:08:59,960 --> 00:09:02,960
The forest-clad peaks
of Southeast Asia

53
00:09:02,960 --> 00:09:06,080
stretch for thousands of miles.

54
00:09:11,040 --> 00:09:13,440
But south of Thailand...

55
00:09:16,600 --> 00:09:19,600
..the land fragments into islands.

56
00:09:24,440 --> 00:09:29,080
In Borneo,
one great mountain stands alone.

57
00:09:32,400 --> 00:09:34,080
Mount Kinabalu.

58
00:09:37,880 --> 00:09:40,240
Over 4,000 metres high,

59
00:09:40,240 --> 00:09:42,680
it was pushed up by forces

60
00:09:42,680 --> 00:09:46,480
deep in the Earth's crust
several million years ago.

61
00:09:51,720 --> 00:09:55,960
Its slopes are home to a
particularly inquisitive

62
00:09:55,960 --> 00:09:57,400
little creature...

63
00:10:01,600 --> 00:10:04,040
..the mountain tree shrew.

64
00:10:06,200 --> 00:10:11,440
A strange plant grows here,
with leaves shaped like little jugs.

65
00:10:12,960 --> 00:10:14,440
A pitcher plant.

66
00:10:16,240 --> 00:10:20,680
The shrew is enticed by the
sweet liquid the pitchers produce.

67
00:10:24,080 --> 00:10:26,400
But they are traps.

68
00:10:29,880 --> 00:10:33,000
Insects are also
attracted by their sweetness.

69
00:10:41,360 --> 00:10:44,440
However, the surfaces are slippery

70
00:10:44,440 --> 00:10:47,600
and the insects can easily
lose their footing.

71
00:10:50,160 --> 00:10:52,440
And there, they drown.

72
00:10:54,280 --> 00:10:56,200
Their bodies dissolve

73
00:10:56,200 --> 00:10:58,240
and are absorbed by the plant.

74
00:11:04,960 --> 00:11:07,960
The more insects the plant consumes,

75
00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:10,400
the bigger the pitchers
it produces...

76
00:11:15,560 --> 00:11:19,560
..and the bigger the prey
they attract.

77
00:11:26,760 --> 00:11:29,600
But the shrew, of course,
is far too big

78
00:11:29,600 --> 00:11:32,480
and powerful to be caught
like a small insect.

79
00:11:41,040 --> 00:11:44,320
And it has a firm grip.

80
00:11:59,160 --> 00:12:01,800
In fact, the shrew gives the plant

81
00:12:01,800 --> 00:12:03,640
a reward for its meal.

82
00:12:04,880 --> 00:12:06,200
PLOPPING

83
00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:08,960
Its droppings.

84
00:12:14,320 --> 00:12:18,840
They, for the plant, are well worth
having, for they're very nutritious.

85
00:12:24,240 --> 00:12:26,920
The shrew pays regular visits

86
00:12:26,920 --> 00:12:29,480
to collect the plant's
sugary offerings.

87
00:12:33,080 --> 00:12:35,240
And its droppings help keep

88
00:12:35,240 --> 00:12:37,080
the plant growing strongly.

89
00:12:45,960 --> 00:12:48,400
It's an excellent arrangement,

90
00:12:48,400 --> 00:12:49,480
from which both plant

91
00:12:49,480 --> 00:12:52,200
and animal can flourish.

92
00:13:02,640 --> 00:13:04,960
To the west of Borneo,

93
00:13:04,960 --> 00:13:07,800
across the Bay of Bengal,

94
00:13:07,800 --> 00:13:11,200
stand the fertile peaks
of southern India.

95
00:13:15,880 --> 00:13:18,440
The mountains of the Western Ghats.

96
00:13:20,320 --> 00:13:24,880
They extend for over 1,000 miles
along the coast.

97
00:13:27,640 --> 00:13:32,280
And they're home to the largest
of all Asia's land animals.

98
00:13:33,360 --> 00:13:35,320
TRUMPETING

99
00:13:42,600 --> 00:13:44,440
The Asian elephant.

100
00:13:52,080 --> 00:13:56,400
This herd is on a journey
to find new feeding grounds.

101
00:13:59,200 --> 00:14:02,400
They're led by an old female -

102
00:14:02,400 --> 00:14:03,720
the matriarch.

103
00:14:05,800 --> 00:14:07,840
The whole family relies on

104
00:14:07,840 --> 00:14:10,080
her experience and knowledge.

105
00:14:12,200 --> 00:14:15,520
Yet, over the last 150 years,

106
00:14:15,520 --> 00:14:19,160
their home has radically changed.

107
00:14:24,320 --> 00:14:27,680
The altitude and monsoon rains

108
00:14:27,680 --> 00:14:31,680
make the Western Ghats
an excellent place for growing tea.

109
00:14:41,280 --> 00:14:44,080
Human beings, globally, drink

110
00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:47,320
two billion cups of it every day.

111
00:14:49,440 --> 00:14:52,720
In just two elephant lifetimes,

112
00:14:52,720 --> 00:14:56,680
the forest has been felled
to make space for tea.

113
00:15:01,880 --> 00:15:03,600
Nonetheless, it seems that

114
00:15:03,600 --> 00:15:05,840
the elephants follow the same paths

115
00:15:05,840 --> 00:15:08,160
as were used by their ancestors.

116
00:15:14,200 --> 00:15:19,600
But now, these paths run through
fields of this very valuable crop.

117
00:15:27,840 --> 00:15:29,640
The elephants, however,

118
00:15:29,640 --> 00:15:32,400
place every step with great care.

119
00:15:38,760 --> 00:15:41,760
A single adult can eat

120
00:15:41,760 --> 00:15:44,200
over 100 kilos every day...

121
00:15:45,800 --> 00:15:50,840
..and yet, they don't take
a single leaf of tea.

122
00:15:50,840 --> 00:15:53,640
They don't like its bitter taste.

123
00:15:57,320 --> 00:16:01,840
But they do relish
the wild plants that grow here.

124
00:16:04,640 --> 00:16:07,800
So as far as the humans
are concerned,

125
00:16:07,800 --> 00:16:10,840
the elephants
are clearing away weeds.

126
00:16:23,360 --> 00:16:27,880
It may seem to be
a harmonious existence...

127
00:16:30,680 --> 00:16:32,400
..but these mountains

128
00:16:32,400 --> 00:16:34,080
are densely populated.

129
00:16:44,280 --> 00:16:49,320
Over 50,000 people
work as tea pickers alone.

130
00:16:58,160 --> 00:17:01,840
So living side by side
can be difficult.

131
00:17:03,240 --> 00:17:07,120
Yet the people have learnt
to give the elephants space,

132
00:17:07,120 --> 00:17:10,400
and the herds are adaptable.

133
00:17:13,120 --> 00:17:15,440
Some matriarchs, however,

134
00:17:15,440 --> 00:17:17,640
are now going where few elephants

135
00:17:17,640 --> 00:17:20,160
have ever been seen before.

136
00:17:38,440 --> 00:17:41,200
They have become mountaineers.

137
00:17:45,520 --> 00:17:49,280
Why elephants should choose
to climb to these summits,

138
00:17:49,280 --> 00:17:52,360
no-one fully understands.

139
00:17:52,360 --> 00:17:56,000
It may be that they're attracted
by the fresh grass.

140
00:17:59,240 --> 00:18:04,080
Or perhaps they are simply trying to
escape from the busy world below.

141
00:18:08,240 --> 00:18:11,280
Either way, planting tea here

142
00:18:11,280 --> 00:18:13,880
could have been a disaster
for these herds.

143
00:18:16,200 --> 00:18:18,040
But not so.

144
00:18:18,040 --> 00:18:21,080
A quarter of all Asian elephants

145
00:18:21,080 --> 00:18:24,600
now live here, in the Western Ghats,

146
00:18:24,600 --> 00:18:29,840
making it home to the biggest
population on Earth.

147
00:18:44,240 --> 00:18:47,840
Over 1,000 miles
to the west of India,

148
00:18:47,840 --> 00:18:51,200
where Asia meets Africa,

149
00:18:51,200 --> 00:18:55,640
stand the continent's
hottest and driest peaks.

150
00:19:02,120 --> 00:19:05,080
Those of the Arabian Peninsula.

151
00:19:10,280 --> 00:19:12,400
In the far south

152
00:19:12,400 --> 00:19:16,880
lies the arid Dhofar range of Oman.

153
00:19:21,360 --> 00:19:25,320
Temperatures here can reach
over 40 degrees Celsius.

154
00:19:31,760 --> 00:19:33,800
Animals of all kinds

155
00:19:33,800 --> 00:19:35,560
must shelter from such heat.

156
00:19:43,720 --> 00:19:46,280
But summer is coming,

157
00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:50,960
and its winds will bring
moist air from the tropics.

158
00:19:57,200 --> 00:20:00,760
As they meet the cool
surface of the sea...

159
00:20:05,400 --> 00:20:07,920
..the water they carry condenses

160
00:20:07,920 --> 00:20:11,360
and begins to form
vast banks of fog.

161
00:20:12,920 --> 00:20:17,360
This is the start of
a major change in the weather,

162
00:20:17,360 --> 00:20:20,360
one on which life here depends.

163
00:20:23,400 --> 00:20:25,400
The Khareef.

164
00:20:28,440 --> 00:20:33,120
As it sweeps inland, the fog is
deflected upwards by the mountains.

165
00:20:44,920 --> 00:20:47,080
And within the clouds,

166
00:20:47,080 --> 00:20:49,640
a magical transformation begins.

167
00:20:53,280 --> 00:20:56,720
One unlike any other in Asia.

168
00:20:59,240 --> 00:21:02,920
The plants in Arabia's
unique cloud forest

169
00:21:02,920 --> 00:21:05,240
collect moisture from the air...

170
00:21:11,360 --> 00:21:14,200
..and within only two weeks,

171
00:21:14,200 --> 00:21:17,360
this parched land bursts into life.

172
00:21:30,160 --> 00:21:32,760
It's a spectacular change,

173
00:21:32,760 --> 00:21:35,640
created by the Dhofar Mountains.

174
00:21:51,400 --> 00:21:56,840
Here, everything hastens
to make the most of this new world.

175
00:22:09,080 --> 00:22:12,000
This landscape is the home of

176
00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:14,640
one of Arabia's
best-adapted desert animals.

177
00:22:19,320 --> 00:22:20,680
Camels.

178
00:22:29,720 --> 00:22:33,760
They will nibble
anything that is green...

179
00:22:34,880 --> 00:22:37,000
..and plenty that is not.

180
00:22:56,960 --> 00:22:59,320
As summer ends,

181
00:22:59,320 --> 00:23:02,960
the winds of the Khareef dwindle...

182
00:23:06,480 --> 00:23:09,760
..and vanish
as suddenly as they arrived.

183
00:23:20,160 --> 00:23:24,480
Now, life must wait

184
00:23:24,480 --> 00:23:27,800
until the good times return.

185
00:23:39,720 --> 00:23:43,240
In Asia's mountainous centre,

186
00:23:43,240 --> 00:23:47,480
the Himalaya stretch
for over 1,000 miles.

187
00:23:52,160 --> 00:23:54,560
They cross five countries...

188
00:23:56,800 --> 00:24:01,160
..and at the range's
far western end, in Pakistan...

189
00:24:03,400 --> 00:24:07,520
..stand some of the most dramatic
of all the Earth's mountains.

190
00:24:10,440 --> 00:24:14,360
The near-vertical peaks
of the Hindu Kush.

191
00:24:18,920 --> 00:24:21,200
They're so inaccessible

192
00:24:21,200 --> 00:24:25,560
that local people believe them
to be inhabited by spirits.

193
00:24:29,160 --> 00:24:32,360
Animals that live among
precipices like these

194
00:24:32,360 --> 00:24:34,920
must be skilled rock-climbers.

195
00:24:39,520 --> 00:24:41,400
Markhor.

196
00:24:43,120 --> 00:24:46,680
The biggest of all species of goat.

197
00:24:47,840 --> 00:24:51,440
Over half the world's population
live in these mountains.

198
00:24:52,960 --> 00:24:55,920
Few predators can follow them,

199
00:24:55,920 --> 00:24:59,840
for here, one wrong step can be,

200
00:24:59,840 --> 00:25:02,640
and often is, fatal.

201
00:25:30,640 --> 00:25:35,280
The first snows mark the beginning
of the breeding season.

202
00:25:36,640 --> 00:25:39,160
It only lasts
for a couple of weeks...

203
00:25:40,880 --> 00:25:45,000
..so the males do not have long
to claim a female.

204
00:25:47,480 --> 00:25:51,720
Time for a special kind of flirting.

205
00:26:24,240 --> 00:26:26,960
She isn't interested.

206
00:26:29,120 --> 00:26:34,360
But flirtation isn't the only
requirement for winning a mate.

207
00:26:38,280 --> 00:26:41,000
Males may have to compete

208
00:26:41,000 --> 00:26:43,040
for the right to breed.

209
00:26:50,320 --> 00:26:53,280
They size one another up...

210
00:26:55,040 --> 00:26:57,840
..using their metre-long horns.

211
00:27:02,040 --> 00:27:03,760
When neither backs down...

212
00:27:06,160 --> 00:27:08,120
..battle begins.

213
00:27:14,200 --> 00:27:17,040
Undaunted by the perilous drops...

214
00:27:21,320 --> 00:27:23,680
..they risk their lives

215
00:27:23,680 --> 00:27:26,680
competing for
a higher position uphill.

216
00:27:55,080 --> 00:27:57,120
LOUD CRASH

217
00:27:57,120 --> 00:28:00,960
200kg of muscle collide.

218
00:28:05,600 --> 00:28:09,920
All this male can do is
brace and take the hits.

219
00:28:13,960 --> 00:28:15,480
LOUD CRASH

220
00:28:19,600 --> 00:28:21,600
If two males are equally matched,

221
00:28:21,600 --> 00:28:24,600
the battle becomes
a test of stamina.

222
00:28:27,040 --> 00:28:28,560
LOUD CRASH

223
00:28:31,640 --> 00:28:33,240
LOUD CRASH

224
00:28:36,920 --> 00:28:39,920
After hours of fighting...

225
00:28:39,920 --> 00:28:42,160
CRASHING

226
00:28:43,920 --> 00:28:46,160
..both are exhausted.

227
00:28:49,880 --> 00:28:52,280
It's time to call it quits.

228
00:28:57,600 --> 00:29:00,440
And the winner is recognised.

229
00:29:17,320 --> 00:29:20,560
This is what success looks like.

230
00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:36,440
The Himalayan range
runs from east to west,

231
00:29:36,440 --> 00:29:39,400
and at its centre lies Nepal.

232
00:29:40,920 --> 00:29:45,640
Of the ten highest mountains
on Earth, eight are found here.

233
00:29:49,440 --> 00:29:52,600
And the forests on their slopes

234
00:29:52,600 --> 00:29:58,040
are home to perhaps
the shyest of Asia's mammals.

235
00:30:08,040 --> 00:30:10,320
Red pandas.

236
00:30:17,360 --> 00:30:21,560
They're well adapted to life here,

237
00:30:21,560 --> 00:30:24,600
with thick fur to keep out the cold.

238
00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:37,680
This female is searching for food.

239
00:30:45,320 --> 00:30:50,600
Bamboo can make up 99% of her diet.

240
00:30:54,120 --> 00:30:56,680
But during the coldest months,

241
00:30:56,680 --> 00:30:59,720
something appears
that is much more nutritious...

242
00:31:04,800 --> 00:31:07,720
..and she knows
exactly where to find it.

243
00:31:12,240 --> 00:31:17,480
Kiwi fruit, otherwise known as
Chinese gooseberries.

244
00:31:19,200 --> 00:31:21,400
They're packed with energy...

245
00:31:23,200 --> 00:31:26,560
..and only appear
for a few short weeks.

246
00:31:32,200 --> 00:31:35,080
So she eats all she can find.

247
00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,040
After such a feast...

248
00:31:54,280 --> 00:31:58,240
..she needs to do
what red pandas do best.

249
00:31:59,960 --> 00:32:01,440
She sleeps.

250
00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:15,360
At the far eastern end of
the Himalaya

251
00:32:15,360 --> 00:32:20,080
stand the isolated
Hengduan Mountains of China.

252
00:32:37,400 --> 00:32:39,680
The forests here are home to

253
00:32:39,680 --> 00:32:43,120
a particularly engaging
species of monkey.

254
00:32:46,920 --> 00:32:52,240
They live at a higher altitude
than any primate other than humans.

255
00:32:55,720 --> 00:32:59,200
The Yunnan snub-nosed monkey.

256
00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:06,760
Why they have such tiny noses
is not certain,

257
00:33:06,760 --> 00:33:08,440
but perhaps it's because

258
00:33:08,440 --> 00:33:10,360
that if they were any longer,

259
00:33:10,360 --> 00:33:11,960
they would get frostbitten.

260
00:33:14,560 --> 00:33:18,120
They live in close family groups

261
00:33:18,120 --> 00:33:21,800
and take life at a slow pace.

262
00:33:26,120 --> 00:33:29,800
Spring is an extremely important
time for them.

263
00:33:29,800 --> 00:33:32,360
CHIRPING

264
00:33:33,880 --> 00:33:35,960
It's when the young are born.

265
00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,840
They are among the most endangered

266
00:33:45,840 --> 00:33:48,040
of all primate species.

267
00:33:49,840 --> 00:33:52,120
Each baby is very precious.

268
00:33:55,560 --> 00:33:59,960
Everyone wants to hold
the new arrivals.

269
00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:14,840
The youngsters are dependent
on their mother for over a year.

270
00:34:16,680 --> 00:34:19,280
But after only a few weeks,

271
00:34:19,280 --> 00:34:22,200
some become...adventurous.

272
00:34:30,200 --> 00:34:31,840
There's a lot to learn.

273
00:34:33,200 --> 00:34:34,960
Watching how the grown-ups

274
00:34:34,960 --> 00:34:38,520
do things is a good way to start.

275
00:34:47,600 --> 00:34:52,200
But finding your feet can be tricky.

276
00:35:12,000 --> 00:35:17,480
For these two youngsters, today's
lesson is particularly important.

277
00:35:20,560 --> 00:35:22,680
It concerns the way by which

278
00:35:22,680 --> 00:35:24,480
one makes friends.

279
00:35:40,520 --> 00:35:43,880
And having friends here is crucial.

280
00:35:54,360 --> 00:35:58,760
As evening approaches, the families
huddle together for warmth.

281
00:36:01,520 --> 00:36:05,080
Temperatures fall well below zero.

282
00:36:09,280 --> 00:36:11,480
Group hugs are not just

283
00:36:11,480 --> 00:36:13,120
ways of showing affection.

284
00:36:15,120 --> 00:36:18,040
Frequently, they are essential
for survival

285
00:36:18,040 --> 00:36:21,560
in this bitterly cold habitat.

286
00:36:33,600 --> 00:36:36,240
To the north of the Himalaya

287
00:36:36,240 --> 00:36:40,560
lies the vast
and desolate Tibetan Plateau.

288
00:36:43,480 --> 00:36:47,120
It's bordered by the highest peaks
on Earth.

289
00:36:48,560 --> 00:36:50,760
It has an average altitude

290
00:36:50,760 --> 00:36:53,040
of over 4,000 metres.

291
00:36:58,360 --> 00:37:03,320
And it is aptly called by many
"the roof of the world".

292
00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:14,960
It's home to the Tibetan fox.

293
00:37:17,160 --> 00:37:21,080
This female has pups.

294
00:37:28,240 --> 00:37:30,640
They're three months old, and their

295
00:37:30,640 --> 00:37:32,920
demand for food is never-ending.

296
00:37:34,120 --> 00:37:35,600
PUPS TRILL

297
00:37:38,200 --> 00:37:40,240
It's time, once again,

298
00:37:40,240 --> 00:37:42,480
for Mother to go hunting.

299
00:37:55,280 --> 00:37:57,200
THUNDER CRASHES

300
00:37:58,280 --> 00:38:01,880
The weather is wildly unpredictable.

301
00:38:09,840 --> 00:38:13,120
And an icy storm can transform

302
00:38:13,120 --> 00:38:15,160
the landscape overnight.

303
00:38:25,160 --> 00:38:28,360
She's looking for a pika.

304
00:38:32,640 --> 00:38:34,400
Lots of them live here...

305
00:38:36,560 --> 00:38:38,800
..and she feeds on little else.

306
00:38:41,040 --> 00:38:42,600
PIKA SQUEAKS

307
00:38:42,600 --> 00:38:45,200
But the snow makes her

308
00:38:45,200 --> 00:38:47,160
only too conspicuous.

309
00:38:48,720 --> 00:38:52,160
The pika see her
almost as soon as she approaches.

310
00:38:55,200 --> 00:39:01,080
To locate her prey, she often
relies on her excellent eyesight.

311
00:39:06,360 --> 00:39:09,640
But she's also an acute listener.

312
00:39:13,000 --> 00:39:16,040
She can hear the slightest
movement beneath the snow.

313
00:39:21,200 --> 00:39:22,320
Wait...

314
00:39:24,680 --> 00:39:26,080
Wait...

315
00:39:32,320 --> 00:39:33,600
Got it!

316
00:39:44,760 --> 00:39:46,800
But one pika won't go far.

317
00:39:51,080 --> 00:39:54,800
The weather is not the only
challenge she has to face.

318
00:40:03,360 --> 00:40:07,680
This is a busy time for the people
who live here.

319
00:40:11,600 --> 00:40:15,960
The lush grass is essential
food for their hungry yaks.

320
00:40:24,040 --> 00:40:26,960
The fox is little bigger than
a house cat...

321
00:40:29,360 --> 00:40:31,400
..so she could easily be trampled.

322
00:40:34,200 --> 00:40:36,040
But this mother is cunning.

323
00:40:40,400 --> 00:40:43,440
She keeps a safe distance

324
00:40:43,440 --> 00:40:46,640
and uses the yaks as cover...

325
00:40:48,240 --> 00:40:52,120
..as she creeps closer
to the distracted pika.

326
00:41:46,640 --> 00:41:49,720
Thanks to their mother's
hunting skills...

327
00:41:52,400 --> 00:41:56,920
..all three cubs will soon be able
to survive on their own.

328
00:42:11,040 --> 00:42:16,160
Wildlife has had to find ways
to adapt to Asia's mountains.

329
00:42:25,400 --> 00:42:28,760
But now, these peaks are changing.

330
00:42:37,160 --> 00:42:41,000
They hold one of the greatest
expanses of snow and ice

331
00:42:41,000 --> 00:42:43,920
to be found
outside the polar regions.

332
00:42:47,600 --> 00:42:49,720
The Himalaya are sometimes called

333
00:42:49,720 --> 00:42:52,320
"the water towers of Asia".

334
00:42:57,720 --> 00:43:01,920
Their meltwaters feed some of
the Earth's biggest rivers...

335
00:43:05,000 --> 00:43:08,040
..such as the Ganges and the Indus.

336
00:43:10,520 --> 00:43:12,920
And they supply fresh water

337
00:43:12,920 --> 00:43:15,920
to countless numbers of people.

338
00:43:18,600 --> 00:43:22,520
But temperatures in many
of these mountainous areas

339
00:43:22,520 --> 00:43:25,440
are rising faster
than in lower lands.

340
00:43:32,400 --> 00:43:37,520
As they do so, in some areas,
water becomes scarce.

341
00:43:44,360 --> 00:43:47,800
In Nepal, the village of Samdzong

342
00:43:47,800 --> 00:43:50,360
was once fed by a surging river...

343
00:43:55,240 --> 00:43:57,880
..but it's now reduced to a trickle.

344
00:44:05,640 --> 00:44:08,200
With little water here,

345
00:44:08,200 --> 00:44:10,920
only a handful of people remain.

346
00:44:27,600 --> 00:44:30,160
By the end of this century,

347
00:44:30,160 --> 00:44:32,360
up to half the ice now found

348
00:44:32,360 --> 00:44:34,920
in these mountains
may have disappeared.

349
00:44:46,560 --> 00:44:49,200
Life here has never been easy...

350
00:44:56,520 --> 00:44:59,600
..yet in the remotest parts of
these mountains...

351
00:45:02,600 --> 00:45:05,160
..there lives one animal

352
00:45:05,160 --> 00:45:08,840
that is perhaps the
most elusive of all.

353
00:45:16,920 --> 00:45:22,200
Snow leopards spend most of
their lives above 3,000 metres.

354
00:45:26,680 --> 00:45:29,520
Each individual is largely solitary,

355
00:45:29,520 --> 00:45:32,560
and wanders alone over vast areas.

356
00:45:37,440 --> 00:45:39,960
However, very occasionally...

357
00:45:42,480 --> 00:45:44,520
..their paths cross.

358
00:46:22,720 --> 00:46:27,200
He has been following
this female's scent for weeks,

359
00:46:27,200 --> 00:46:29,840
and may have found a mate.

360
00:46:44,080 --> 00:46:45,720
SNARLING

361
00:46:45,720 --> 00:46:47,520
But she's cautious.

362
00:47:27,520 --> 00:47:30,320
Eventually, he gains her trust.

363
00:47:41,440 --> 00:47:43,000
HE ROARS

364
00:48:06,520 --> 00:48:09,640
They spend the next
four days together,

365
00:48:09,640 --> 00:48:12,160
then their ways part...

366
00:48:14,720 --> 00:48:17,000
..and they may never meet again.

367
00:48:22,080 --> 00:48:25,040
A male snow leopard plays no part

368
00:48:25,040 --> 00:48:28,280
in raising the cubs
that he may have fathered.

369
00:48:37,960 --> 00:48:41,240
These youngsters will
stay with their mother

370
00:48:41,240 --> 00:48:44,600
and rely on her
for nearly two years.

371
00:48:57,280 --> 00:49:00,480
It takes time
to master the challenges

372
00:49:00,480 --> 00:49:02,920
of living in Asia's
highest places...

373
00:49:05,400 --> 00:49:07,760
..but the animals that do so...

374
00:49:09,560 --> 00:49:12,120
..are among the most hardy

375
00:49:12,120 --> 00:49:15,520
and resilient of any on Earth.

376
00:49:31,440 --> 00:49:36,120
To film the extraordinary
world of Asia's mountains,

377
00:49:36,120 --> 00:49:40,360
crews would spend more than
400 days in the field...

378
00:49:42,680 --> 00:49:45,880
..getting up close
with some of the continent's

379
00:49:45,880 --> 00:49:47,640
most remarkable wildlife.

380
00:50:01,720 --> 00:50:05,080
Filming would take them
from the sweltering mountains

381
00:50:05,080 --> 00:50:09,040
of the Middle East
to the bitterly cold Himalaya.

382
00:50:10,240 --> 00:50:11,920
My toes are frozen,

383
00:50:11,920 --> 00:50:14,240
but there's a snow leopard
sitting right in front of us.

384
00:50:20,800 --> 00:50:23,440
But it was on the Tibetan Plateau,

385
00:50:23,440 --> 00:50:26,320
almost 5,000 metres up,

386
00:50:26,320 --> 00:50:28,840
where the team faced
their biggest challenge.

387
00:50:31,680 --> 00:50:33,760
To film the Tibetan fox,

388
00:50:33,760 --> 00:50:36,800
an expert crew was enlisted.

389
00:50:42,120 --> 00:50:45,720
Cameraman Jacky Poon
has been visiting here

390
00:50:45,720 --> 00:50:47,680
for the past three years.

391
00:50:49,200 --> 00:50:54,320
In doing so, he's gained the trust
of one very special mother.

392
00:51:00,520 --> 00:51:02,960
She might be getting
a little old now,

393
00:51:02,960 --> 00:51:05,040
but it's clear
she hasn't forgotten him.

394
00:51:07,000 --> 00:51:10,320
I can't believe... Watching Mum now,

395
00:51:10,320 --> 00:51:13,240
I mean, she must be seven, eight?

396
00:51:13,240 --> 00:51:16,080
She's so trusting of Jacky,

397
00:51:16,080 --> 00:51:18,440
this is the fourth litter of cubs

398
00:51:18,440 --> 00:51:19,880
she's let him film.

399
00:51:21,960 --> 00:51:25,200
We're probably less
than 20 metres away.

400
00:51:25,200 --> 00:51:29,160
It's pretty amazing how quickly
they get used to us.

401
00:51:29,160 --> 00:51:31,080
I think just because they saw Mum

402
00:51:31,080 --> 00:51:32,880
coming over and not bothered,

403
00:51:32,880 --> 00:51:35,520
so they immediately know that
we're not a threat.

404
00:51:35,520 --> 00:51:37,440
And it's just great -

405
00:51:37,440 --> 00:51:39,040
they're not even looking at us.

406
00:51:41,280 --> 00:51:43,560
Jacky is here to film a behaviour

407
00:51:43,560 --> 00:51:44,960
he's never managed

408
00:51:44,960 --> 00:51:46,480
to capture on camera.

409
00:51:49,120 --> 00:51:51,320
A Tibetan fox hunting,

410
00:51:51,320 --> 00:51:53,640
using the yaks as cover.

411
00:51:56,320 --> 00:51:58,360
A month here will be tough.

412
00:52:01,000 --> 00:52:03,160
Even in summer, temperatures

413
00:52:03,160 --> 00:52:06,080
can drop to -20 degrees Celsius.

414
00:52:07,880 --> 00:52:12,680
In their remote hut, the crew
must improvise to stay warm.

415
00:52:14,000 --> 00:52:15,800
These are yak droppings,

416
00:52:15,800 --> 00:52:18,440
it's what we need to have fire.

417
00:52:18,440 --> 00:52:21,520
Seeing as there's no tree out there,
yak dropping is the best.

418
00:52:25,480 --> 00:52:28,960
But as the crew embed themselves
in the foxes' lives,

419
00:52:28,960 --> 00:52:31,800
they are increasingly aware
of a threat.

420
00:52:34,960 --> 00:52:37,240
Feral dogs are common.

421
00:52:40,720 --> 00:52:42,880
Unfortunately, it seems that

422
00:52:42,880 --> 00:52:45,520
the mother has already had a run-in.

423
00:52:45,520 --> 00:52:47,560
She's not doing so well.

424
00:52:47,560 --> 00:52:49,560
She's limping quite a lot.

425
00:52:49,560 --> 00:52:54,000
Her left front paw
seems to be injured,

426
00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:58,400
and, yeah, she's not going
very fast. It's not good.

427
00:52:58,400 --> 00:53:01,880
Now she's hurt,
if she meets another stray dog,

428
00:53:01,880 --> 00:53:04,000
I mean, that's it for her.

429
00:53:07,240 --> 00:53:12,240
Soon, the situation for the team
goes from bad to worse.

430
00:53:12,240 --> 00:53:14,800
THUNDER CRASHES

431
00:53:16,480 --> 00:53:18,560
Being out in the open is dangerous.

432
00:53:18,560 --> 00:53:21,400
Come on, Joshua! Go, go, go, quick!

433
00:53:21,400 --> 00:53:22,680
Get in the car, quick!

434
00:53:22,680 --> 00:53:24,600
Oh, it's crazy!

435
00:53:26,560 --> 00:53:30,360
People are struck by lightning
here every year.

436
00:53:33,400 --> 00:53:35,080
Oh, my gosh!

437
00:53:45,840 --> 00:53:48,400
The storm passes quickly...

438
00:53:51,360 --> 00:53:54,320
..yet the weather remains poor
for days.

439
00:53:56,200 --> 00:53:58,520
And the mother
is nowhere to be found.

440
00:54:00,080 --> 00:54:02,600
She was last seen
chased by the dogs,

441
00:54:02,600 --> 00:54:04,480
so we're definitely worried sick

442
00:54:04,480 --> 00:54:06,800
and, hopefully, we can find her
this morning.

443
00:54:09,240 --> 00:54:14,800
We're having snow in summer,
and we can't even see that mountain.

444
00:54:14,800 --> 00:54:16,800
Usually, it's a landmark.

445
00:54:16,800 --> 00:54:18,400
Oh, it's so cold!

446
00:54:20,160 --> 00:54:24,480
Days go by without
a sign of the family.

447
00:54:24,480 --> 00:54:26,720
Can't see anything.

448
00:54:26,720 --> 00:54:29,320
Definitely no Mum, nor cubs.

449
00:54:32,760 --> 00:54:34,640
With only a week left of the shoot,

450
00:54:34,640 --> 00:54:37,880
the chances of filming the mother
hunting among the yaks

451
00:54:37,880 --> 00:54:39,320
are slipping away.

452
00:54:46,080 --> 00:54:48,560
But as the weather begins to lift,

453
00:54:48,560 --> 00:54:51,520
the team finally receive
some good news.

454
00:54:51,520 --> 00:54:53,480
RADIO COMMUNICATION

455
00:54:57,920 --> 00:54:59,200
That's Mum.

456
00:54:59,200 --> 00:55:01,640
Found Mum up the mountain.

457
00:55:01,640 --> 00:55:04,360
Oh, thank God for that, honestly.

458
00:55:04,360 --> 00:55:08,040
I was so afraid
that something's happened to Mum.

459
00:55:08,040 --> 00:55:10,680
But, yeah, it's good
to know she's alive,

460
00:55:10,680 --> 00:55:13,040
but now she just needs to
stay alive.

461
00:55:20,600 --> 00:55:23,360
Although the mother
is safe and well,

462
00:55:23,360 --> 00:55:26,120
Jacky still needs
to get in the right place

463
00:55:26,120 --> 00:55:28,440
to capture her hunting
among the yaks.

464
00:55:34,920 --> 00:55:37,640
Oh, Mum is catching, right in there.

465
00:55:39,160 --> 00:55:41,160
We don't want to scare the yaks off.

466
00:55:42,400 --> 00:55:45,120
We should move around the yaks.

467
00:55:45,120 --> 00:55:47,960
Otherwise, we're pushing
the yaks further up.

468
00:55:53,600 --> 00:55:55,240
With a cautious approach...

469
00:55:59,480 --> 00:56:03,040
..Jacky is able to get
right in among the herd...

470
00:56:09,000 --> 00:56:10,760
..and films action

471
00:56:10,760 --> 00:56:12,080
never captured before.

472
00:56:14,360 --> 00:56:15,840
PIKA SQUEAKS

473
00:56:22,200 --> 00:56:25,240
Nice! Such an amazing behaviour.

474
00:56:27,920 --> 00:56:31,280
While Jacky's relationship
has made it all possible,

475
00:56:31,280 --> 00:56:34,760
it also makes it hard
to say goodbye.

476
00:56:36,560 --> 00:56:39,320
Man, it's pretty crazy to
think that the first year

477
00:56:39,320 --> 00:56:42,960
when I was here,
she was younger than me,

478
00:56:42,960 --> 00:56:47,840
in dog years, and now four years
later, she's actually older than me.

479
00:56:50,120 --> 00:56:54,720
But Jacky hopes to return
and once again be reunited

480
00:56:54,720 --> 00:56:58,440
with this master
of Asia's mountains.

481
00:57:07,840 --> 00:57:12,240
Next time, journey
to the frozen north of Asia...

482
00:57:14,880 --> 00:57:17,360
..where some of the coldest places
on Earth...

483
00:57:20,160 --> 00:57:22,320
..push animals...

484
00:57:23,960 --> 00:57:27,360
..to the very edge of survival.

485
00:57:27,360 --> 00:57:29,400
SCREECHES