1 00:00:33,600 --> 00:00:37,680 Asia has more forest than any other continent. 2 00:00:41,000 --> 00:00:43,120 A trillion trees. 3 00:00:46,560 --> 00:00:51,120 At its heart, in the shadow of the Himalaya, 4 00:00:51,120 --> 00:00:55,480 stand the monsoon jungles of India and Nepal. 5 00:01:02,720 --> 00:01:06,760 They are ruled by the biggest of all cats. 6 00:01:14,800 --> 00:01:16,760 The Bengal tiger. 7 00:01:30,240 --> 00:01:33,160 Asia's forests are full of life. 8 00:01:40,360 --> 00:01:42,480 For the animals that live here... 9 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,480 ..they provide a multitude of opportunities. 10 00:02:07,360 --> 00:02:08,680 Nepal. 11 00:02:11,920 --> 00:02:15,000 Forests cover almost half the country. 12 00:02:24,040 --> 00:02:25,840 It's the dry season. 13 00:02:27,720 --> 00:02:31,840 Between the trees, meadows of elephant grass 14 00:02:31,840 --> 00:02:33,480 provide cover... 15 00:02:36,240 --> 00:02:39,600 ..for the most intimate of behaviours. 16 00:02:46,080 --> 00:02:48,320 TIGER RUMBLES 17 00:02:48,320 --> 00:02:50,160 In the last ten years, 18 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:53,440 the number of tigers in Nepal has doubled. 19 00:02:55,680 --> 00:02:57,280 TIGERS SNARL 20 00:03:07,720 --> 00:03:10,480 There are so many here that, remarkably, 21 00:03:10,480 --> 00:03:14,800 pairs are mating within just 100 metres of each other. 22 00:03:27,320 --> 00:03:30,320 TIGERS SNARL 23 00:03:37,480 --> 00:03:40,920 Males play no part in raising their young. 24 00:03:48,440 --> 00:03:52,800 This mother has three almost fully-grown cubs. 25 00:04:00,040 --> 00:04:02,560 The largest, a male, 26 00:04:02,560 --> 00:04:05,080 is becoming increasingly restless. 27 00:04:17,440 --> 00:04:20,440 His favourite playmate is his brother. 28 00:04:32,840 --> 00:04:35,120 His sister is less sociable. 29 00:04:49,400 --> 00:04:51,560 He is two years old 30 00:04:51,560 --> 00:04:54,880 and beginning to explore by himself more frequently. 31 00:05:01,480 --> 00:05:03,840 He must keep his claws sharp. 32 00:05:12,600 --> 00:05:15,440 Prey is never far away. 33 00:05:23,080 --> 00:05:24,960 But to catch a hog deer, 34 00:05:24,960 --> 00:05:28,120 he must get within pouncing distance - 35 00:05:28,120 --> 00:05:29,440 undetected. 36 00:05:49,480 --> 00:05:51,440 DEER CHIRP 37 00:05:53,360 --> 00:05:55,080 Blown it. 38 00:06:06,160 --> 00:06:09,720 Tigers visit the river frequently to cool off. 39 00:06:25,560 --> 00:06:27,440 He tests the water. 40 00:06:40,920 --> 00:06:42,400 Just right. 41 00:06:49,200 --> 00:06:51,480 His siblings are also here. 42 00:07:00,040 --> 00:07:04,960 But afternoon baths are not going to get any of these tigers a meal. 43 00:07:09,400 --> 00:07:11,960 It's their mother who must provide. 44 00:07:18,640 --> 00:07:20,600 And there are good opportunities 45 00:07:20,600 --> 00:07:22,800 on the other side of the river. 46 00:07:40,280 --> 00:07:43,960 No matter how experienced tigers are, 47 00:07:43,960 --> 00:07:46,840 most of their hunts end in failure. 48 00:08:15,760 --> 00:08:19,680 But they can stalk for hours on end, 49 00:08:19,680 --> 00:08:21,440 hunting relentlessly. 50 00:08:38,880 --> 00:08:42,760 Spotted chital deer are constantly alert. 51 00:08:48,480 --> 00:08:51,440 Their fawns are extremely vulnerable. 52 00:09:15,240 --> 00:09:17,440 DEER YELPS 53 00:09:38,600 --> 00:09:42,000 This will keep her going as she continues to hunt. 54 00:09:49,520 --> 00:09:52,600 Not everybody's been so successful, though. 55 00:09:56,680 --> 00:10:02,480 But Asia's monsoon forests are so rich, 56 00:10:02,480 --> 00:10:04,960 this family should continue to flourish. 57 00:10:09,120 --> 00:10:12,680 200 miles to the east lives a beast 58 00:10:12,680 --> 00:10:16,720 so big that even a tiger rarely dares to attack it. 59 00:10:27,680 --> 00:10:31,920 The greater one-horned rhinoceros. 60 00:10:34,000 --> 00:10:36,320 They weigh over two tonnes 61 00:10:36,320 --> 00:10:38,920 and have skin an inch thick. 62 00:10:42,720 --> 00:10:45,840 They eat mostly grass and reeds. 63 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:56,440 There are ponds here filled with water lilies... 64 00:11:09,120 --> 00:11:12,920 ..where the females regularly bring their young. 65 00:11:36,000 --> 00:11:39,280 The males compete for access to the females. 66 00:11:46,520 --> 00:11:49,400 RHINO BELLOWS 67 00:12:11,720 --> 00:12:15,520 Sometimes, the best move is to retreat. 68 00:12:21,440 --> 00:12:22,960 Elsewhere... 69 00:12:25,480 --> 00:12:30,000 ..younger rhinos are engaged in other business. 70 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:35,000 Flirting. 71 00:12:35,000 --> 00:12:36,680 RHINOS GRUNT 72 00:12:36,680 --> 00:12:39,880 Their courtship is an elaborate game. 73 00:12:43,680 --> 00:12:46,560 A kind of kiss and chase. 74 00:13:08,360 --> 00:13:09,720 He's caught her. 75 00:13:11,960 --> 00:13:14,720 But when you're lacking in experience, 76 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:19,560 consummating the relationship is not easy. 77 00:13:35,280 --> 00:13:37,720 After all the excitement, 78 00:13:37,720 --> 00:13:40,920 the forest also offers relaxation. 79 00:13:48,600 --> 00:13:51,840 A long, leisurely mud bath. 80 00:14:09,240 --> 00:14:11,960 As the dry season continues, 81 00:14:11,960 --> 00:14:16,160 small ponds like these become increasingly popular. 82 00:14:19,120 --> 00:14:21,720 But a change is coming. 83 00:14:25,440 --> 00:14:27,680 The rains of the monsoon. 84 00:14:31,760 --> 00:14:35,000 They fall most intensely in southern India. 85 00:14:39,920 --> 00:14:42,200 In the forests of Kerala, 86 00:14:42,200 --> 00:14:46,480 huge storms unleash billions of cubic metres of water. 87 00:14:51,000 --> 00:14:55,440 And that triggers the appearance of one of the strangest 88 00:14:55,440 --> 00:14:57,440 of all Asian creatures. 89 00:15:01,840 --> 00:15:06,480 It spends most of its life up to eight metres underground. 90 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:08,840 CROAKING 91 00:15:08,840 --> 00:15:12,440 But just once a year, it emerges 92 00:15:12,440 --> 00:15:13,880 to breed. 93 00:15:20,760 --> 00:15:22,280 A purple frog. 94 00:15:26,800 --> 00:15:30,080 This female has a belly full of eggs. 95 00:15:32,160 --> 00:15:36,240 And on her back, a newly acquired male partner. 96 00:15:41,280 --> 00:15:43,040 He grips her spine, 97 00:15:43,040 --> 00:15:46,000 making deep indentations in her flesh. 98 00:15:51,240 --> 00:15:56,440 They have timed their emergence to coincide with the monsoon rains. 99 00:16:00,440 --> 00:16:02,440 Somehow, in the darkness, 100 00:16:02,440 --> 00:16:06,840 they must find a stream in which to lay their eggs - 101 00:16:06,840 --> 00:16:09,440 and then get back underground before dawn. 102 00:16:16,360 --> 00:16:17,960 But during the monsoon, 103 00:16:17,960 --> 00:16:21,440 a torrent can develop in minutes. 104 00:16:27,480 --> 00:16:30,400 The best breeding spots are upstream. 105 00:16:34,880 --> 00:16:37,680 There's nothing for it but to take the plunge. 106 00:16:48,400 --> 00:16:51,120 Using her limbs like grappling hooks, 107 00:16:51,120 --> 00:16:53,600 she hauls them both up the rocks. 108 00:17:17,560 --> 00:17:19,800 At last, shelter! 109 00:17:23,400 --> 00:17:26,280 An excellent place to lay eggs. 110 00:17:28,440 --> 00:17:30,440 And the male can fertilise them. 111 00:17:34,000 --> 00:17:37,440 They can develop here without getting washed away. 112 00:17:43,480 --> 00:17:48,000 Having given their brood the best chance of success, 113 00:17:48,000 --> 00:17:52,720 they return underground for another 12 months. 114 00:17:58,280 --> 00:18:02,400 What they do there, nobody knows. 115 00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:15,760 To the southeast of India's monsoon forests, 116 00:18:15,760 --> 00:18:18,720 across the Indian Ocean, 117 00:18:18,720 --> 00:18:23,800 lie the continent's most diverse and spectacular jungles. 118 00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:31,040 The tropical rainforests of Southeast Asia. 119 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:36,040 They are among the oldest such forests on Earth. 120 00:18:48,960 --> 00:18:54,440 Here, on the island of Borneo, live orangutan. 121 00:18:56,600 --> 00:18:59,640 They spend most of their time foraging for food. 122 00:19:06,480 --> 00:19:10,600 But this female also has something else on her mind. 123 00:19:12,800 --> 00:19:16,040 She is looking for a partner. 124 00:19:18,480 --> 00:19:21,600 Finding a suitable one should be easy. 125 00:19:25,240 --> 00:19:30,600 Dominant male orangutan in Borneo have huge cheek pads. 126 00:19:43,600 --> 00:19:46,000 This one would be quite a catch. 127 00:19:48,800 --> 00:19:52,800 Normally, it's the males who pursue the females. 128 00:19:56,600 --> 00:20:00,440 But sometimes, a female may have to take the initiative. 129 00:20:16,680 --> 00:20:19,880 This sort of behaviour is very seldom seen. 130 00:20:24,960 --> 00:20:27,800 But the feeling does not seem to be mutual. 131 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:37,320 Never mind, there's plenty more swingers in the trees. 132 00:20:43,680 --> 00:20:46,280 This one has a higher rank... 133 00:20:51,200 --> 00:20:54,560 ..so he is an even more desirable mate. 134 00:21:02,560 --> 00:21:07,080 An orangutan with an appetite like this should be strong. 135 00:21:11,320 --> 00:21:14,160 If only he had eyes for her, too. 136 00:21:25,080 --> 00:21:26,480 Oh, well. 137 00:21:33,800 --> 00:21:35,720 The search continues. 138 00:21:45,840 --> 00:21:49,440 This male hasn't yet developed cheek pads. 139 00:21:51,920 --> 00:21:54,040 But looks aren't everything. 140 00:21:56,400 --> 00:21:58,720 He seems keen on sticking around. 141 00:22:01,560 --> 00:22:03,320 Could he be the one? 142 00:22:12,480 --> 00:22:14,760 The two of them are soon inseparable. 143 00:22:24,720 --> 00:22:28,040 Even going so far as moving in together. 144 00:22:30,240 --> 00:22:31,920 Sharing a nest. 145 00:22:42,360 --> 00:22:45,440 It's not long before she's showing. 146 00:22:48,400 --> 00:22:53,440 Orangutan pregnancies last the same length of time as human ones. 147 00:23:17,640 --> 00:23:19,080 At last. 148 00:23:22,640 --> 00:23:23,880 Her son. 149 00:23:25,040 --> 00:23:27,480 Just ten days old. 150 00:23:32,600 --> 00:23:34,440 For the next eight years, 151 00:23:34,440 --> 00:23:37,480 she will devote her time to teaching him 152 00:23:37,480 --> 00:23:40,560 how to live and find food in the forest. 153 00:23:42,880 --> 00:23:45,720 And for the time being, at least, 154 00:23:45,720 --> 00:23:48,280 her search for a mate is over. 155 00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,440 Orangutan babies spend almost all their time 156 00:23:58,440 --> 00:24:00,000 high in the canopy. 157 00:24:02,880 --> 00:24:07,120 But other young animals never leave the rainforest floor. 158 00:24:09,560 --> 00:24:12,080 Almost hidden amongst these trees 159 00:24:12,080 --> 00:24:14,480 are the world's smallest elephants. 160 00:24:18,440 --> 00:24:19,880 A few months old, 161 00:24:19,880 --> 00:24:23,440 this Bornean elephant calf is only about the height 162 00:24:23,440 --> 00:24:25,040 of a very large dog. 163 00:24:28,480 --> 00:24:32,800 Guided by his mother, he must follow the herd wherever they go. 164 00:24:39,440 --> 00:24:41,840 Elephants have excellent memories. 165 00:24:43,440 --> 00:24:47,880 Matriarchs retain a mental map of different landmarks. 166 00:24:52,080 --> 00:24:54,720 Some more challenging than others. 167 00:25:02,920 --> 00:25:04,560 There are threats here. 168 00:25:16,080 --> 00:25:18,440 But crocodiles are not the biggest danger. 169 00:25:22,920 --> 00:25:26,000 The river is over 100 metres wide. 170 00:25:29,720 --> 00:25:33,880 And the current is so strong it could easily carry a calf away. 171 00:25:42,840 --> 00:25:45,440 His mother and aunts surround him. 172 00:25:48,160 --> 00:25:50,440 Supporting him with their trunks. 173 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:14,800 He is exhausted. 174 00:26:16,320 --> 00:26:19,760 His mother has brought them here for a particular reason. 175 00:26:21,440 --> 00:26:23,440 She knows food is nearby. 176 00:26:26,240 --> 00:26:28,600 The source is one of ours. 177 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:33,280 Oil palms. 178 00:26:41,680 --> 00:26:44,760 Elephants greatly enjoy their fruit. 179 00:27:03,040 --> 00:27:07,880 The plantation owners do their best to protect their crop. 180 00:27:09,720 --> 00:27:11,840 Electric fences are everywhere. 181 00:27:18,480 --> 00:27:21,120 The elephants have become trespassers 182 00:27:21,120 --> 00:27:22,960 on their own land. 183 00:27:31,000 --> 00:27:32,760 They know, however, 184 00:27:32,760 --> 00:27:35,880 how to deal with such feeble defences. 185 00:27:41,440 --> 00:27:43,440 ELEPHANTS TRUMPET 186 00:27:50,000 --> 00:27:53,160 This is an unpredictable world. 187 00:27:56,080 --> 00:27:59,400 Plantations are frequently completely cut down, 188 00:27:59,400 --> 00:28:02,080 so that new trees can be planted. 189 00:28:08,040 --> 00:28:11,280 Now it seems there is nothing to eat here. 190 00:28:19,840 --> 00:28:22,400 But what looks like desolation... 191 00:28:23,800 --> 00:28:26,120 ..is actually opportunity. 192 00:28:31,440 --> 00:28:34,000 This plantation is different. 193 00:28:35,960 --> 00:28:38,560 Here, the elephants are welcome. 194 00:28:41,600 --> 00:28:45,400 When old trees are felled, the herd can provide 195 00:28:45,400 --> 00:28:47,480 a waste-disposal service. 196 00:28:50,200 --> 00:28:52,920 As a result, some Malaysian farmers 197 00:28:52,920 --> 00:28:56,080 have started to encourage elephants onto their land. 198 00:29:07,240 --> 00:29:08,920 With so much food... 199 00:29:10,960 --> 00:29:14,480 ..youngsters have plenty of get-up and go. 200 00:29:21,120 --> 00:29:23,960 And this place has other attractions, too. 201 00:29:31,760 --> 00:29:33,440 CALF SQUEALS 202 00:29:37,200 --> 00:29:40,000 In some areas of Southeast Asia, 203 00:29:40,000 --> 00:29:43,080 rainforests have been selectively felled, 204 00:29:43,080 --> 00:29:45,000 if not totally destroyed. 205 00:29:46,960 --> 00:29:50,440 But in others, they remain extremely diverse. 206 00:29:52,120 --> 00:29:54,440 To the west of Borneo 207 00:29:54,440 --> 00:29:57,120 lies the island of Sumatra. 208 00:30:05,000 --> 00:30:10,080 This is the home of one of the most extraordinary of plants. 209 00:30:19,160 --> 00:30:21,640 It's the biggest of its kind. 210 00:30:25,040 --> 00:30:26,840 The titan arum. 211 00:30:34,880 --> 00:30:36,720 Up to three metres tall, 212 00:30:36,720 --> 00:30:39,440 it has taken ten years to mature. 213 00:30:40,800 --> 00:30:45,320 But now it has just two days in which to reproduce. 214 00:30:47,960 --> 00:30:51,400 As dusk descends, 215 00:30:51,400 --> 00:30:54,400 others are opening simultaneously 216 00:30:54,400 --> 00:30:56,160 across the forest. 217 00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:16,440 As the air cools... 218 00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:21,800 ..the plant does the opposite. 219 00:31:25,640 --> 00:31:28,840 Using ten years' worth of stored energy, 220 00:31:28,840 --> 00:31:31,440 the titan arum warms. 221 00:31:34,480 --> 00:31:38,440 It starts to release the stench of rotting meat. 222 00:31:42,040 --> 00:31:45,440 The smell drifts through the forest, 223 00:31:45,440 --> 00:31:46,960 attracting visitors. 224 00:31:50,400 --> 00:31:51,880 A carrion beetle. 225 00:31:55,760 --> 00:31:58,280 The arum has deceived the beetle 226 00:31:58,280 --> 00:32:01,200 into thinking it has discovered a dead animal. 227 00:32:14,440 --> 00:32:17,240 The insect is now trapped. 228 00:32:20,480 --> 00:32:24,040 The walls are too slippery to climb back up. 229 00:32:30,240 --> 00:32:36,120 And now it's surrounded by hundreds of male and female flowers. 230 00:32:37,640 --> 00:32:40,480 It can use the female ones like a ladder. 231 00:32:46,680 --> 00:32:48,880 Above them, however, 232 00:32:48,880 --> 00:32:51,760 are the tightly packed male flowers 233 00:32:51,760 --> 00:32:55,440 that lead to an overhang on which there's nothing to grip. 234 00:32:58,880 --> 00:33:02,440 But the arum is not about to eat its prisoner. 235 00:33:02,440 --> 00:33:05,480 It needs it to remain alive. 236 00:33:11,440 --> 00:33:13,080 As the night continues, 237 00:33:13,080 --> 00:33:15,200 a transformation takes place. 238 00:33:16,680 --> 00:33:19,960 The male flowers start to release pollen. 239 00:33:28,320 --> 00:33:32,200 Microscopic granules coat the unwitting beetle. 240 00:33:44,000 --> 00:33:47,400 With the sticky substance providing foot holds... 241 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:53,400 ..the overhang is no longer an obstacle. 242 00:33:56,160 --> 00:33:58,080 And the beetle flies away... 243 00:34:00,440 --> 00:34:02,960 ..to visit other arums... 244 00:34:05,600 --> 00:34:08,000 ..and so spread the pollen... 245 00:34:10,080 --> 00:34:12,160 ..completing the flower's life cycle. 246 00:34:21,200 --> 00:34:25,560 The rainforests of Southeast Asia are extremely diverse. 247 00:34:30,720 --> 00:34:32,440 But to the west, 248 00:34:32,440 --> 00:34:34,920 on the very edge of the continent, 249 00:34:34,920 --> 00:34:39,040 where conditions are very tough indeed, 250 00:34:39,040 --> 00:34:43,040 there are forests with perhaps even greater surprises. 251 00:34:49,800 --> 00:34:54,160 This is a country seldom associated with woodlands. 252 00:35:06,600 --> 00:35:08,000 Iraq. 253 00:35:14,880 --> 00:35:17,160 But in one special corner... 254 00:35:21,400 --> 00:35:24,440 ..lies the region of Kurdistan. 255 00:35:35,480 --> 00:35:40,440 Here grow dense groves of oak and pistachio trees. 256 00:35:43,640 --> 00:35:47,920 And they contain a truly rich variety of life. 257 00:35:50,480 --> 00:35:52,080 There are predators here. 258 00:35:53,200 --> 00:35:55,480 The Asiatic wildcat. 259 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:01,440 And the shy striped hyena. 260 00:36:09,360 --> 00:36:13,720 But there is also another carnivore, 261 00:36:13,720 --> 00:36:16,440 and one that is hardly ever seen. 262 00:36:35,840 --> 00:36:37,840 A Persian leopard. 263 00:36:44,680 --> 00:36:47,360 There are perhaps no more than two dozen individuals 264 00:36:47,360 --> 00:36:48,840 in the whole country. 265 00:36:50,640 --> 00:36:53,480 Their survival is precarious. 266 00:36:57,160 --> 00:37:00,440 A lone male cautiously patrols his territory. 267 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,480 Then, a female. 268 00:37:18,680 --> 00:37:21,720 These are the first images ever taken 269 00:37:21,720 --> 00:37:24,960 of a female Persian leopard in Iraq. 270 00:37:32,240 --> 00:37:35,480 She is even more secretive than the male. 271 00:37:43,800 --> 00:37:47,760 Several months might pass before she comes back to this spot. 272 00:37:55,640 --> 00:37:56,960 But finally... 273 00:37:59,040 --> 00:38:00,640 ..she reappears. 274 00:38:04,680 --> 00:38:07,720 And at her side, 275 00:38:07,720 --> 00:38:09,440 a new family. 276 00:38:25,440 --> 00:38:27,240 The cubs are very young 277 00:38:27,240 --> 00:38:28,880 and follow her everywhere. 278 00:38:33,960 --> 00:38:36,360 And if she can keep them safe, 279 00:38:36,360 --> 00:38:39,760 there is a chance that this tiny population 280 00:38:39,760 --> 00:38:45,760 could establish itself in these precious upland forests. 281 00:38:50,040 --> 00:38:54,320 High-altitude forests can be found right across Asia, 282 00:38:54,320 --> 00:38:58,680 from Arabia all the way to its easternmost reaches. 283 00:39:01,480 --> 00:39:05,440 In Southern China grow some of the most extraordinary. 284 00:39:15,120 --> 00:39:19,240 Here, more than 500 species of tree 285 00:39:19,240 --> 00:39:22,440 grow on top of immense rocky pillars. 286 00:39:36,400 --> 00:39:39,400 Tree roots force rocks apart... 287 00:39:41,360 --> 00:39:44,400 ..hastening erosion and creating new pillars... 288 00:39:46,400 --> 00:39:49,440 ..in these gardens in the clouds. 289 00:39:57,960 --> 00:40:01,440 These east Asian forests are also home 290 00:40:01,440 --> 00:40:04,000 to an army of strange creatures. 291 00:40:09,960 --> 00:40:13,080 Here, in nearby Taiwan, 292 00:40:13,080 --> 00:40:16,120 these are the grubs of the yellow-legged hornet. 293 00:40:23,120 --> 00:40:26,480 This insect has a truly fearsome reputation. 294 00:40:29,680 --> 00:40:32,680 Its sting causes excruciating pain. 295 00:40:34,600 --> 00:40:37,960 And, in rare cases, even death. 296 00:40:41,280 --> 00:40:45,760 The grubs must fatten up if they are to become adults. 297 00:40:45,760 --> 00:40:48,480 GRUBS SCRATCH 298 00:40:50,720 --> 00:40:53,960 They scrape the sides of their hexagonal cells... 299 00:40:58,440 --> 00:41:00,240 ..singing for their supper. 300 00:41:05,440 --> 00:41:08,280 A call to worker hornets. 301 00:41:10,400 --> 00:41:12,960 The workers must constantly feed the grubs 302 00:41:12,960 --> 00:41:14,800 with protein of some kind. 303 00:41:16,320 --> 00:41:18,600 This is a crucial task, 304 00:41:18,600 --> 00:41:22,400 because amongst them are the queens of future colonies. 305 00:41:31,800 --> 00:41:34,440 Raiding parties head into the jungle. 306 00:41:39,840 --> 00:41:42,280 They're seeking prey - 307 00:41:42,280 --> 00:41:44,440 wild forest bees. 308 00:41:47,680 --> 00:41:50,480 They are only half the size of a hornet... 309 00:41:52,440 --> 00:41:55,120 ..and they defend their home by waving 310 00:41:55,120 --> 00:41:57,040 their abdomens rhythmically, 311 00:41:57,040 --> 00:42:00,160 in an attempt to confuse predators. 312 00:42:05,240 --> 00:42:08,440 But the hornets don't plan to invade the nest. 313 00:42:12,360 --> 00:42:14,080 Like goalkeepers, 314 00:42:14,080 --> 00:42:16,720 they aim to catch the bees in mid-air. 315 00:42:37,200 --> 00:42:42,160 Clutching its victim, the worker returns. 316 00:42:46,400 --> 00:42:49,440 A meatball of chewed bee. 317 00:42:51,040 --> 00:42:54,160 The protein-packed meal for the grubs. 318 00:42:57,400 --> 00:43:00,320 Other hornets work as builders... 319 00:43:02,640 --> 00:43:05,480 ..making wood pulp 320 00:43:05,480 --> 00:43:08,680 and building hundreds more cells every day. 321 00:43:16,800 --> 00:43:18,560 Their hunger satisfied... 322 00:43:20,280 --> 00:43:23,640 ..the grubs spin silk cocoons... 323 00:43:25,040 --> 00:43:28,440 ..and enter the final stage of their transformation. 324 00:43:35,880 --> 00:43:39,440 But the entombed grubs are vulnerable. 325 00:43:39,440 --> 00:43:42,040 BUZZARD CRIES 326 00:43:43,440 --> 00:43:45,960 Nests are not immune to attack. 327 00:43:54,560 --> 00:43:56,000 Honey buzzards. 328 00:44:06,880 --> 00:44:11,440 These raptors have a particular liking for immature hornets. 329 00:44:17,400 --> 00:44:19,440 The workers fight back. 330 00:44:26,320 --> 00:44:29,040 But the bird's feathers interlock, 331 00:44:29,040 --> 00:44:31,160 forming a sting-proof shield. 332 00:44:47,400 --> 00:44:49,800 The nest is destroyed. 333 00:44:57,720 --> 00:45:01,960 But deep within the ruins is a new queen. 334 00:45:10,480 --> 00:45:13,200 With a handful of remaining troops... 335 00:45:16,120 --> 00:45:19,000 ..she will soon rebuild an army. 336 00:45:30,360 --> 00:45:33,120 In the mountains in China, 337 00:45:33,120 --> 00:45:38,040 seasonal forests hide Asia's most beloved bear. 338 00:45:40,360 --> 00:45:42,480 PANDA HONKS 339 00:45:48,920 --> 00:45:50,720 The giant panda. 340 00:45:54,680 --> 00:45:58,480 This four-month-old cub has a lot to learn. 341 00:46:04,760 --> 00:46:07,840 Escaping her mother's attention isn't always easy. 342 00:46:12,360 --> 00:46:16,440 But pandas spend virtually all their waking hours 343 00:46:16,440 --> 00:46:18,280 feeding on bamboo... 344 00:46:22,680 --> 00:46:25,760 ..so her cub is left free to explore. 345 00:46:31,280 --> 00:46:35,440 One of the cub's main concerns is learning to climb. 346 00:46:37,920 --> 00:46:43,440 In this reserve, pandas are being bred to return to the wild. 347 00:46:48,320 --> 00:46:51,240 Several older ones seem to have mastered 348 00:46:51,240 --> 00:46:53,680 the skills of climbing in the tree tops. 349 00:47:01,400 --> 00:47:05,240 And the younger one is determined not to be left behind. 350 00:47:12,440 --> 00:47:15,440 The first stage is to get a good grip. 351 00:47:44,560 --> 00:47:46,840 PANDA BARKS 352 00:47:50,760 --> 00:47:54,000 Nobody likes parental interference. 353 00:47:59,120 --> 00:48:03,200 Even so, a bit of encouragement goes a long way. 354 00:48:16,680 --> 00:48:20,440 That is a whole 20 centimetres off the ground. 355 00:48:22,800 --> 00:48:25,440 What a shame that nobody's watching. 356 00:48:29,160 --> 00:48:30,680 It's tiring work... 357 00:48:35,400 --> 00:48:38,040 ..and time for a cuddle with mum. 358 00:48:47,000 --> 00:48:50,120 Asia's animals thrive 359 00:48:50,120 --> 00:48:53,680 in its extraordinarily diverse jungles. 360 00:48:56,400 --> 00:49:00,920 They adapt and grow using the trees to their advantage. 361 00:49:04,920 --> 00:49:06,840 And if we can protect them... 362 00:49:08,240 --> 00:49:11,160 ..the forests of this continent 363 00:49:11,160 --> 00:49:14,560 could give them a home long into the future. 364 00:49:35,800 --> 00:49:37,600 For the Jungles team, 365 00:49:37,600 --> 00:49:39,880 filming the Persian leopard would mean 366 00:49:39,880 --> 00:49:44,280 an expedition to the remote region of Kurdistan 367 00:49:44,280 --> 00:49:46,000 in northern Iraq. 368 00:49:49,040 --> 00:49:52,000 Prior to filming, only a handful of shots 369 00:49:52,000 --> 00:49:54,120 existed of leopards here. 370 00:49:56,760 --> 00:50:00,200 To find them, the crew join conservation biologist 371 00:50:00,200 --> 00:50:03,640 Hana Raza, who first discovered the leopards. 372 00:50:07,640 --> 00:50:08,960 When you meet people, 373 00:50:08,960 --> 00:50:11,760 and the second they find out that you're from Iraq, 374 00:50:11,760 --> 00:50:13,120 there's this shock. 375 00:50:14,520 --> 00:50:18,880 "How could that be? Iraq is only deserts and war!" 376 00:50:18,880 --> 00:50:22,920 They can't actually imagine that there's so many amazing, 377 00:50:22,920 --> 00:50:24,840 rare, elusive animals. 378 00:50:26,720 --> 00:50:31,120 The forests here hold an astonishing diversity of species. 379 00:50:39,160 --> 00:50:41,480 Even Eurasian wolves. 380 00:50:47,840 --> 00:50:50,800 But filming in this environment is no easy feat. 381 00:50:53,280 --> 00:50:56,480 One of the biggest challenges is the landscape. 382 00:50:57,960 --> 00:51:00,520 The forests where leopards are thought to roam... 383 00:51:03,160 --> 00:51:05,760 ..are on steep mountainsides. 384 00:51:08,120 --> 00:51:09,680 What's more... 385 00:51:14,680 --> 00:51:17,960 ..large areas of the country are still off-limits 386 00:51:17,960 --> 00:51:19,480 due to minefields. 387 00:51:22,000 --> 00:51:24,840 Despite efforts to clear them, 388 00:51:24,840 --> 00:51:27,760 millions remain in the soil, 389 00:51:27,760 --> 00:51:29,880 decades after conflict. 390 00:51:30,960 --> 00:51:32,880 Just walking along in single file now. 391 00:51:34,000 --> 00:51:36,640 And we're walking in single file because we're walking 392 00:51:36,640 --> 00:51:39,160 right along the edge of a minefield. 393 00:51:39,160 --> 00:51:41,960 Our guides know where the path is, 394 00:51:41,960 --> 00:51:43,880 so as long as we follow them... 395 00:51:45,320 --> 00:51:47,680 ..we're safe. 396 00:51:47,680 --> 00:51:50,440 Although staying safe does mean keeping close 397 00:51:50,440 --> 00:51:51,840 to the cliff edge. 398 00:51:55,160 --> 00:51:58,200 Brothers Nabaz and Bahez Horeny 399 00:51:58,200 --> 00:52:00,840 have spent years following the wildlife 400 00:52:00,840 --> 00:52:03,080 between the minefields. 401 00:52:21,600 --> 00:52:23,880 Hana, the brothers and the crew 402 00:52:23,880 --> 00:52:26,680 set up a network of camera traps. 403 00:52:32,800 --> 00:52:34,800 Over the previous decade, 404 00:52:34,800 --> 00:52:39,240 the only sightings had been of male Persian leopards passing through. 405 00:52:47,120 --> 00:52:50,720 Expectations are understandably low. 406 00:52:50,720 --> 00:52:52,840 UNTRANSLATED 407 00:52:55,160 --> 00:52:57,480 Yet footage starts to come in. 408 00:53:01,040 --> 00:53:03,640 Ah! LAUGHTER 409 00:53:05,280 --> 00:53:07,000 There are several males - 410 00:53:07,000 --> 00:53:08,920 but one appears frequently, 411 00:53:08,920 --> 00:53:11,440 suggesting he's dominant here. 412 00:53:13,000 --> 00:53:15,880 His scent-marking behaviour indicates 413 00:53:15,880 --> 00:53:17,800 there might be a female in the area. 414 00:53:21,080 --> 00:53:23,880 So the crew intensify their efforts. 415 00:53:36,400 --> 00:53:37,640 And the reward... 416 00:53:39,200 --> 00:53:41,640 ..is a truly rare glimpse. 417 00:53:42,800 --> 00:53:45,320 It's a beautiful shot, to be honest. 418 00:53:45,320 --> 00:53:47,160 HANA LAUGHS 419 00:53:47,160 --> 00:53:50,080 These images are a huge moment for the team. 420 00:53:51,240 --> 00:53:54,160 It's been 12 years camera trapping leopards. 421 00:53:54,160 --> 00:53:55,520 All of them have been males. 422 00:53:55,520 --> 00:53:57,080 But this is the first female. 423 00:53:58,360 --> 00:54:00,400 Which is amazing! 424 00:54:00,400 --> 00:54:02,040 Absolutely amazing. 425 00:54:03,360 --> 00:54:08,120 What's more, this female's belly suggests she might be pregnant. 426 00:54:09,600 --> 00:54:12,200 Fingers crossed our next shot will be with cubs. 427 00:54:15,200 --> 00:54:17,960 But unfortunately, 428 00:54:17,960 --> 00:54:21,400 the summer passes with lots of camera trapping... 429 00:54:23,640 --> 00:54:25,840 ..and no sign of the female. 430 00:54:31,720 --> 00:54:34,680 The male, however, is not so shy. 431 00:54:43,640 --> 00:54:45,960 It's not for another three months 432 00:54:45,960 --> 00:54:49,200 that the female eventually reappears on camera. 433 00:54:53,120 --> 00:54:55,560 This time, they notice a change. 434 00:54:58,400 --> 00:55:00,440 Now it's just very skinny 435 00:55:00,440 --> 00:55:04,000 and very different from that stage it was in that month. 436 00:55:04,000 --> 00:55:05,800 So they are suggesting that 437 00:55:05,800 --> 00:55:08,120 it might have given birth. 438 00:55:08,120 --> 00:55:10,920 The crew reason that, if she has cubs, 439 00:55:10,920 --> 00:55:12,680 she'll be hiding them away. 440 00:55:15,760 --> 00:55:18,040 All they can do is wait and hope. 441 00:55:21,960 --> 00:55:25,040 And in time, their patience pays off. 442 00:55:28,120 --> 00:55:30,880 The brothers film the first leopard cubs 443 00:55:30,880 --> 00:55:32,960 ever recorded here... THEY LAUGH 444 00:55:32,960 --> 00:55:37,000 UNTRANSLATED 445 00:55:42,000 --> 00:55:45,040 ..and get to tell Hana about it. 446 00:55:45,040 --> 00:55:48,320 THEY LAUGH 447 00:56:15,120 --> 00:56:18,480 And a whole year after the crew started... 448 00:56:20,600 --> 00:56:24,440 ..the brothers get a very special sighting of the female, 449 00:56:24,440 --> 00:56:28,400 recorded on their own cameras, 450 00:56:28,400 --> 00:56:30,800 teaching her cubs to hunt. 451 00:56:33,920 --> 00:56:37,520 The first time I captured the Persian leopard, 452 00:56:37,520 --> 00:56:41,920 not in a million years did I think that I would be looking at, 453 00:56:41,920 --> 00:56:46,800 like, an amazing shot of a family of Persian leopards - no. 454 00:56:46,800 --> 00:56:48,480 It's amazing! 455 00:56:51,640 --> 00:56:55,040 Finding the cubs again shows great hope for the future 456 00:56:55,040 --> 00:56:57,440 of these magnificent cats 457 00:56:57,440 --> 00:57:00,880 in these remarkable Asian forests. 458 00:57:07,160 --> 00:57:10,440 Next time, the human world... 459 00:57:12,960 --> 00:57:16,120 ..where animals have surprising strategies... 460 00:57:18,960 --> 00:57:22,800 ..to survive in Asia's most crowded places.