1 00:00:35,520 --> 00:00:40,440 In the heart of Asia lie vast arid lands. 2 00:00:43,960 --> 00:00:49,920 They stretch from Arabia in the west to eastern China. 3 00:00:53,920 --> 00:00:58,560 These deserts and dry grasslands are so hostile, 4 00:00:58,560 --> 00:01:00,720 they push life to the limit. 5 00:01:16,560 --> 00:01:19,440 The Gobi Desert in Mongolia. 6 00:01:24,000 --> 00:01:25,720 A punishing land. 7 00:01:32,360 --> 00:01:36,320 Half a million square miles of emptiness. 8 00:01:42,600 --> 00:01:46,960 Yet it is home to one of the rarest animals on Earth... 9 00:01:51,480 --> 00:01:53,480 ..the Gobi Bear. 10 00:01:56,400 --> 00:01:59,040 Fewer than 40 are known to exist. 11 00:02:03,600 --> 00:02:07,280 They are so rarely seen, they were thought to be a myth. 12 00:02:14,320 --> 00:02:17,880 Life here, in the arid heart of Asia... 13 00:02:19,320 --> 00:02:23,200 ..has turned them into one of the toughest animals on Earth. 14 00:02:51,000 --> 00:02:56,240 This is one of the last remaining Gobi Bears... 15 00:02:57,720 --> 00:03:00,520 ..fewer than ten of which are female. 16 00:03:04,560 --> 00:03:07,080 They are clinging to existence. 17 00:03:13,320 --> 00:03:18,200 In Mongolian, Gobi means "waterless place". 18 00:03:20,760 --> 00:03:24,800 And therein lies the bear's greatest challenge. 19 00:03:26,440 --> 00:03:30,040 Sources of water may be 100 miles apart. 20 00:03:35,960 --> 00:03:39,760 They face a gruelling trek across the desert. 21 00:03:48,480 --> 00:03:51,240 Theirs is a solitary life. 22 00:03:55,080 --> 00:03:59,240 But there is a place where they go to connect with each other. 23 00:04:04,640 --> 00:04:07,800 These are ancient poplar trees. 24 00:04:11,520 --> 00:04:14,520 They use their extremely long roots to collect 25 00:04:14,520 --> 00:04:17,560 water from beneath the desert floor. 26 00:04:21,760 --> 00:04:25,160 There is nothing here for the bears to drink. 27 00:04:27,480 --> 00:04:30,080 But these trees are still important to them. 28 00:04:37,400 --> 00:04:41,120 As they rub, they leave behind a unique scent... 29 00:04:42,960 --> 00:04:46,640 ..a message to other bears, to say they've been here. 30 00:05:00,520 --> 00:05:05,480 But with so few left, it may be months before somebody comes by. 31 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:20,080 This could be the closest they ever come to meeting another bear. 32 00:05:38,800 --> 00:05:40,960 In the search for water, 33 00:05:40,960 --> 00:05:45,440 the bears follow well-trodden paths across this vast desert. 34 00:05:51,440 --> 00:05:53,240 And this is why. 35 00:05:55,520 --> 00:05:56,960 An oasis... 36 00:05:58,720 --> 00:06:02,440 ..a freshwater spring fed from deep underground. 37 00:06:14,040 --> 00:06:16,360 At last, a drink... 38 00:06:20,920 --> 00:06:23,240 ..and a refreshing dip. 39 00:06:36,320 --> 00:06:39,800 The oases are a lifeline for the bears... 40 00:06:41,240 --> 00:06:44,920 ..particularly for those that are extremely precious. 41 00:06:50,080 --> 00:06:51,760 A Gobi Bear cub. 42 00:07:01,160 --> 00:07:06,120 The future of these bears rests on just a few individuals. 43 00:07:11,200 --> 00:07:15,600 But this young one is a symbol of hope for the Gobi Bear. 44 00:07:28,680 --> 00:07:34,560 To escape the heat of the day, most animals in the Gobi emerge at night. 45 00:07:40,080 --> 00:07:44,920 But they don't all go on long treks across the desert to find water. 46 00:07:47,880 --> 00:07:51,160 In fact, some don't drink at all. 47 00:08:01,760 --> 00:08:03,800 A Long-Eared Jerboa. 48 00:08:06,960 --> 00:08:11,360 This curious creature looks like a mixture of other species. 49 00:08:13,520 --> 00:08:16,160 It has a tail shaped like that of a lion... 50 00:08:19,920 --> 00:08:22,200 ..ears like those of a rabbit... 51 00:08:24,040 --> 00:08:25,960 ..the snout of a pig... 52 00:08:28,680 --> 00:08:31,600 ..and the legs of a kangaroo. 53 00:08:34,880 --> 00:08:39,400 But those are features that makes it the Gobi's most deadly hunter. 54 00:08:46,040 --> 00:08:47,560 A beetle... 55 00:08:48,840 --> 00:08:50,480 ..with a subtle scent. 56 00:09:07,760 --> 00:09:11,360 It's a good start, but it will need more, 57 00:09:11,360 --> 00:09:15,320 not to satisfy its hunger, but its thirst. 58 00:09:16,840 --> 00:09:20,400 That is because Long-Eared Jerboas get all the water 59 00:09:20,400 --> 00:09:22,600 they need from what they eat. 60 00:09:23,760 --> 00:09:26,160 GRASSHOPPER CALLS 61 00:09:31,000 --> 00:09:32,880 A juicy grasshopper. 62 00:09:36,520 --> 00:09:39,840 To track it down, it uses another sense. 63 00:09:45,080 --> 00:09:49,200 No other animal has longer ears relative to its body length. 64 00:09:53,840 --> 00:09:55,560 With hearing so acute, 65 00:09:55,560 --> 00:09:59,480 even the slightest twitch will give the grasshopper away. 66 00:10:17,040 --> 00:10:18,680 Don't move now. 67 00:10:37,360 --> 00:10:41,360 For a little jerboa, all this action is tiring. 68 00:10:47,720 --> 00:10:50,800 But it's summer and the nights are short. 69 00:10:54,640 --> 00:10:58,360 Jerboas must work fast to get all the food they need. 70 00:11:03,680 --> 00:11:04,760 A moth. 71 00:11:06,960 --> 00:11:09,480 Catching it in near total darkness will require 72 00:11:09,480 --> 00:11:12,200 all the jerboa's skills. 73 00:11:28,560 --> 00:11:29,760 Nearly! 74 00:11:34,480 --> 00:11:37,160 One last big jump should do it. 75 00:12:00,320 --> 00:12:03,120 That's plenty to eat and drink. 76 00:12:06,200 --> 00:12:09,920 Jerboas must get back to their burrows before dawn brings 77 00:12:09,920 --> 00:12:12,040 the scorching heat of the day. 78 00:12:28,800 --> 00:12:33,680 The Gobi Desert is one of the most oppressive places on our planet. 79 00:12:36,720 --> 00:12:41,320 And west of here, in China, lies the Taklamakan... 80 00:12:42,880 --> 00:12:47,040 ..so hostile it's been called "The Sea of Death". 81 00:12:54,840 --> 00:12:57,960 But on the southern edge of Asia's arid heart 82 00:12:57,960 --> 00:13:01,480 lies a desert that is full of life. 83 00:13:06,600 --> 00:13:08,720 The Thar, in India... 84 00:13:11,440 --> 00:13:14,800 ..the most densely populated desert on Earth... 85 00:13:22,320 --> 00:13:24,800 ..home to 20 million people. 86 00:13:28,360 --> 00:13:32,720 Surprisingly, it is also filled with wildlife. 87 00:13:38,240 --> 00:13:39,600 Demoiselle Cranes. 88 00:13:42,640 --> 00:13:46,160 They have migrated thousands of miles to get here, 89 00:13:46,160 --> 00:13:48,840 from their breeding grounds in the north. 90 00:13:53,480 --> 00:13:55,560 In the village of Khichan, 91 00:13:55,560 --> 00:14:00,800 the local Jain community have a spiritual connection with animals. 92 00:14:08,480 --> 00:14:12,480 Jainism teaches that the path to enlightenment is through 93 00:14:12,480 --> 00:14:15,160 caring for all living things... 94 00:14:18,400 --> 00:14:22,280 ..so they welcome the cranes with open arms. 95 00:14:28,120 --> 00:14:33,480 Every day, the local people put out one ton of grain. 96 00:14:44,840 --> 00:14:48,960 This act of kindness has created one of the greatest 97 00:14:48,960 --> 00:14:51,120 bird spectacles on Earth. 98 00:15:05,520 --> 00:15:10,320 30,000 cranes fill this little desert settlement with life. 99 00:15:24,280 --> 00:15:28,160 The villagers of Khichan have become their guardians. 100 00:15:34,920 --> 00:15:37,760 This was once no more than a stopover 101 00:15:37,760 --> 00:15:39,800 on the cranes' migratory route. 102 00:15:41,080 --> 00:15:44,760 Now, they spend their entire winter here. 103 00:15:52,160 --> 00:15:55,920 These deserts offer little for the people live in them... 104 00:15:57,560 --> 00:16:02,360 ..so for them to give so much to the cranes is astonishingly generous. 105 00:16:17,480 --> 00:16:22,440 On the edge of the Thar Desert lies a parched scrub forest. 106 00:16:25,160 --> 00:16:28,040 It provides quiet sanctuary, away from the hustle 107 00:16:28,040 --> 00:16:30,320 and bustle that surrounds it. 108 00:16:33,680 --> 00:16:38,720 This is the last refuge of a very special big cat... 109 00:16:44,840 --> 00:16:47,320 ..the Asiatic Lion. 110 00:16:49,120 --> 00:16:52,440 They were once found from here to the Middle East... 111 00:16:59,400 --> 00:17:04,760 ..but now this small corner of India is the last place on Earth 112 00:17:04,760 --> 00:17:06,440 where they exist. 113 00:17:10,840 --> 00:17:14,440 Like their African cousins, they live in prides... 114 00:17:15,680 --> 00:17:18,200 ..though theirs are somewhat smaller. 115 00:17:25,280 --> 00:17:27,320 The cubs have a lot to learn 116 00:17:27,320 --> 00:17:29,520 if they are to survive here. 117 00:17:33,440 --> 00:17:38,360 They still rely on their mother's milk, but it is drying up. 118 00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:44,080 And the adults haven't made a kill for over a week. 119 00:17:51,040 --> 00:17:54,400 The baking heat has stripped the trees of their cover... 120 00:17:57,440 --> 00:18:00,880 ..making hunting particularly tough. 121 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:15,360 A chital deer would make a valuable meal. 122 00:18:21,120 --> 00:18:23,920 It's time for the cubs to learn how to hunt. 123 00:18:39,800 --> 00:18:44,760 With the forest so dry, she can't afford to put a foot wrong. 124 00:19:08,320 --> 00:19:10,040 Just a bit too keen. 125 00:19:19,920 --> 00:19:23,920 BIRD CALLS 126 00:19:28,560 --> 00:19:33,480 The next lesson for the cubs is to always keep your eyes and ears open. 127 00:19:38,720 --> 00:19:42,240 The calls of a hungry crow are worth tracing. 128 00:19:50,120 --> 00:19:52,880 LION GROWLS 129 00:19:58,720 --> 00:20:02,800 A leopard is no match for a pride of hungry lions. 130 00:20:33,040 --> 00:20:37,520 With her milk flowing once again, the cubs can now suckle. 131 00:20:39,520 --> 00:20:43,640 These lions are clever opportunists, 132 00:20:43,640 --> 00:20:47,080 a way of life the cubs need to quickly learn. 133 00:20:56,600 --> 00:21:00,840 To the west of India lie some of the most inhospitable 134 00:21:00,840 --> 00:21:02,520 deserts on the planet. 135 00:21:09,640 --> 00:21:11,640 The Lut Desert, in Iran... 136 00:21:13,920 --> 00:21:16,960 ..the hottest place on the Earth's surface... 137 00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:24,360 ..a blistering 80 degrees Celsius. 138 00:21:29,200 --> 00:21:34,440 Sustaining life in this otherworldly place is all but impossible. 139 00:21:45,080 --> 00:21:50,520 South of Iran, in Arabia, lies a vast sea of dunes... 140 00:21:55,400 --> 00:21:59,080 ..the Rub Al Khali, or Empty Quarter. 141 00:22:01,600 --> 00:22:07,440 This is the largest expanse of sand in the world, extending over 142 00:22:07,440 --> 00:22:10,200 an area greater than the size of France. 143 00:22:13,920 --> 00:22:18,200 This desolate land is entirely shaped by wind. 144 00:22:23,080 --> 00:22:26,160 But the shifting sands help to create 145 00:22:26,160 --> 00:22:28,800 life beyond the borders of this desert. 146 00:22:32,840 --> 00:22:36,720 Sand from the Rub Al Khali is blown into the shallow 147 00:22:36,720 --> 00:22:38,960 seas of the Persian Gulf... 148 00:22:41,040 --> 00:22:44,640 ..where it creates desert islands. 149 00:22:50,560 --> 00:22:53,840 Seemingly lifeless, this island is host 150 00:22:53,840 --> 00:22:56,720 to an extraordinary gathering... 151 00:23:02,720 --> 00:23:06,200 ..60,000 Socotra Cormorants. 152 00:23:16,240 --> 00:23:18,600 They have come here to raise a family 153 00:23:18,600 --> 00:23:20,520 out of the reach of predators. 154 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:48,960 Just over a week old, this chick is constantly hungry. 155 00:23:51,680 --> 00:23:55,240 Both parents take turns to fetch food for it. 156 00:24:12,000 --> 00:24:16,080 The Persian Gulf is fertilised by nutrients that accompany 157 00:24:16,080 --> 00:24:17,680 the wind-blown sand... 158 00:24:18,880 --> 00:24:22,840 ..and turns its waters into a rich fishing ground. 159 00:24:35,080 --> 00:24:38,480 But raising chicks in the desert is not easy. 160 00:24:41,560 --> 00:24:45,040 They must be protected from the searing heat. 161 00:24:50,400 --> 00:24:53,360 Yet the desert isn't their biggest threat. 162 00:24:53,360 --> 00:24:55,560 There is danger within... 163 00:24:59,720 --> 00:25:01,480 ..gangs of juveniles. 164 00:25:06,400 --> 00:25:09,600 Cormorants feed their young as frequently as possible, 165 00:25:09,600 --> 00:25:12,720 until they reach adult weight, 166 00:25:12,720 --> 00:25:14,680 and then abandon them. 167 00:25:20,400 --> 00:25:24,160 This creates mobs of starving juveniles. 168 00:25:35,080 --> 00:25:38,120 Their parents return with fish for their chicks. 169 00:25:40,440 --> 00:25:43,640 But the juveniles have other ideas. 170 00:25:49,520 --> 00:25:52,280 They mug the adults for their catch. 171 00:26:04,480 --> 00:26:09,120 When parents are unable to get back to the nest with food, 172 00:26:09,120 --> 00:26:11,560 their partners face a dilemma. 173 00:26:14,440 --> 00:26:20,320 Stay, and their chicks may starve, or go to find food 174 00:26:20,320 --> 00:26:22,880 and leave them exposed to danger. 175 00:26:25,640 --> 00:26:27,800 The gang is still ravenous. 176 00:26:31,400 --> 00:26:34,400 Their hunger drives them to become... 177 00:26:36,120 --> 00:26:37,440 ..cannibals. 178 00:27:01,800 --> 00:27:06,080 Without food, chicks get weaker and weaker. 179 00:27:13,400 --> 00:27:16,880 Parents have no choice but to leave. 180 00:27:20,720 --> 00:27:22,600 CHICK CALLS 181 00:27:22,600 --> 00:27:28,360 All alone, but calling for its parents may be a very bad idea. 182 00:28:25,600 --> 00:28:29,000 Saved just in the nick of time. 183 00:28:39,480 --> 00:28:43,120 And food finally arrives. 184 00:29:08,240 --> 00:29:09,960 As the chicks grow, 185 00:29:09,960 --> 00:29:13,720 they will eventually be abandoned by their parents. 186 00:29:14,880 --> 00:29:20,160 So they, too, may have no choice but to become cannibals. 187 00:29:28,880 --> 00:29:34,120 Many of Asia's deserts have existed for millions of years. 188 00:29:35,960 --> 00:29:39,400 But here also lies the youngest desert on Earth. 189 00:29:43,160 --> 00:29:48,640 On the border of Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan lies the Aralkum. 190 00:29:58,320 --> 00:30:02,880 Shipwrecks in the desert are evidence of what this used to be. 191 00:30:12,240 --> 00:30:17,400 Until recently, the Aralkum was the Aral Sea, 192 00:30:17,400 --> 00:30:19,800 the fourth largest lake in the world. 193 00:30:24,240 --> 00:30:29,920 But in the 1960s, the river that fed this inland sea was dammed 194 00:30:29,920 --> 00:30:33,240 upstream to irrigate cotton fields. 195 00:30:38,640 --> 00:30:42,240 Sand that once lay on the sea floor 196 00:30:42,240 --> 00:30:46,600 now gets whipped up to form towering sandstorms. 197 00:31:00,920 --> 00:31:04,920 These storms can travel eastwards across Asia. 198 00:31:13,000 --> 00:31:16,480 Each spring, they overwhelm whole cities... 199 00:31:28,120 --> 00:31:32,200 ..covering them in a choking blanket of dust. 200 00:31:38,120 --> 00:31:42,880 In China, these devastating storms are known as Yellow Dragons. 201 00:31:55,120 --> 00:32:00,280 As the world warms, so Asia's deserts are expanding. 202 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:08,200 They are spreading into another great arid land... 203 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:19,640 ..the Eurasian Steppe, 204 00:32:19,640 --> 00:32:23,120 the largest grassland on Earth. 205 00:32:26,560 --> 00:32:29,000 It stretches from Hungary in the west... 206 00:32:31,440 --> 00:32:33,120 ..to China in the east... 207 00:32:36,400 --> 00:32:38,960 ..one-fifth of the way around the world. 208 00:32:45,000 --> 00:32:49,560 The Steppe is semi-arid, getting just enough rainfall for short 209 00:32:49,560 --> 00:32:54,640 grass to grow, but not enough to sustain tall grass or trees. 210 00:32:58,600 --> 00:33:03,240 So, here on the plains of Mongolia, there are very few hiding places... 211 00:33:08,480 --> 00:33:13,400 ..a problem this hungry Pallas's Cat needs to solve. 212 00:33:19,320 --> 00:33:21,840 There are plenty of tiny rodents here. 213 00:33:28,760 --> 00:33:32,240 The problem is getting close enough to catch them. 214 00:33:48,600 --> 00:33:52,280 No easy task on an open plain. 215 00:33:54,160 --> 00:33:56,840 But she has a way of dealing with that. 216 00:33:59,360 --> 00:34:03,480 Time for a game of Grandmother's Footsteps. 217 00:34:09,880 --> 00:34:11,160 When her prey looks up... 218 00:34:12,840 --> 00:34:13,840 ..she freezes. 219 00:34:20,120 --> 00:34:23,320 When it looks away, she sneaks closer. 220 00:34:46,480 --> 00:34:48,560 Once within striking distance... 221 00:34:53,560 --> 00:34:56,720 ..she performs her greatest trick. 222 00:35:01,840 --> 00:35:05,800 Her waggling tail seems to mesmerise her prey. 223 00:35:28,200 --> 00:35:30,560 It doesn't come without a fight. 224 00:35:38,440 --> 00:35:42,720 She will need to do this dozens of times a day... 225 00:35:47,480 --> 00:35:51,520 ..because she has five kittens to care for. 226 00:35:54,040 --> 00:35:58,280 They're barely two months old and have boundless energy. 227 00:36:17,480 --> 00:36:21,400 With a meal delivered, she tries to get some rest. 228 00:36:32,640 --> 00:36:35,800 But it's not long before she's off hunting again. 229 00:36:45,400 --> 00:36:47,920 A mother's work is never done. 230 00:36:56,080 --> 00:36:59,880 The arrival of winter transforms the steppe. 231 00:37:01,880 --> 00:37:06,640 Temperatures fall to minus 40 and it's now stripped of grass. 232 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:17,560 Mongolian Gazelles are the great nomads of these plains. 233 00:37:19,480 --> 00:37:24,280 Their ancient annual migration takes them south in search of food. 234 00:37:29,520 --> 00:37:33,600 Most of these hardy creatures will survive the winter... 235 00:37:36,520 --> 00:37:39,600 ..as long as their migration isn't stopped. 236 00:37:57,960 --> 00:38:02,600 This train is part of the Trans-Siberian Railway... 237 00:38:05,920 --> 00:38:09,760 ..an immense line, over 1,000 miles long... 238 00:38:12,240 --> 00:38:14,840 ..connecting Russia to China... 239 00:38:19,040 --> 00:38:22,920 ..splitting this great grassland in two. 240 00:38:33,240 --> 00:38:38,480 The railway is fenced on both sides by razor-sharp barbed wire. 241 00:38:43,120 --> 00:38:46,480 It's there to keep livestock off the tracks. 242 00:38:49,560 --> 00:38:54,120 But to keep moving south, gazelles must risk their lives 243 00:38:54,120 --> 00:38:56,120 and get through these fences. 244 00:39:26,680 --> 00:39:28,640 TRAIN SOUNDS HORN 245 00:40:09,520 --> 00:40:12,560 Many gazelles don't make it. 246 00:40:24,280 --> 00:40:30,200 For those caught between the two fences, there is yet more danger. 247 00:40:45,720 --> 00:40:51,000 A feral dog patrolling the tracks in search of prey. 248 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:58,280 The fence seals the gazelle's fate. 249 00:42:04,760 --> 00:42:08,760 For those which escape, the migration continues. 250 00:42:13,360 --> 00:42:17,440 But for many others, it ends here. 251 00:42:34,200 --> 00:42:38,360 Of all the large animals that live in this arid grassland, 252 00:42:38,360 --> 00:42:42,120 perhaps the most well adapted are the horses. 253 00:42:43,560 --> 00:42:49,280 In the 13th Century, Genghis Khan conquered most of Asia on horseback. 254 00:42:52,840 --> 00:42:56,080 But there is one kind of horse he never tamed. 255 00:43:04,480 --> 00:43:06,280 These are Takhi... 256 00:43:09,400 --> 00:43:12,720 ..the last truly wild horses on Earth. 257 00:43:24,600 --> 00:43:27,840 They live in small family groups. 258 00:43:31,600 --> 00:43:37,240 It's springtime here in Mongolia and there are new foals to care for. 259 00:43:46,280 --> 00:43:49,720 Grooming reinforces their family bonds... 260 00:43:51,880 --> 00:43:54,440 ..and they will come to rely on the strength of these 261 00:43:54,440 --> 00:43:56,720 bonds for their survival. 262 00:44:00,720 --> 00:44:04,760 As the sun begins to set, the atmosphere changes. 263 00:44:07,480 --> 00:44:09,960 The horses are on high alert. 264 00:44:16,040 --> 00:44:18,640 DISTANT HOWLING 265 00:44:30,960 --> 00:44:34,600 Wolves roam these wild lands. 266 00:44:42,320 --> 00:44:47,040 In the blackness of night, a wolf has the upper hand. 267 00:45:12,640 --> 00:45:16,000 The mares keep their precious foals close. 268 00:45:23,440 --> 00:45:25,960 It's they that the wolf is after. 269 00:45:58,560 --> 00:46:01,440 HORSES WHINNY 270 00:46:12,480 --> 00:46:15,080 With the element of surprise gone, 271 00:46:15,080 --> 00:46:18,080 a lone wolf will not be able to make a kill... 272 00:46:20,480 --> 00:46:24,080 WOLF HOWLS 273 00:46:24,080 --> 00:46:27,280 ..so it summons reinforcements. 274 00:46:45,360 --> 00:46:50,040 The pack aims to cause panic and grab a foal in the confusion. 275 00:47:08,280 --> 00:47:09,760 The wolves close in... 276 00:47:20,080 --> 00:47:22,200 ..but the horses fight back. 277 00:47:44,000 --> 00:47:46,160 The foal is safe, 278 00:47:46,160 --> 00:47:47,320 for tonight. 279 00:48:10,600 --> 00:48:12,320 By sticking together, 280 00:48:12,320 --> 00:48:15,880 these horses deal with the many challenges of the steppe. 281 00:48:20,520 --> 00:48:25,920 Life in the arid heart of Asia demands extraordinary resilience. 282 00:48:30,440 --> 00:48:35,360 And the animals that live here are among Asia's great survivors. 283 00:48:59,680 --> 00:49:03,320 The Asia team are heading to one of the remotest 284 00:49:03,320 --> 00:49:07,640 places on the planet to film the world's rarest bear. 285 00:49:19,200 --> 00:49:21,600 Helping in their search is Gobi Bear specialist 286 00:49:21,600 --> 00:49:25,320 Dr Odko Tumendemberel. 287 00:49:26,600 --> 00:49:31,720 I'm a biologist, and I have been working on Gobi Bear over 15 years. 288 00:49:32,920 --> 00:49:36,800 I love Gobi Bears because they are very unique animals. 289 00:49:36,800 --> 00:49:41,520 It's just amazing that they can live here, surviving in this desert. 290 00:49:44,720 --> 00:49:49,160 Odko's knowledge and experience will be vital if the crew are to succeed. 291 00:49:53,760 --> 00:49:56,720 Three days and 1,000 miles of driving later, 292 00:49:56,720 --> 00:49:58,520 they arrive at base camp. 293 00:50:02,720 --> 00:50:06,440 To stand any chance of filming one of the most elusive animals on 294 00:50:06,440 --> 00:50:13,080 Earth, cameraman Joe Riis needs to set up remotely triggered cameras. 295 00:50:16,520 --> 00:50:21,280 Mongolian biologist Nassa helps him find the right spots. 296 00:50:22,560 --> 00:50:24,640 Looks like a bear print right there. 297 00:50:26,080 --> 00:50:28,240 With positive signs of bears, 298 00:50:28,240 --> 00:50:30,960 Joe can get to work setting up the cameras. 299 00:50:35,800 --> 00:50:37,520 Beautiful, beautiful! 300 00:50:40,680 --> 00:50:44,280 Whilst Joe and Nassa are out rigging the cameras, 301 00:50:44,280 --> 00:50:46,880 Odko is busy with her work. 302 00:50:48,080 --> 00:50:51,680 She wants to understand how the bear population has changed 303 00:50:51,680 --> 00:50:56,200 since it was last measured in 2017. 304 00:50:56,200 --> 00:50:59,400 The last estimate was 32 individuals. 305 00:50:59,400 --> 00:51:01,720 Since it's a very small population, 306 00:51:01,720 --> 00:51:06,840 we need to find a way to increase population size. 307 00:51:06,840 --> 00:51:10,840 Whether Odko discovers an increase or decrease in bear numbers 308 00:51:10,840 --> 00:51:14,320 will help decide the conservation strategy. 309 00:51:14,320 --> 00:51:17,400 We need to understand how many there are, 310 00:51:17,400 --> 00:51:23,040 and then find a way to protect these few bears. 311 00:51:23,040 --> 00:51:28,120 To determine the size of the bear population, Odko needs their DNA. 312 00:51:29,920 --> 00:51:32,160 She gets it at these feeders. 313 00:51:35,040 --> 00:51:37,920 To help the bears survive the leaner months, 314 00:51:37,920 --> 00:51:40,680 the national park puts out extra food. 315 00:51:42,480 --> 00:51:44,360 When the bears visit, 316 00:51:44,360 --> 00:51:47,240 they inevitably leave a hair sample behind. 317 00:51:49,600 --> 00:51:53,200 Using this method, Odko has "met" virtually every surviving 318 00:51:53,200 --> 00:51:55,880 Gobi Bear through their DNA. 319 00:52:01,640 --> 00:52:06,240 With the last camera trap in place, it's now a waiting game for Joe. 320 00:52:06,240 --> 00:52:08,000 Looks nice. 321 00:52:08,000 --> 00:52:11,160 Not just a few weeks, but months. 322 00:52:17,040 --> 00:52:21,400 When Joe returns, he has no idea if a bear has been filmed. 323 00:52:25,920 --> 00:52:27,480 No bears. 324 00:52:28,960 --> 00:52:30,000 Nothing. 325 00:52:31,800 --> 00:52:36,880 No bears. The lack of bears is concerning for Joe, 326 00:52:36,880 --> 00:52:40,040 but also for those, like Odko, who are trying to save them. 327 00:52:42,320 --> 00:52:45,720 I am worried - we may not have enough time, 328 00:52:45,720 --> 00:52:50,640 but we can try our best to conserve what we have here now. 329 00:52:52,880 --> 00:52:57,280 And today, the need to protect the bears has never been more critical. 330 00:52:59,520 --> 00:53:03,720 Even here in this remote part of the planet, there are threats. 331 00:53:07,920 --> 00:53:10,560 In the last 70 years, 332 00:53:10,560 --> 00:53:14,200 average temperatures in Mongolia have increased by more than 333 00:53:14,200 --> 00:53:19,320 two degrees Celsius, leading to severe droughts. 334 00:53:27,120 --> 00:53:31,600 And vast mineral wealth under the Gobi leads to mining... 335 00:53:36,600 --> 00:53:39,120 ..which is a real threat to an animal 336 00:53:39,120 --> 00:53:41,960 that relies on space and solitude. 337 00:53:49,280 --> 00:53:51,720 Knowing the threats facing the bears, 338 00:53:51,720 --> 00:53:55,880 the team decide to leave the area undisturbed for longer. 339 00:54:05,200 --> 00:54:10,160 Oh, look, the camera's been moved, it messed with that camera too 340 00:54:10,160 --> 00:54:12,400 and that one, all three of them. 341 00:54:14,800 --> 00:54:16,800 There's definitely a bear here. 342 00:54:18,360 --> 00:54:23,920 That's Gobi Bear hair right there, and this, is from its teeth. 343 00:54:26,160 --> 00:54:27,720 Come, check this out. 344 00:54:34,600 --> 00:54:38,960 Not quite the footage Joe's after, but at least he's getting closer. 345 00:54:40,520 --> 00:54:45,600 I was hoping for a nice couple shots of Gobi Bears, 346 00:54:45,600 --> 00:54:48,000 what we got is messed-up cameras instead. 347 00:54:49,880 --> 00:54:54,960 He keeps checking the cameras in the hope the bears have left some alone. 348 00:54:56,320 --> 00:54:58,040 Here comes a bear! 349 00:54:59,840 --> 00:55:00,880 Yes! 350 00:55:02,680 --> 00:55:04,480 Success, at last. 351 00:55:06,360 --> 00:55:08,680 The bear comes in the water pool right here. 352 00:55:11,400 --> 00:55:13,560 It's amazing! 353 00:55:13,560 --> 00:55:16,760 It's three years of work for me. Right here. 354 00:55:24,480 --> 00:55:28,040 And the news just keeps on getting better. 355 00:55:29,400 --> 00:55:33,080 Joe can't wait to share the most exciting piece of footage 356 00:55:33,080 --> 00:55:34,280 with the team. 357 00:55:35,360 --> 00:55:37,200 Aah! 358 00:55:37,200 --> 00:55:41,240 THEY CHUCKLE AND CHATTER 359 00:55:44,440 --> 00:55:46,880 So, when was the last time you saw a cub? 360 00:55:49,920 --> 00:55:51,200 SHE TRANSLATES: In 2015. 361 00:55:51,200 --> 00:55:53,440 Wow, seven years! 362 00:55:53,440 --> 00:55:55,000 It's a long time. 363 00:55:58,240 --> 00:56:02,000 The team's success is reflected in Odko's study. 364 00:56:04,160 --> 00:56:08,360 Early indications suggest the bear population is stable. 365 00:56:13,000 --> 00:56:15,840 But with numbers still in the 30s, 366 00:56:15,840 --> 00:56:20,160 the survival of the Gobi Bear is resting on a knife edge. 367 00:56:21,600 --> 00:56:26,720 It's very hard to achieve the successful recovery, 368 00:56:26,720 --> 00:56:28,960 but we have to keep going 369 00:56:28,960 --> 00:56:35,000 and I truly hope that we can increase the Gobi Bear population. 370 00:56:37,200 --> 00:56:41,240 The cub filmed by the team is a glimmer of hope. 371 00:56:46,240 --> 00:56:50,960 And Odko's research will bring some much-needed attention to the 372 00:56:50,960 --> 00:56:54,520 plight of the world's rarest bear. 373 00:57:06,320 --> 00:57:07,760 Next time... 374 00:57:09,360 --> 00:57:11,720 ..meet extraordinary people... 375 00:57:13,920 --> 00:57:19,880 ..battling against the odds to find ways to save Asia's wildlife... 376 00:57:21,480 --> 00:57:22,960 ..for future generations. 377 00:57:24,000 --> 00:57:26,040 Get ready. Go!