1 00:00:05,400 --> 00:00:07,440 There are some places on Earth... 2 00:00:10,360 --> 00:00:12,560 ..that simply take your breath away. 3 00:00:16,480 --> 00:00:18,240 Lush tropical forests... 4 00:00:20,440 --> 00:00:22,400 ..spectacular islands... 5 00:00:26,120 --> 00:00:28,280 ..soaring mountain ranges... 6 00:00:31,160 --> 00:00:33,280 ..or frozen polar worlds. 7 00:00:37,040 --> 00:00:40,800 And for the people who call these extraordinary places home... 8 00:00:42,120 --> 00:00:44,360 ..survival requires skill... 9 00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:49,280 ..ingenuity and bravery. 10 00:00:52,760 --> 00:00:56,040 In some of Earth's natural wonders, 11 00:00:56,040 --> 00:00:59,880 learning to live with wild animals is the only way to survive. 12 00:01:05,080 --> 00:01:10,080 In the wetlands of Australia, a man risks his life to collect 13 00:01:10,080 --> 00:01:11,640 crocodile eggs. 14 00:01:13,960 --> 00:01:17,000 In one of the most remote places on the planet, 15 00:01:17,000 --> 00:01:18,920 a herder and his reindeer... 16 00:01:18,920 --> 00:01:19,960 HE YELLS 17 00:01:19,960 --> 00:01:22,400 ..must make a brutal 500-mile migration to their 18 00:01:22,400 --> 00:01:23,440 summer pastures. 19 00:01:25,920 --> 00:01:29,480 While in the foothills of the greatest mountain range on Earth, 20 00:01:29,480 --> 00:01:34,000 a man and his elephant must protect a village from a rampaging herd. 21 00:01:35,960 --> 00:01:37,760 In these natural wonders, 22 00:01:37,760 --> 00:01:42,160 it is animals that make the difference between life 23 00:01:42,160 --> 00:01:43,200 and death. 24 00:01:56,640 --> 00:02:02,880 Australia - on its far northern coast is Arnhem Land, 25 00:02:02,880 --> 00:02:07,160 a 35,000 square mile area of unspoilt wilderness. 26 00:02:09,680 --> 00:02:11,240 And along its rugged coastline... 27 00:02:12,760 --> 00:02:14,920 ..runs a remarkable ecosystem. 28 00:02:18,120 --> 00:02:23,120 This natural wonder is a mosaic of swamps and tidal salt marshes... 29 00:02:25,480 --> 00:02:29,360 ..fed by the monsoons that sweep in from the Indian Ocean. 30 00:02:32,840 --> 00:02:36,520 Up to half a metre of rain can fall in a single day. 31 00:02:40,320 --> 00:02:45,360 This sprawling network of creeks and billabongs is home to one of the 32 00:02:45,360 --> 00:02:47,960 most aggressive of all predators... 33 00:02:49,200 --> 00:02:51,040 ..the saltwater crocodile. 34 00:02:52,760 --> 00:02:58,000 Measuring up to six metres in length and weighing as much as a tonne... 35 00:03:00,640 --> 00:03:03,840 ..it's every inch a killing machine. 36 00:03:10,920 --> 00:03:14,960 But for thousands of years, the saltwater crocodile played a vital 37 00:03:14,960 --> 00:03:17,800 role in the survival of the Aboriginal peoples. 38 00:03:18,920 --> 00:03:21,640 They hunted crocs for meat and eggs. 39 00:03:27,880 --> 00:03:32,560 Today, their descendants still use traditional skills to collect 40 00:03:32,560 --> 00:03:36,960 croc eggs, risking their lives in the process. 41 00:03:38,120 --> 00:03:39,680 TRANSLATION: 42 00:04:01,000 --> 00:04:05,760 Greg Wilson is a ranger and a member of the Gunadba clan. 43 00:04:09,680 --> 00:04:13,080 He and his team are paid to collect eggs for the region's 44 00:04:13,080 --> 00:04:14,480 crocodile farms... 45 00:04:18,000 --> 00:04:20,280 ..where they're reared for their valuable skins. 46 00:04:24,040 --> 00:04:29,520 The rangers have around eight weeks to collect up to 2,500 croc eggs 47 00:04:29,520 --> 00:04:31,080 during the egg-laying season. 48 00:04:33,160 --> 00:04:35,680 A quota set by the Northern Territory government. 49 00:04:37,040 --> 00:04:38,920 There, there. There, there, there. 50 00:04:42,040 --> 00:04:44,200 As a result of a ban on hunting, 51 00:04:44,200 --> 00:04:48,680 in recent years, the number of wild crocs has rocketed and so has the 52 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:50,440 number of attacks. 53 00:04:50,440 --> 00:04:54,760 A man was killed by a croc in this area just three weeks ago. 54 00:05:10,120 --> 00:05:13,000 It's making Greg's job more dangerous than ever. 55 00:05:15,040 --> 00:05:19,160 Today, he and his team are out searching for crocodile eggs in an 56 00:05:19,160 --> 00:05:21,720 area where there are usually plenty of nests. 57 00:05:27,160 --> 00:05:31,760 But this year, heavy rains are making the nests hard to find, 58 00:05:31,760 --> 00:05:34,000 as many of them are completely submerged. 59 00:05:47,680 --> 00:05:51,520 It's too risky to continue today, so they head back to base. 60 00:05:53,560 --> 00:05:55,680 The crocodile is important to the 61 00:05:55,680 --> 00:06:00,520 Gunadba clan's sacred beliefs but, for some, 62 00:06:00,520 --> 00:06:04,560 this animal is part spirit figure and part enemy. 63 00:06:35,680 --> 00:06:38,680 Next morning, the weather's eased off. 64 00:06:40,520 --> 00:06:44,000 Today, Greg's going to try a different area. 65 00:06:44,000 --> 00:06:46,360 One where he hopes there'll be more nests. 66 00:06:50,160 --> 00:06:53,160 But the only way to get there is by helicopter... 67 00:06:56,360 --> 00:07:00,320 ..and there's at least one agitated croc in the shallows this morning. 68 00:07:18,480 --> 00:07:21,840 It's not long before they spot a large nest. 69 00:07:23,480 --> 00:07:26,840 Once they're dropped in, Greg and his partner Dickson 70 00:07:26,840 --> 00:07:28,160 will be on their own. 71 00:08:19,200 --> 00:08:21,080 HE YELLS 72 00:08:40,120 --> 00:08:42,400 Before they can collect any eggs, 73 00:08:42,400 --> 00:08:44,720 they have to drive the croc off the nest. 74 00:08:58,720 --> 00:09:00,680 Go around, go around there. 75 00:09:00,680 --> 00:09:03,360 HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE 76 00:09:05,960 --> 00:09:07,640 It's left the nest... 77 00:09:11,560 --> 00:09:12,800 ..but for how long? 78 00:09:28,760 --> 00:09:34,360 With an angry predator close by, Greg and Dixon have to move fast. 79 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:36,480 But they have to handle the eggs with care. 80 00:09:38,360 --> 00:09:40,200 If they are stored the wrong way up, 81 00:09:40,200 --> 00:09:43,320 the embryos die and the eggs are useless. 82 00:09:55,840 --> 00:09:56,880 All right? Go. 83 00:09:59,560 --> 00:10:01,280 It's been a good day, 84 00:10:01,280 --> 00:10:04,920 but Greg and the team still have another four weeks working in these 85 00:10:04,920 --> 00:10:08,520 croc-infested waters before the egg-collecting season ends. 86 00:10:14,080 --> 00:10:17,480 In the wetlands of Australia's Northern Territory, 87 00:10:17,480 --> 00:10:21,520 aboriginal peoples have found a way to use their ancient skills to 88 00:10:21,520 --> 00:10:23,320 survive in the modern world... 89 00:10:26,160 --> 00:10:28,920 ..alongside the saltwater crocodiles with whom they 90 00:10:28,920 --> 00:10:31,520 share this untamed landscape. 91 00:10:36,440 --> 00:10:38,320 In other natural wonders, 92 00:10:38,320 --> 00:10:43,760 the relationship between animals and people is one of mutual dependency. 93 00:10:46,160 --> 00:10:48,160 Siberia. 94 00:10:48,160 --> 00:10:53,320 A vast, empty wilderness that makes up around a 12th of the Earth's 95 00:10:53,320 --> 00:10:55,680 entire land surface. 96 00:10:56,960 --> 00:11:02,200 And one of its great natural wonders is the Yamal Peninsula, 97 00:11:02,200 --> 00:11:06,480 stretching over 400 miles into the Arctic Circle. 98 00:11:08,800 --> 00:11:13,000 It's known to local people as the edge of the world. 99 00:11:16,360 --> 00:11:18,600 The climate is extreme. 100 00:11:18,600 --> 00:11:22,400 Temperatures can fall below -50 Celsius in winter. 101 00:11:32,000 --> 00:11:35,560 Yet this harsh and unforgiving place is where the Nenets 102 00:11:35,560 --> 00:11:37,120 have made their home. 103 00:11:39,920 --> 00:11:43,920 But they would have no way to survive here without reindeer. 104 00:11:48,840 --> 00:11:50,520 TRANSLATION: 105 00:12:11,520 --> 00:12:16,560 Medko Serotetto and his family own a herd of 5,000 reindeer. 106 00:12:20,040 --> 00:12:24,160 It's spring and they are in the middle of a gruelling 107 00:12:24,160 --> 00:12:27,960 500-mile migration from winter to summer pastures. 108 00:12:35,400 --> 00:12:36,960 But in recent years, 109 00:12:36,960 --> 00:12:40,880 the erratic climate has made the migration harder and harder. 110 00:12:45,680 --> 00:12:48,600 Medko has been making this journey for over 40 years 111 00:12:48,600 --> 00:12:52,440 and conditions this year are particularly bad. 112 00:13:07,000 --> 00:13:09,920 To stay alive, every day a reindeer 113 00:13:09,920 --> 00:13:14,280 needs to eat over 1.5 kilos of a type of fungus called lichen. 114 00:13:26,720 --> 00:13:30,120 Yet on the frozen Siberian tundra, 115 00:13:30,120 --> 00:13:33,040 the herd quickly strip the lichen patches bare. 116 00:13:35,440 --> 00:13:38,120 They must keep moving to avoid starvation. 117 00:13:45,400 --> 00:13:49,000 It's now seven weeks since they left their winter pastures. 118 00:13:54,160 --> 00:13:58,240 So far, they have covered 250 miles. 119 00:13:58,240 --> 00:14:00,720 250 more still to go. 120 00:14:07,000 --> 00:14:10,560 They should be covering 12 miles a day, 121 00:14:10,560 --> 00:14:14,080 but the weather's deteriorating and they are struggling to make headway. 122 00:14:19,080 --> 00:14:21,640 It's imperative they pick up the pace. 123 00:14:24,200 --> 00:14:27,240 While the women and children pack away their homes, 124 00:14:27,240 --> 00:14:29,360 the men round up the animals. 125 00:14:44,080 --> 00:14:46,320 It's taken several hours... 126 00:14:50,000 --> 00:14:51,720 ..but they are finally on the move. 127 00:14:55,160 --> 00:14:59,200 The herds travel in reindeer trains up to three miles long. 128 00:15:06,920 --> 00:15:09,720 In worsening conditions, it's heavy going. 129 00:15:15,520 --> 00:15:18,600 The temperature's fallen to -20 degrees, 130 00:15:18,600 --> 00:15:21,360 with the wind chill making it feel even colder. 131 00:15:23,720 --> 00:15:25,760 They've covered less than seven miles... 132 00:15:28,640 --> 00:15:31,080 ..and already the reindeer are exhausted. 133 00:15:35,480 --> 00:15:37,320 Medko has no option. 134 00:15:37,320 --> 00:15:40,880 He has to call a halt for the night and let the herd rest. 135 00:16:00,880 --> 00:16:02,640 Many of the reindeer are pregnant 136 00:16:02,640 --> 00:16:06,280 and are due to give birth in just a few days' time. 137 00:16:06,280 --> 00:16:09,880 There's very little lichen in this area and if they don't get to better 138 00:16:09,880 --> 00:16:13,880 feeding grounds by then, their calves may not survive. 139 00:16:29,000 --> 00:16:32,720 By morning, the weather's improved enough to get moving again. 140 00:16:37,000 --> 00:16:41,480 But Medko's family is not the only group making this journey. 141 00:16:41,480 --> 00:16:44,200 Other herds are migrating along the same route. 142 00:16:45,760 --> 00:16:48,280 The bad weather is delaying everyone. 143 00:16:49,280 --> 00:16:52,480 And Medko's animals soon catch up with a different group. 144 00:16:55,480 --> 00:16:59,680 Within a matter of minutes, the two herds become one. 145 00:17:02,200 --> 00:17:06,960 Medko needs to separate his animals out as quickly as he can and get 146 00:17:06,960 --> 00:17:10,720 moving again. They are losing valuable time. 147 00:17:13,560 --> 00:17:17,840 Incredibly, he knows every last one of them by sight. 148 00:17:20,520 --> 00:17:22,720 But extracting them still isn't easy. 149 00:17:27,920 --> 00:17:29,400 All of the family have to help... 150 00:17:30,880 --> 00:17:31,920 ..even the children. 151 00:17:41,960 --> 00:17:44,480 After several hours' hard work, 152 00:17:44,480 --> 00:17:47,800 Medko finally has his herd back together. 153 00:17:47,800 --> 00:17:52,480 He has lost a lot of time but, if the herd's to avoid starvation, 154 00:17:52,480 --> 00:17:55,040 they must cover more ground before nightfall. 155 00:18:05,280 --> 00:18:07,560 Over the next seven weeks, 156 00:18:07,560 --> 00:18:11,360 Medko and his reindeer continue their battle against the elements. 157 00:18:13,000 --> 00:18:17,040 By the time they reach the summer pastures in early July, 158 00:18:17,040 --> 00:18:20,440 over 1,000 of the herd have been lost. 159 00:18:43,280 --> 00:18:47,520 In Siberia, in an increasingly unpredictable world, 160 00:18:47,520 --> 00:18:50,720 the Nenets and their animals are more dependent 161 00:18:50,720 --> 00:18:52,280 on each other than ever. 162 00:18:58,920 --> 00:19:00,640 In other natural wonders, 163 00:19:00,640 --> 00:19:03,960 the relationship between people and the creatures that live alongside 164 00:19:03,960 --> 00:19:06,120 them is far simpler. 165 00:19:07,760 --> 00:19:09,880 Particularly if you're a fisherman. 166 00:19:14,600 --> 00:19:17,720 1,000 miles off the coast of 167 00:19:17,720 --> 00:19:21,080 eastern Australia, deep in the Pacific Ocean, 168 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:23,160 lies the nation of Vanuatu. 169 00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,960 A chain of 83 volcanic islands. 170 00:19:31,280 --> 00:19:33,840 This spectacular natural wonder 171 00:19:33,840 --> 00:19:37,120 began forming around 35 million years ago. 172 00:19:44,520 --> 00:19:49,160 In total, Vanuatu has over 1,500 miles of coastline. 173 00:19:52,960 --> 00:19:57,080 Fringed by stunning beaches and crystal-clear waters. 174 00:20:01,120 --> 00:20:05,120 Home to some of the most vibrant coral reef systems on the planet. 175 00:20:07,960 --> 00:20:11,360 Over 4,000 species of mollusc, 176 00:20:11,360 --> 00:20:16,920 along with sea snakes, eels and a dazzling variety of tropical fish. 177 00:20:19,800 --> 00:20:23,560 This appears to be an unspoilt paradise for 178 00:20:23,560 --> 00:20:25,800 everyone who lives here. 179 00:20:28,040 --> 00:20:29,240 TRANSLATION: 180 00:20:48,840 --> 00:20:53,520 Nigasau and his family live on Futuna, 181 00:20:53,520 --> 00:20:56,840 one of Vanuatu's smallest and most remote islands. 182 00:21:02,720 --> 00:21:06,960 There are just 500 inhabitants and much of what they eat 183 00:21:06,960 --> 00:21:08,840 comes from the sea. 184 00:21:10,760 --> 00:21:14,640 But in recent years, there's been a dramatic fall in their catch. 185 00:21:30,560 --> 00:21:35,640 Until now, Nigasau has been the main provider of fish for his family and 186 00:21:35,640 --> 00:21:37,800 others in this small community. 187 00:21:39,000 --> 00:21:43,920 But at 45, it's not getting any easier and he knows he needs help. 188 00:22:03,160 --> 00:22:06,560 Futuna's next generation needs to step up. 189 00:22:07,680 --> 00:22:10,600 Only boys learn to fish on Futuna 190 00:22:10,600 --> 00:22:14,880 and Nigasau's son, Misakofi, has already made a start. 191 00:22:16,960 --> 00:22:18,000 TRANSLATION: 192 00:22:45,080 --> 00:22:48,720 So far, Misakofi's only fished from the shore, 193 00:22:48,720 --> 00:22:52,920 but having turned 15, he is now allowed to tackle sea fishing. 194 00:23:05,640 --> 00:23:07,440 For the past few nights, 195 00:23:07,440 --> 00:23:10,040 his father's been taking him out into the open water. 196 00:23:16,320 --> 00:23:17,880 Nigasau is teaching 197 00:23:17,880 --> 00:23:22,640 him how to use flaming torches to lure flying fish into his nets. 198 00:23:43,920 --> 00:23:48,280 But the truth is, these days, it's getting harder to catch enough. 199 00:23:52,280 --> 00:23:55,440 It's not Nigasau's technique that's at fault. 200 00:23:55,440 --> 00:23:58,280 There are simply less fish in the seas around Futuna. 201 00:24:13,040 --> 00:24:14,560 HE SINGS 202 00:24:16,920 --> 00:24:18,600 If Misakofi is to provide enough 203 00:24:18,600 --> 00:24:20,920 food for the community in the future, 204 00:24:20,920 --> 00:24:24,320 he needs to master every fishing technique there is. 205 00:24:24,320 --> 00:24:25,800 THEY SING 206 00:24:28,200 --> 00:24:32,280 And tomorrow, he's going to try the most difficult of all. 207 00:24:40,960 --> 00:24:44,880 It will push his young body to the absolute limits. 208 00:24:53,120 --> 00:24:56,960 Today, Nigasau and Misakofi are heading back out to sea 209 00:24:56,960 --> 00:25:00,280 in search of Futuna's most prized catch... 210 00:25:03,760 --> 00:25:05,120 ..lobster. 211 00:25:20,480 --> 00:25:23,000 Lobster have never been easy to find... 212 00:25:24,640 --> 00:25:26,840 ..and now it's getting even harder. 213 00:25:28,480 --> 00:25:33,400 On Futuna, the fishermen freedive to collect lobster 214 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:35,480 and the best time to dive for them 215 00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:37,840 is at dusk when they come out to feed. 216 00:25:40,920 --> 00:25:43,880 But that's not the only challenge. 217 00:25:43,880 --> 00:25:45,920 Just as with its fish stocks, 218 00:25:45,920 --> 00:25:49,600 Futuna's lobster numbers have also plummeted. 219 00:25:49,600 --> 00:25:51,760 Nigasau is having to paddle out to 220 00:25:51,760 --> 00:25:54,200 deeper and deeper water to find them. 221 00:25:56,320 --> 00:26:01,000 But tonight, it's going to fall to Misakofi to dive to the seabed to 222 00:26:01,000 --> 00:26:05,840 search for them. It's the ultimate test for an aspiring fisherman. 223 00:26:17,760 --> 00:26:20,240 Misakofi will have to hold his 224 00:26:20,240 --> 00:26:23,440 breath and swim down over nine metres. 225 00:26:23,440 --> 00:26:26,920 At that depth, the water pressure is immense. 226 00:26:26,920 --> 00:26:31,840 Years of lobster fishing have left Nigasau with perforated eardrums and 227 00:26:31,840 --> 00:26:34,560 brought his diving days to an end. 228 00:26:34,560 --> 00:26:38,640 Tonight, all he can do is guide his son from the surface. 229 00:26:48,880 --> 00:26:50,720 Time to start searching. 230 00:27:09,520 --> 00:27:13,800 Diving the equivalent of a three-storey building quickly pushes 231 00:27:13,800 --> 00:27:15,880 Misakofi's lungs to the limit. 232 00:27:30,120 --> 00:27:31,680 He tries a second time. 233 00:28:01,120 --> 00:28:05,960 After an hour, Misakofi's beginning to master the technique. 234 00:28:05,960 --> 00:28:08,000 There's plenty to see down here. 235 00:28:09,960 --> 00:28:12,320 But so far, nothing edible. 236 00:28:33,000 --> 00:28:36,440 Misakofi's struggling to hold his breath long enough 237 00:28:36,440 --> 00:28:38,200 to search among the rocks. 238 00:28:40,600 --> 00:28:42,200 He is starting to get tired... 239 00:28:44,840 --> 00:28:46,040 ..but he doesn't give up. 240 00:28:51,880 --> 00:28:57,560 Finally, after many attempts, success. 241 00:29:16,120 --> 00:29:17,640 Yes! 242 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:26,000 And soon, he has another. 243 00:29:37,280 --> 00:29:41,200 It's taken many hours just to find two lobster. 244 00:29:42,800 --> 00:29:45,400 Misakofi's exhausted. 245 00:29:45,400 --> 00:29:49,080 Nigasau decides to call it a night and head back to the shore. 246 00:29:52,000 --> 00:29:54,360 But at least his son is starting to 247 00:29:54,360 --> 00:29:58,000 acquire the skills he needs to survive on Futuna. 248 00:29:59,840 --> 00:30:01,320 HE SINGS 249 00:30:35,920 --> 00:30:37,880 For the time being at least, 250 00:30:37,880 --> 00:30:41,920 there's some lobster for supper and one newly-qualified 251 00:30:41,920 --> 00:30:43,720 fisherman to celebrate. 252 00:30:49,360 --> 00:30:50,400 HE LAUGHS 253 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:55,920 Thanks to their fishing skills, 254 00:30:55,920 --> 00:30:58,960 the people of Futuna continue to survive... 255 00:31:02,040 --> 00:31:05,640 ..despite the challenges they face in their changing world. 256 00:31:17,480 --> 00:31:21,880 Even in the most remote corners of the globe, changes are coming. 257 00:31:23,320 --> 00:31:26,600 Some are making the hunt increasingly difficult for 258 00:31:26,600 --> 00:31:27,920 indigenous people. 259 00:31:31,200 --> 00:31:36,360 The forests of the Congo basin, deep in the heart of Central Africa. 260 00:31:38,520 --> 00:31:45,200 This immense natural jungle covers an area of 700,000 square miles. 261 00:31:47,720 --> 00:31:51,520 Referred to as the lungs of Africa, 262 00:31:51,520 --> 00:31:55,840 this vast natural wonder spans six countries. 263 00:31:57,280 --> 00:32:00,480 It contains around a quarter of the planet's surviving 264 00:32:00,480 --> 00:32:01,880 tropical rainforest. 265 00:32:03,280 --> 00:32:09,040 It is so dense that even today some parts remain uncharted territory. 266 00:32:11,280 --> 00:32:15,280 The tallest trees reach up to 60 metres into the sky. 267 00:32:17,040 --> 00:32:21,560 In the thickest areas, only 1% of sunlight reaches the ground. 268 00:32:26,200 --> 00:32:29,520 The forest is home to an incredible range of wildlife. 269 00:32:34,040 --> 00:32:38,360 And for at least 3,000 years, it has also been home to the 270 00:32:38,360 --> 00:32:39,920 Mbendjele people. 271 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:44,720 THEY CHANT 272 00:32:47,520 --> 00:32:51,480 The village of Mombelu. 273 00:32:51,480 --> 00:32:58,200 Over 60 miles from the nearest city and 30 miles from the nearest road. 274 00:32:58,200 --> 00:33:02,480 The Mbendjele are primarily hunter-gatherers. 275 00:33:02,480 --> 00:33:05,320 Most of what they eat comes from the forest. 276 00:33:08,160 --> 00:33:09,200 TRANSLATION: 277 00:33:20,640 --> 00:33:23,040 Niemu relies on his traditional hunting 278 00:33:23,040 --> 00:33:25,760 skills to catch much of their game. 279 00:33:28,080 --> 00:33:30,360 He is one of the top hunters in the village. 280 00:33:36,640 --> 00:33:39,120 But he hasn't been doing much hunting lately. 281 00:33:40,400 --> 00:33:43,080 His wife died a few months ago, 282 00:33:43,080 --> 00:33:45,840 leaving him alone with their three small children. 283 00:34:07,960 --> 00:34:10,200 Under Mbendjele custom, 284 00:34:10,200 --> 00:34:14,080 all sorts of restrictions are placed on the deceased's family. 285 00:34:14,080 --> 00:34:17,240 Niemu's not been allowed to wash or 286 00:34:17,240 --> 00:34:21,320 change his clothes for over six months 287 00:34:21,320 --> 00:34:23,280 and he's not been allowed to lead a hunt. 288 00:34:27,120 --> 00:34:30,280 But now, his mourning period has ended. 289 00:34:48,440 --> 00:34:50,760 The whole village needs to be involved. 290 00:34:52,320 --> 00:34:54,760 But according to tradition, 291 00:34:54,760 --> 00:34:58,880 everyone must be in agreement before embarking on a group activity. 292 00:35:16,400 --> 00:35:18,520 But democracy takes time. 293 00:35:37,720 --> 00:35:42,920 Finally, after two hours, everyone has had their say, 294 00:35:42,920 --> 00:35:44,440 and the hunt is on. 295 00:35:47,400 --> 00:35:50,120 The villagers are going to use a giant net. 296 00:35:51,360 --> 00:35:55,160 They are one of the last groups in Central Africa to hunt in this way. 297 00:36:06,000 --> 00:36:08,680 Woven from the bark of the liana tree, 298 00:36:08,680 --> 00:36:10,880 the nets can be hundreds of feet long. 299 00:36:14,200 --> 00:36:17,240 But before they can hunt, it must be repaired. 300 00:36:19,280 --> 00:36:21,360 Once the equipment's ready, 301 00:36:21,360 --> 00:36:23,920 it's time for the next stage of preparations. 302 00:36:43,720 --> 00:36:46,440 Before any major hunt can take place, 303 00:36:46,440 --> 00:36:50,440 a spirit of the forest must be summoned to aid the hunters. 304 00:37:01,320 --> 00:37:06,800 This is done with an elaborate ceremony called the mokondi massana. 305 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:15,480 One villager is shrouded in leaves 306 00:37:15,480 --> 00:37:18,400 to become the forest spirit and must 307 00:37:18,400 --> 00:37:20,880 be brought to life by the rest of the village. 308 00:37:24,200 --> 00:37:28,280 The better they sing and dance, the more meat they'll catch tomorrow. 309 00:37:55,920 --> 00:37:56,960 Next morning... 310 00:37:59,240 --> 00:38:02,880 ..the entire village sets out for the hunting grounds. 311 00:38:07,040 --> 00:38:08,560 THEY SING 312 00:38:23,040 --> 00:38:27,440 Niemu might be coordinating the hunting party, 313 00:38:27,440 --> 00:38:29,240 but everyone has a part to play. 314 00:38:48,440 --> 00:38:51,720 Net hunting is like dry land trawler fishing. 315 00:38:53,640 --> 00:38:56,960 Working as a team, they stretch their net between the trees. 316 00:39:07,920 --> 00:39:09,400 The trap is set. 317 00:39:09,400 --> 00:39:10,440 THEY SHOUT 318 00:39:21,440 --> 00:39:25,920 The men shouting will flush out any animals hiding in the undergrowth... 319 00:39:28,680 --> 00:39:30,160 ..driving them towards the net. 320 00:39:32,680 --> 00:39:34,960 The women wait behind the nets. 321 00:39:50,760 --> 00:39:52,760 An animal breaks cover... 322 00:39:56,680 --> 00:39:57,720 HE YELLS 323 00:40:03,080 --> 00:40:05,160 ..and runs straight into the trap. 324 00:40:08,160 --> 00:40:10,160 But it's only a small porcupine. 325 00:40:15,560 --> 00:40:19,520 And, unfortunately, the forest offers up nothing else. 326 00:40:22,320 --> 00:40:26,400 Slender pickings like this have become all too familiar for them 327 00:40:26,400 --> 00:40:28,040 over recent years. 328 00:40:32,600 --> 00:40:34,320 The demand for bush meat in the 329 00:40:34,320 --> 00:40:38,000 cities has seen the arrival of commercial hunters in the area. 330 00:40:39,800 --> 00:40:43,120 It's had an enormous impact on the animal population. 331 00:40:57,840 --> 00:41:00,000 The Central African rainforest is 332 00:41:00,000 --> 00:41:04,360 one of the world's most extraordinary natural wonders, 333 00:41:04,360 --> 00:41:07,800 but one where rapid change is affecting both the animals and the 334 00:41:07,800 --> 00:41:10,760 humans that call it home. 335 00:41:13,800 --> 00:41:18,920 Human development is encroaching on areas of wilderness in many parts of 336 00:41:18,920 --> 00:41:20,240 the world. 337 00:41:23,280 --> 00:41:27,400 And as the dramatic rise in population continues, 338 00:41:27,400 --> 00:41:32,840 expansion in some natural wonders is leaving people and animals competing 339 00:41:32,840 --> 00:41:34,480 for space. 340 00:41:37,560 --> 00:41:38,600 India. 341 00:41:40,160 --> 00:41:42,480 Marking its northern border, 342 00:41:42,480 --> 00:41:45,920 one of the most famous natural wonders on Earth... 343 00:41:48,720 --> 00:41:49,760 ..the Himalaya. 344 00:41:52,080 --> 00:41:55,720 Among the snow-capped peaks, vast glaciers have formed. 345 00:41:58,280 --> 00:42:02,320 And the meltwaters that flow down from the heights 346 00:42:02,320 --> 00:42:05,480 feed a web of forests and jungles lying below. 347 00:42:09,520 --> 00:42:11,800 These are the foothills of the Himalaya. 348 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:19,920 A beautiful tapestry of lush green valleys... 349 00:42:24,320 --> 00:42:27,360 ..home to an incredible range of animals. 350 00:42:30,280 --> 00:42:33,720 Not least among them, the Asian elephant. 351 00:42:38,520 --> 00:42:43,200 Every winter, hundreds of these animals come down from the mountain 352 00:42:43,200 --> 00:42:46,040 forests to the lowlands of Assam. 353 00:42:49,560 --> 00:42:51,240 But over the years, 354 00:42:51,240 --> 00:42:54,920 virgin forest has been cleared to make way for Assam's renowned 355 00:42:54,920 --> 00:42:56,600 tea plantations. 356 00:43:02,600 --> 00:43:05,880 An army of tea pickers have followed, 357 00:43:05,880 --> 00:43:09,560 and many of their homes lie directly on the elephants' 358 00:43:09,560 --> 00:43:11,480 ancient migration routes. 359 00:43:14,640 --> 00:43:17,000 It's a recipe for trouble. 360 00:43:17,000 --> 00:43:20,600 Elephants are drawn to the villages in search of food. 361 00:43:24,680 --> 00:43:28,560 In the process, trampling crops and damaging houses. 362 00:43:31,280 --> 00:43:36,320 Across Assam, elephants kill an average of 65 people every year. 363 00:43:41,560 --> 00:43:44,680 But the villagers of one region have a defence 364 00:43:44,680 --> 00:43:46,800 against the migrating herds. 365 00:43:50,240 --> 00:43:52,480 The elephant emergency service. 366 00:43:54,440 --> 00:43:58,600 A team of highly trained domesticated elephants known as 367 00:43:58,600 --> 00:44:00,560 kumkis and their riders. 368 00:44:04,960 --> 00:44:08,960 Bablu Thapa is one of them. He's a mahout, 369 00:44:08,960 --> 00:44:11,960 member of the ancient profession of elephant handlers. 370 00:44:15,000 --> 00:44:18,520 The bond between a mahout and his kumki runs deep. 371 00:44:21,240 --> 00:44:22,280 TRANSLATION: 372 00:44:28,680 --> 00:44:32,880 Bablu is able to communicate with the kumkis because they understand 373 00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:34,840 up to 30 commands. 374 00:44:42,640 --> 00:44:45,720 And he knows just how to get the best from them. 375 00:45:03,120 --> 00:45:05,400 The mahouts and their kumkis work 376 00:45:05,400 --> 00:45:08,440 alongside Assam's forestry department to 377 00:45:08,440 --> 00:45:12,600 protect 100 villages spread over 240 square miles. 378 00:45:13,680 --> 00:45:16,640 HE SPEAKS OWN LANGUAGE 379 00:45:16,640 --> 00:45:18,760 They're on stand-by to deal with 380 00:45:18,760 --> 00:45:21,560 wild elephant emergencies 24 hours a day. 381 00:45:26,720 --> 00:45:29,360 It's November, and the elephant 382 00:45:29,360 --> 00:45:32,360 migration season is at its absolute peak. 383 00:45:32,360 --> 00:45:34,520 The HQ's on high alert. 384 00:45:38,760 --> 00:45:41,000 When villagers spot wild elephants 385 00:45:41,000 --> 00:45:43,520 approaching their homes, they call HQ. 386 00:45:49,480 --> 00:45:51,840 A pair of kumkis are immediately dispatched 387 00:45:51,840 --> 00:45:55,400 to protect the concerned villagers. 388 00:45:55,400 --> 00:45:58,360 For Bablu and the elephant emergency service, 389 00:45:58,360 --> 00:46:00,280 it's often a race against time. 390 00:46:01,720 --> 00:46:04,040 Bablu and the kumkis usually go by 391 00:46:04,040 --> 00:46:06,720 the most direct route across country. 392 00:46:11,600 --> 00:46:16,600 On this terrain, it can take several hours to reach a village 393 00:46:16,600 --> 00:46:19,920 and, until they arrive, the villagers are on their own. 394 00:46:24,040 --> 00:46:28,400 At Sesa, the villagers have counted around 30 elephants approaching. 395 00:46:30,760 --> 00:46:33,040 But as elephants are a protected species, 396 00:46:33,040 --> 00:46:37,040 it's illegal for the villagers to use force to defend their homes. 397 00:46:38,960 --> 00:46:42,560 When Bablu and the kumkis arrive, they rely on a more subtle 398 00:46:42,560 --> 00:46:47,360 technique to drive wild herds away, elephant psychology. 399 00:46:50,240 --> 00:46:52,840 Elephants live in tight family groups 400 00:46:52,840 --> 00:46:56,440 and, as a rule, they will avoid conflict with rival groups. 401 00:46:59,200 --> 00:47:03,240 So, the mahouts use the kumkis to confront the wild elephants and 402 00:47:03,240 --> 00:47:05,280 drive them away from villages. 403 00:47:06,520 --> 00:47:10,200 That's the theory, but first they have to get there. 404 00:47:15,840 --> 00:47:18,160 In the meantime, it's up to villagers 405 00:47:18,160 --> 00:47:21,400 to do what they can to keep wild herds at bay. 406 00:47:21,400 --> 00:47:22,440 THEY YELL 407 00:47:39,240 --> 00:47:43,440 They make as much noise as possible, banging drums, shouting and 408 00:47:43,440 --> 00:47:46,480 throwing firecrackers, to attempt to scare the elephants. 409 00:47:51,480 --> 00:47:54,640 The danger is, this can enrage the wild animals. 410 00:48:17,120 --> 00:48:19,000 As soon as the emergency service 411 00:48:19,000 --> 00:48:22,440 arrives at a village, they quickly assess the situation. 412 00:48:23,680 --> 00:48:27,800 Usually, they will look for a dominant animal in the wild herd. 413 00:48:27,800 --> 00:48:31,080 If they can turn them away, the rest of the herd will follow. 414 00:48:32,680 --> 00:48:36,320 But tonight, as Bablu tries to get in position, 415 00:48:36,320 --> 00:48:41,400 a group of young male elephants starts stampeding. 416 00:48:41,400 --> 00:48:45,800 Bablu's kumki has been specially selected and trained for its 417 00:48:45,800 --> 00:48:47,520 dominant temperament. 418 00:48:48,840 --> 00:48:52,880 With Bablu riding high, making as much noise as he can, they confront 419 00:48:52,880 --> 00:48:54,360 the wild herd. 420 00:48:57,760 --> 00:49:01,480 He's trying to intimidate them and drive them away from the village. 421 00:49:05,160 --> 00:49:08,200 Now he has to get right in amongst the wild animals. 422 00:49:10,080 --> 00:49:11,720 He rams one of the smaller males. 423 00:49:21,200 --> 00:49:23,080 It's enough to move him away from 424 00:49:23,080 --> 00:49:26,080 the villagers and back towards his herd. 425 00:49:29,160 --> 00:49:32,280 Bablu stays in hot pursuit, just to make certain. 426 00:49:35,400 --> 00:49:39,880 And sure enough, the rest of the wild herd turn and retreat. 427 00:49:47,760 --> 00:49:50,680 For tonight, at least, the danger has passed. 428 00:49:50,680 --> 00:49:54,960 Bablu and the elephant emergency service have done their job. 429 00:50:10,840 --> 00:50:13,800 The inhabitants of Sesa village can sleep safe. 430 00:50:15,520 --> 00:50:19,320 But in the morning comes a sobering discovery. 431 00:50:19,320 --> 00:50:21,240 One of the young wild elephants 432 00:50:21,240 --> 00:50:25,120 got trapped in a ditch and died during the chaos of the night. 433 00:50:28,160 --> 00:50:30,880 Despite the trouble they sometimes cause, 434 00:50:30,880 --> 00:50:33,880 elephants are revered in Indian culture 435 00:50:33,880 --> 00:50:38,440 and the death of one calls for prayer and a respectful burial. 436 00:50:41,320 --> 00:50:45,640 It's a poignant reminder of the consequences of humans and animals 437 00:50:45,640 --> 00:50:48,160 competing for the same living space. 438 00:50:53,040 --> 00:50:56,240 Change is affecting many of Earth's natural wonders. 439 00:51:00,600 --> 00:51:03,160 People are having to use all their skills... 440 00:51:04,800 --> 00:51:08,040 ..and courage in order to survive. 441 00:51:11,280 --> 00:51:14,320 It's testimony to human resilience 442 00:51:14,320 --> 00:51:17,400 that, or the time being, at least, many 443 00:51:17,400 --> 00:51:20,080 continue to endure in the extraordinary 444 00:51:20,080 --> 00:51:22,760 natural wonders they call home. 445 00:51:32,080 --> 00:51:36,560 To find and film one of the last remaining examples of net hunting 446 00:51:36,560 --> 00:51:38,080 was a huge challenge. 447 00:51:38,080 --> 00:51:39,600 But as it turned out, 448 00:51:39,600 --> 00:51:44,800 the biggest problem was transporting 25 boxes of filming equipment to the 449 00:51:44,800 --> 00:51:47,120 heart of the Central African rainforest. 450 00:51:50,960 --> 00:51:53,640 The first part of the journey is fairly straightforward. 451 00:51:54,960 --> 00:51:57,080 But then they reach the Motaba River. 452 00:51:58,840 --> 00:52:02,920 With kit weighing over 150 kilos, it's obvious they are going to need 453 00:52:02,920 --> 00:52:04,560 more than one boat. 454 00:52:09,400 --> 00:52:11,280 She looks pretty sturdy, actually. 455 00:52:11,280 --> 00:52:14,160 Quite robust. We're going to pile it high with all our kit and... 456 00:52:15,600 --> 00:52:17,840 ..I think it's about five hours down the river. 457 00:52:17,840 --> 00:52:20,440 This is where it gets really, really interesting. 458 00:52:24,600 --> 00:52:28,560 It's early afternoon by the time the two boats set off. 459 00:52:28,560 --> 00:52:32,600 As this is such a remote area, miles from any hospital, 460 00:52:32,600 --> 00:52:35,120 the team have hired an ex-Army paratrooper 461 00:52:35,120 --> 00:52:37,120 and wilderness medic Tom Bodkin. 462 00:52:39,760 --> 00:52:41,640 We've been on the river for two hours already. 463 00:52:41,640 --> 00:52:45,600 Another hour, an hour and a half, to go and we just want to get there in 464 00:52:45,600 --> 00:52:49,120 good time. We've got a whole camp to build before dark, basically. 465 00:52:49,120 --> 00:52:53,360 So, it's never-ending this journey but, hopefully, we'll be there soon. 466 00:53:17,280 --> 00:53:18,320 I think we're there. 467 00:53:29,560 --> 00:53:34,000 Five days and several thousand miles from home, the crew, at least, 468 00:53:34,000 --> 00:53:35,480 finally arrive. 469 00:53:35,480 --> 00:53:37,160 Home for the next two weeks, eh? 470 00:53:42,560 --> 00:53:44,120 All being well, 471 00:53:44,120 --> 00:53:47,080 the boat with all the camera kit shouldn't be far behind. 472 00:53:51,160 --> 00:53:52,960 So, with the light rapidly fading, 473 00:53:52,960 --> 00:53:55,200 they get stuck into building their camp. 474 00:54:04,200 --> 00:54:06,360 As darkness falls, it becomes 475 00:54:06,360 --> 00:54:09,280 apparent they have a serious problem. 476 00:54:09,280 --> 00:54:11,120 Yeah, well, if we left at two, OK, 477 00:54:11,120 --> 00:54:13,920 it's a five-hour journey for them under normal conditions, right? 478 00:54:13,920 --> 00:54:17,760 So that brings us up to seven o'clock, yeah? 479 00:54:17,760 --> 00:54:20,560 OK, so, let's reduce the speed by half once it got dark, 480 00:54:20,560 --> 00:54:23,920 so they're two and a half hours late and it's dark. 481 00:54:23,920 --> 00:54:28,040 The missing boat is carrying most of their filming equipment and all 482 00:54:28,040 --> 00:54:29,920 their spare fuel. 483 00:54:29,920 --> 00:54:33,880 But launching a search party in the dark is extremely risky. 484 00:54:33,880 --> 00:54:35,360 So, I think what we need to do is 485 00:54:35,360 --> 00:54:37,320 make a decision whether we do something 486 00:54:37,320 --> 00:54:39,960 tonight, or we wait till it's light in the morning, basically. 487 00:54:39,960 --> 00:54:42,120 If they've pulled in, just at the side to the bank, 488 00:54:42,120 --> 00:54:44,560 we could very easily miss them in the dark. 489 00:54:44,560 --> 00:54:47,640 Unless they've abandoned it and know that there's a village 490 00:54:47,640 --> 00:54:50,400 and walked to a village. And worst-case scenario, if it's 491 00:54:50,400 --> 00:54:53,560 capsized, all our kit's gone as well. 492 00:54:53,560 --> 00:54:57,320 Hopefully, they're just broken down. 493 00:54:57,320 --> 00:55:00,520 We're responsible for everyone's welfare and 494 00:55:00,520 --> 00:55:03,720 we can't leave people on the river unaccounted for. 495 00:55:03,720 --> 00:55:07,160 So, you know, I don't care about the cameras and the chargers and things, 496 00:55:07,160 --> 00:55:10,440 we need to find out that everyone's safe and get them in. 497 00:55:11,680 --> 00:55:15,400 They decide they have no option but to retrace their route and try to 498 00:55:15,400 --> 00:55:17,720 find the missing boat. 499 00:55:20,240 --> 00:55:23,800 But it isn't long before they quite literally run into a problem. 500 00:55:28,240 --> 00:55:33,240 Is that all right? That made a proper noise. 501 00:55:33,240 --> 00:55:34,760 They've struck a log. 502 00:55:40,240 --> 00:55:43,240 If they've holed the boat, or damaged the engines, 503 00:55:43,240 --> 00:55:44,600 they'll be in big trouble. 504 00:55:48,040 --> 00:55:50,000 Fortunately, everything is fine. 505 00:55:52,600 --> 00:55:54,640 But they still have to find the missing boat. 506 00:56:00,080 --> 00:56:03,400 Take it nice and gently. Just get there in the end. 507 00:56:05,120 --> 00:56:07,760 Half an hour later, there is still no sign of it. 508 00:56:09,880 --> 00:56:11,720 And they are now running low on fuel. 509 00:56:20,760 --> 00:56:23,160 Just when they're thinking they'll have to turn back... 510 00:56:26,920 --> 00:56:27,960 Is this them? 511 00:56:29,960 --> 00:56:33,560 Thomas? Thomas? Ca va? Oui, ca va. 512 00:56:35,160 --> 00:56:36,400 Tres bien. 513 00:56:36,400 --> 00:56:38,520 Luckily, we've just found the other boat, 514 00:56:38,520 --> 00:56:40,960 which is a huge relief, and they're absolutely fine, 515 00:56:40,960 --> 00:56:43,080 there's no problems with them at all. 516 00:56:43,080 --> 00:56:45,720 The reason for the delay is soon apparent. 517 00:56:48,840 --> 00:56:51,160 So, we just noticed that they've changed the motor, 518 00:56:51,160 --> 00:56:54,520 so there's obviously been an issue with the engine and they've picked 519 00:56:54,520 --> 00:56:57,000 up a new engine at another village just upstream. 520 00:57:01,080 --> 00:57:04,920 Together, both boats make their way back upriver to the village. 521 00:57:09,200 --> 00:57:11,520 Yeah, this is really good news. 522 00:57:11,520 --> 00:57:14,600 The main thing is the guys are safe, so we've got the full team together. 523 00:57:16,080 --> 00:57:17,440 But all the kit has turned up. 524 00:57:17,440 --> 00:57:21,480 We've got everything we need, all the cameras, the charging stuff, 525 00:57:21,480 --> 00:57:25,000 so we can make a film and it means tomorrow we can just get on with it. 526 00:57:26,240 --> 00:57:31,840 The team went on to have a fantastic shoot with the Mbendjele, 527 00:57:31,840 --> 00:57:35,080 capturing one of the last groups net hunting in this part 528 00:57:35,080 --> 00:57:37,760 of the African rainforest. 529 00:57:43,960 --> 00:57:49,440 Next time, in some of Earth's most stunning natural wonders, 530 00:57:49,440 --> 00:57:53,800 people must push themselves to the limit in order to survive... 531 00:57:55,240 --> 00:57:57,280 ..against the odds. 532 00:58:00,160 --> 00:58:01,200 Don't move.