1 00:00:03,240 --> 00:00:08,320 Across our planet there are a few awe-inspiring places 2 00:00:08,320 --> 00:00:11,560 that just take your breath away. 3 00:00:11,560 --> 00:00:13,880 We call them natural wonders. 4 00:00:16,040 --> 00:00:19,040 And for the people who live in them, 5 00:00:19,040 --> 00:00:22,320 these places pose extraordinary challenges. 6 00:00:25,440 --> 00:00:29,920 On the Earth's greatest waterfall, four brothers' lives 7 00:00:29,920 --> 00:00:34,120 depend on a journey to the very edge. 8 00:00:36,120 --> 00:00:41,360 In the planet's biggest river delta, desperate men face killer bees 9 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:46,400 and man-eating tigers in a search for golden treasure. 10 00:00:49,080 --> 00:00:52,720 On the world's largest grassland, 11 00:00:52,720 --> 00:00:57,800 a boy's future rests on the outcome of a single race. 12 00:01:02,960 --> 00:01:05,800 And in our planet's richest ocean reef, 13 00:01:06,960 --> 00:01:09,040 a guardian must hunt down a giant... 14 00:01:11,600 --> 00:01:13,200 ..in order to save it. 15 00:01:16,160 --> 00:01:19,680 This is the story of these wonders, 16 00:01:19,680 --> 00:01:22,000 and of the people fighting to survive... 17 00:01:23,720 --> 00:01:25,040 ..and even triumph... 18 00:01:28,160 --> 00:01:30,600 ..in these astonishing places. 19 00:01:43,320 --> 00:01:47,360 Seen from space, there are some wonders which stand out 20 00:01:47,360 --> 00:01:48,760 because of their scale. 21 00:01:50,840 --> 00:01:57,360 They are the largest, the widest, or simply immeasurable, 22 00:01:57,360 --> 00:02:02,720 and these vast wonders also push their inhabitants to the limits. 23 00:02:10,680 --> 00:02:16,880 Deep in Southern Africa, the mighty Zambezi river. 24 00:02:16,880 --> 00:02:20,800 Over five million years, it's worn away a tiny crack in the ground... 25 00:02:22,960 --> 00:02:25,160 ..and created this. 26 00:02:30,200 --> 00:02:32,920 Victoria Falls. 27 00:02:34,400 --> 00:02:37,040 Plunging 100 vertical metres, 28 00:02:37,040 --> 00:02:40,520 this natural wonder is higher than Niagara and twice as wide. 29 00:02:45,200 --> 00:02:50,280 Victoria Falls is the largest curtain of falling water on Earth. 30 00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:56,760 And unsurprisingly, 31 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:00,800 the very edge is one of the most dangerous places imaginable... 32 00:03:02,720 --> 00:03:04,320 ..to fish. 33 00:03:11,320 --> 00:03:14,360 But this is the torrent the villagers of Songwe, 34 00:03:14,360 --> 00:03:17,120 15 miles away, will need to brave. 35 00:03:20,200 --> 00:03:24,080 Village elder Josephat Chuma will lead the expedition. 36 00:03:35,520 --> 00:03:36,880 It's dry season, 37 00:03:36,880 --> 00:03:39,840 and the local village fishing spots are fished out. 38 00:03:41,360 --> 00:03:43,960 But Josephat believes fish can still be found 39 00:03:43,960 --> 00:03:46,680 where the water is fast-flowing, 40 00:03:46,680 --> 00:03:51,560 so he will lead his three brothers to the edge of the falls. 41 00:04:13,880 --> 00:04:18,720 To reach their destination, the brothers must face many dangers. 42 00:04:20,520 --> 00:04:25,040 First, they have to cross a creek infested with crocodiles. 43 00:05:28,000 --> 00:05:29,320 They make it across. 44 00:05:31,720 --> 00:05:33,640 But now there's a bigger threat. 45 00:05:42,160 --> 00:05:44,960 During dry season, elephants come to the river 46 00:05:44,960 --> 00:05:48,120 from the now-arid plains that surround it. 47 00:05:48,120 --> 00:05:51,680 They are territorial and volatile animals. 48 00:06:16,840 --> 00:06:18,280 ELEPHANT TRUMPETS 49 00:06:18,280 --> 00:06:24,240 Two years ago, Josephat's brother Mateyo saw his friend killed by one. 50 00:06:24,240 --> 00:06:26,680 ELEPHANT TRUMPETS 51 00:06:34,840 --> 00:06:38,440 ELEPHANT TRUMPETS 52 00:06:44,120 --> 00:06:46,880 ELEPHANT GROWLS 53 00:06:49,240 --> 00:06:53,160 They hold their nerve and slip past. 54 00:06:57,320 --> 00:07:01,400 But beyond the elephants, there's a danger greater than any animal. 55 00:07:07,120 --> 00:07:08,600 The torrent itself. 56 00:07:14,080 --> 00:07:18,440 Josephat knows the best place to fish is a rocky outcrop 57 00:07:18,440 --> 00:07:20,640 just metres from the edge of the falls. 58 00:07:25,440 --> 00:07:29,600 At peak flow, eight million gallons a second rush over it. 59 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:36,760 There is just one narrow route through the river, 60 00:07:36,760 --> 00:07:39,560 where the current should be slack enough to wade. 61 00:07:48,040 --> 00:07:51,440 If they stray a few steps either side, 62 00:07:51,440 --> 00:07:53,840 the water could sweep them over the falls. 63 00:08:07,120 --> 00:08:10,640 And two of Josephat's brothers can't swim. 64 00:08:14,120 --> 00:08:17,040 Halfway across, the brothers freeze. 65 00:08:54,520 --> 00:09:00,120 For most of the year, access to this outcrop is impossible, 66 00:09:00,120 --> 00:09:04,640 but during the dry season, the water level drops just enough to 67 00:09:04,640 --> 00:09:07,440 open up the one route the men took to get here. 68 00:09:15,120 --> 00:09:19,080 In this fast-flowing water, there's no crocodiles... 69 00:09:20,920 --> 00:09:22,040 ..no elephants... 70 00:09:23,680 --> 00:09:26,720 ..there's just fish. 71 00:09:26,720 --> 00:09:27,800 Lots of them. 72 00:10:01,840 --> 00:10:05,200 For the people who have made the biggest wonders their home, 73 00:10:05,200 --> 00:10:08,200 the rewards can be great, 74 00:10:08,200 --> 00:10:12,360 even if their treasures are accessible only to the very bravest. 75 00:10:15,880 --> 00:10:19,760 Between India and Bangladesh, there is another such wonder. 76 00:10:22,000 --> 00:10:26,120 The Ganges river opens out into a vast delta, the biggest 77 00:10:26,120 --> 00:10:31,520 on the planet, 2,500 kilometres wide where it meets the sea. 78 00:10:33,800 --> 00:10:37,600 At its heart lies the vast forest of the Sundarbans... 79 00:10:39,440 --> 00:10:45,880 its channels and islands, dominated by a single type of tree. 80 00:10:45,880 --> 00:10:49,400 This is the largest mangrove forest on Earth. 81 00:10:51,720 --> 00:10:54,680 And lurking within, 82 00:10:54,680 --> 00:10:58,040 there's something terrorising the local people. 83 00:11:27,160 --> 00:11:30,880 The men dared to venture into the Earth's most dangerous forest, 84 00:11:32,560 --> 00:11:34,440 lured in by its riches. 85 00:11:43,880 --> 00:11:48,040 These are the Mogli people of Bangladesh. 86 00:11:48,040 --> 00:11:52,000 24-year-old Jelal Udin is leaving his young family 87 00:11:52,000 --> 00:11:54,680 to make the most hazardous journey of his life. 88 00:12:13,120 --> 00:12:18,560 His goal is to collect the Sundarbans' golden treasure, honey. 89 00:12:22,040 --> 00:12:26,200 This will be Jelal's first time collecting honey. 90 00:12:26,200 --> 00:12:29,120 His father will lead the expedition. 91 00:12:37,080 --> 00:12:41,040 It's a terrifying journey, because every year in the Sundarbans, 92 00:12:41,040 --> 00:12:45,000 up to 150 people are killed by a fearsome predator. 93 00:12:51,880 --> 00:12:53,400 The Royal Bengal tiger. 94 00:12:56,840 --> 00:12:59,280 HE GROWLS 95 00:13:06,200 --> 00:13:09,240 Because of the risks, honey hunting is controlled, 96 00:13:09,240 --> 00:13:11,800 restricted to just a fortnight every year. 97 00:13:13,960 --> 00:13:15,800 So competition is fierce. 98 00:13:17,160 --> 00:13:20,560 When the season officially opens, 99 00:13:20,560 --> 00:13:24,080 it's a race to claim the best locations to find hives. 100 00:13:42,480 --> 00:13:45,240 The men are entering a maze of mangroves with 101 00:13:45,240 --> 00:13:50,840 thousands of channels, patrolled by 400 tigers - 102 00:13:50,840 --> 00:13:53,240 the largest concentration on the planet. 103 00:14:17,440 --> 00:14:22,640 THEY SHOUT 104 00:14:22,640 --> 00:14:26,080 The men hope their shouts will keep tigers at bay. 105 00:14:29,520 --> 00:14:34,000 Jelal is now entering the dark heart of the Sundarbans, 106 00:14:34,000 --> 00:14:39,240 a vast wonder created by a single plant, the mangrove tree. 107 00:14:42,080 --> 00:14:45,800 Their snorkel-like roots can draw oxygen directly from the air. 108 00:14:47,800 --> 00:14:51,720 It means they can thrive in the tidal mud where other trees struggle. 109 00:14:53,400 --> 00:14:58,600 And their flowers are pollinated by the very thing Jelal seeks, 110 00:14:58,600 --> 00:15:00,760 the giant Asian honey bee. 111 00:15:04,600 --> 00:15:07,360 But there is another animal which thrives here. 112 00:15:19,400 --> 00:15:22,120 The fresh tiger prints are everywhere. 113 00:15:22,120 --> 00:15:28,520 THEY SHOUT 114 00:15:54,640 --> 00:15:58,200 The crew have risked their lives for nothing. 115 00:16:28,120 --> 00:16:29,840 With fresh water running out, 116 00:16:29,840 --> 00:16:33,800 they have one last day to find some honey. 117 00:16:40,760 --> 00:16:44,080 But the Sundarbans is not the only vast natural wonder 118 00:16:44,080 --> 00:16:46,440 shaped by a single plant. 119 00:16:49,640 --> 00:16:52,120 From Eastern Europe to Mongolia, 120 00:16:52,120 --> 00:16:55,600 the Eurasian steppe straddles almost a quarter of the globe. 121 00:17:01,160 --> 00:17:05,920 The steppe only gets around 20 centimetres of rain a year, 122 00:17:05,920 --> 00:17:09,600 not enough for most trees to survive. 123 00:17:09,600 --> 00:17:12,320 Instead, it's a living wonder... 124 00:17:14,680 --> 00:17:20,040 ..of grass - the largest habitat on Earth. 125 00:17:21,920 --> 00:17:24,040 For the nomads of Mongolia, 126 00:17:24,040 --> 00:17:26,840 grass feeds the cattle on which they depend. 127 00:17:28,560 --> 00:17:31,680 And the horses they use to herd them. 128 00:17:39,160 --> 00:17:43,320 Bat Aden is a 16-year-old herder, 129 00:17:43,320 --> 00:17:46,040 but he wants to be a horse breeder, 130 00:17:46,040 --> 00:17:50,360 and the horse he's trying to catch could make that dream come true. 131 00:17:52,520 --> 00:17:55,520 Because tomorrow, it will compete in the biggest 132 00:17:55,520 --> 00:17:57,120 horse race in the province. 133 00:18:22,480 --> 00:18:28,360 Last year, Bat Aden was a winning jockey in national races, 134 00:18:28,360 --> 00:18:30,280 but he has a problem. 135 00:18:30,280 --> 00:18:35,480 Mongolian racehorses are small and the rider's weight is crucial. 136 00:18:35,480 --> 00:18:40,920 This year, Bat Aden is too heavy to race. 137 00:18:40,920 --> 00:18:44,160 So he had to find another jockey to take his place. 138 00:19:05,520 --> 00:19:09,120 Seven-year-old Sukhbat will ride for his cousin. 139 00:19:29,720 --> 00:19:31,720 It's their last training session. 140 00:19:52,760 --> 00:19:54,360 HORSE WHINNIES 141 00:20:08,240 --> 00:20:10,800 HE LAUGHS 142 00:20:16,440 --> 00:20:19,320 The race will be a big moment for Bat Aden's family. 143 00:20:43,920 --> 00:20:45,440 Race day. 144 00:20:50,240 --> 00:20:52,600 Today's event is being held to honour 145 00:20:52,600 --> 00:20:55,200 the birthday of the steppe's most famous son. 146 00:20:56,960 --> 00:20:58,440 Genghis Khan. 147 00:21:05,080 --> 00:21:09,160 In charge of the race is the most powerful man in the province, 148 00:21:09,160 --> 00:21:10,840 Governor Oidoff. 149 00:21:19,880 --> 00:21:23,560 And for Bat Aden and Sukhbat, there's a new challenge. 150 00:21:25,360 --> 00:21:29,720 The governor's eight-year-old son Nyambyar is a late entry. 151 00:21:45,200 --> 00:21:48,680 The riders need to canter to the start line 5km away. 152 00:21:53,360 --> 00:21:55,920 They will then turn and the race will begin. 153 00:22:01,720 --> 00:22:03,560 THEY SHOUT 154 00:22:05,480 --> 00:22:08,880 The more experienced riders have kept to the firmer ground 155 00:22:08,880 --> 00:22:10,440 and made a good start. 156 00:22:12,880 --> 00:22:17,560 But seven-year-old Sukhbat finds himself near the back. 157 00:22:17,560 --> 00:22:20,240 HE SPEAKS HIS OWN LANGUAGE 158 00:22:23,840 --> 00:22:26,800 The leading pack has gained a huge advantage 159 00:22:26,800 --> 00:22:28,920 and the governor's son is among them. 160 00:22:35,320 --> 00:22:39,720 Sukhbat begins to close the gap, passing more experienced riders. 161 00:22:39,720 --> 00:22:42,800 SHOUTING AND CHEERING 162 00:22:46,040 --> 00:22:49,320 But the leaders are already approaching the finish line. 163 00:22:51,080 --> 00:22:53,560 The governor's son is pushing for victory. 164 00:22:59,160 --> 00:23:00,520 But finishes second. 165 00:23:02,480 --> 00:23:05,440 Just behind, Sukhbat is on the home stretch. 166 00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:09,080 THEY CHEER 167 00:23:10,080 --> 00:23:12,880 The pace has proved too much for other riders, 168 00:23:12,880 --> 00:23:15,680 and some have fallen but are unhurt. 169 00:23:18,560 --> 00:23:20,440 As the finish line approaches, 170 00:23:20,440 --> 00:23:23,600 Sukhbat must resist a late charge by his closest rival. 171 00:23:31,480 --> 00:23:32,880 He's pipped at the post. 172 00:23:42,200 --> 00:23:47,520 Sukhbat's done well in his first race and finished in the top six. 173 00:24:13,520 --> 00:24:15,880 Bat Aden's people and their horses 174 00:24:15,880 --> 00:24:19,960 have been bound together on the great steppe for hundreds of years. 175 00:24:21,600 --> 00:24:27,000 It's a partnership shaped and sustained by one type of life - 176 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:28,160 grass. 177 00:24:35,680 --> 00:24:38,000 Back in the giant mangrove forest of the Sundarbans, 178 00:24:38,000 --> 00:24:40,880 Jelal has one last day to find the honey 179 00:24:40,880 --> 00:24:43,920 and avoid returning home empty handed. 180 00:25:00,800 --> 00:25:02,560 They must move quickly. 181 00:25:02,560 --> 00:25:04,160 In a channel this narrow, 182 00:25:04,160 --> 00:25:07,160 there's a risk of being stranded by the outgoing tide. 183 00:25:07,160 --> 00:25:10,640 THEY SHOUT 184 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:22,520 THEY SHOUT 185 00:25:31,280 --> 00:25:33,400 ALL SHOUT: Aaaaah! 186 00:25:33,400 --> 00:25:35,680 Ah, la-la-AAAH! 187 00:25:46,520 --> 00:25:50,880 Guarding the hive are thousands of giant Asian bees. 188 00:25:50,880 --> 00:25:54,600 Their sting is many times more toxic than the common British bee. 189 00:25:56,840 --> 00:26:00,280 If they swarm and attack, they'll kill. 190 00:26:02,440 --> 00:26:05,240 The men hope smoke will make the bees docile. 191 00:26:08,120 --> 00:26:09,960 This is Jelal's moment. 192 00:26:24,520 --> 00:26:29,440 To be accepted as a full member of the crew, he must conquer his terror. 193 00:27:16,840 --> 00:27:20,520 He leaves enough honeycomb for the bees to rebuild their hive. 194 00:27:37,720 --> 00:27:41,280 The honey they've collected will earn Jelal 60... 195 00:27:43,280 --> 00:27:46,440 ..enough to make a big difference over the coming year. 196 00:28:10,000 --> 00:28:13,240 The people, the bees and the mangroves 197 00:28:13,240 --> 00:28:17,320 are bound together in an extraordinary relationship 198 00:28:17,320 --> 00:28:18,840 in the Sundarbans, 199 00:28:18,840 --> 00:28:24,480 a vast wonder of great bounty, but also great danger. 200 00:28:29,720 --> 00:28:34,000 With the very biggest of Earth's wonders, even small changes 201 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:37,440 can sometimes transform the lives of those who live there. 202 00:28:40,280 --> 00:28:42,280 Flowing through south America... 203 00:28:44,480 --> 00:28:46,200 ..the mighty Amazon river. 204 00:28:48,160 --> 00:28:53,680 One fifth of all river water on the planet travels through it 205 00:28:53,680 --> 00:28:58,040 and every year, this gargantuan wonder overflows 206 00:28:58,040 --> 00:29:02,840 and bursts its banks, altering everything. 207 00:29:04,640 --> 00:29:08,160 For two months, it means the great forests on either side 208 00:29:08,160 --> 00:29:11,000 change from being dry land... 209 00:29:12,640 --> 00:29:14,360 ..to a magical water world... 210 00:29:18,880 --> 00:29:21,120 ...where fish swim through the trees. 211 00:29:24,400 --> 00:29:29,400 A vast flooded forest, covering an area the size of Great Britain. 212 00:29:32,640 --> 00:29:36,280 For the river people, this flooding brings with it something 213 00:29:36,280 --> 00:29:37,800 that could change their lives. 214 00:29:42,720 --> 00:29:46,160 An ancient leviathan the length of two men. 215 00:29:49,720 --> 00:29:52,800 One of the world's largest species of fish. 216 00:29:54,840 --> 00:29:57,520 The pirarucu. 217 00:29:57,520 --> 00:30:02,240 When the Amazon floods, the pirarucu can enter the forest to feed. 218 00:30:06,160 --> 00:30:10,360 Weighing up to 150 kilos, 219 00:30:10,360 --> 00:30:12,760 it's very valuable for Amazon fishermen. 220 00:30:16,240 --> 00:30:19,480 For Joao Edson, catching one will mean 221 00:30:19,480 --> 00:30:21,680 he can afford to make ends meet. 222 00:30:30,880 --> 00:30:33,120 To protect pirarucu numbers, 223 00:30:33,120 --> 00:30:36,680 the Brazilian government allows only a short fishing season. 224 00:30:38,600 --> 00:30:40,960 That window will close in just two days. 225 00:30:47,200 --> 00:30:50,840 Joao and his neighbours work as a team. 226 00:30:50,840 --> 00:30:54,720 They hunt pirarucu not with rod and line, 227 00:30:54,720 --> 00:30:57,600 but the traditional way - 228 00:30:57,600 --> 00:31:01,280 from trees, with harpoons. 229 00:31:15,760 --> 00:31:20,080 The pirarucu is unusual, because it breathes air, 230 00:31:20,080 --> 00:31:23,320 so the men know that at some point, the fish must surface. 231 00:31:25,280 --> 00:31:27,120 They just don't know when. 232 00:31:59,120 --> 00:32:00,160 He's missed. 233 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,000 And now the fish knows he's there. 234 00:32:10,680 --> 00:32:14,240 Joao has failed to catch a single pirarucu this year. 235 00:32:16,720 --> 00:32:20,160 With one day left of the season, it's a crisis for his family. 236 00:32:38,600 --> 00:32:42,760 7:00am, and it's the fishermen's last chance. 237 00:32:42,760 --> 00:32:45,920 They head back into the flooded forest. 238 00:32:45,920 --> 00:32:49,480 Heavy rains this year have made the water especially murky. 239 00:32:55,520 --> 00:33:01,400 Despite this, one of the men has finally harpooned a pirarucu, 240 00:33:01,400 --> 00:33:05,080 but it's so strong, it's wrenched the harpoon from his hands 241 00:33:05,080 --> 00:33:06,960 and swum to the bottom. 242 00:33:12,040 --> 00:33:16,440 To lose it now would be a disaster but they can't find it. 243 00:33:20,920 --> 00:33:24,640 They call Joao over. They desperately need HIS help. 244 00:33:46,200 --> 00:33:48,520 Joao can do something extraordinary. 245 00:33:50,640 --> 00:33:54,440 Years of experience mean he can locate the fish 246 00:33:54,440 --> 00:33:56,160 with an unusual skill. 247 00:34:10,240 --> 00:34:16,000 Joao can track pirarucu underwater by tasting where it is. 248 00:34:19,480 --> 00:34:20,520 He's found it. 249 00:34:21,640 --> 00:34:26,200 THEY SPEAK THEIR OWN LANGUAGE 250 00:34:26,200 --> 00:34:31,560 THEY EXCLAIM 251 00:34:35,080 --> 00:34:38,040 It's one of the biggest they've ever caught. 252 00:34:44,400 --> 00:34:46,200 After it's gutted, 253 00:34:46,200 --> 00:34:50,320 they sell the catch at market, a day's travel away. 254 00:35:03,440 --> 00:35:05,720 The village split the money. 255 00:35:05,720 --> 00:35:08,360 It'll keep them going until next year, 256 00:35:08,360 --> 00:35:15,000 when the world's biggest river will again create its vast flooded jungle 257 00:35:15,000 --> 00:35:19,480 and the fishermen can hunt this extraordinary fish once more. 258 00:35:26,320 --> 00:35:32,560 Seen from space, the Amazon is a very obvious natural wonder, 259 00:35:32,560 --> 00:35:36,800 but even when they are huge, not all wonders are so easy to spot. 260 00:35:40,000 --> 00:35:45,560 The Raja Ampat archipelago in Indonesia is a paradise 261 00:35:45,560 --> 00:35:48,080 of tropical islands, 262 00:35:48,080 --> 00:35:50,960 but the true wonder here lies not on the surface... 263 00:35:54,720 --> 00:35:56,680 ..but hidden beneath. 264 00:36:03,280 --> 00:36:06,800 The vast reefs here are the richest on Earth. 265 00:36:10,200 --> 00:36:12,640 With over 1,000 types of fish, 266 00:36:12,640 --> 00:36:17,400 and hundreds of types of coral, there are more species here than 267 00:36:17,400 --> 00:36:22,080 Australia's Great Barrier Reef and the Bahamas put together. 268 00:36:25,440 --> 00:36:28,440 And one creature rules this ocean kingdom. 269 00:36:39,120 --> 00:36:40,160 The manta ray. 270 00:36:44,560 --> 00:36:48,760 These giants with wingspans of up to four metres 271 00:36:48,760 --> 00:36:51,800 gather here in some of the greatest numbers on Earth. 272 00:36:54,800 --> 00:36:57,600 But they're endangered, 273 00:36:57,600 --> 00:37:01,200 because the mantas are an easy and lucrative target... 274 00:37:04,640 --> 00:37:05,920 ..for poachers. 275 00:37:09,520 --> 00:37:12,480 Mantas are slaughtered for Chinese medicines. 276 00:37:12,480 --> 00:37:15,800 A kilo of gills sells for 400. 277 00:37:18,360 --> 00:37:21,320 Manta numbers are in steep decline. 278 00:37:35,920 --> 00:37:38,840 This is Ronald Makassar. 279 00:37:38,840 --> 00:37:41,120 He's on his way to harpoon a manta. 280 00:37:44,320 --> 00:37:47,040 But he's not a poacher. 281 00:37:47,040 --> 00:37:48,840 He's a protector. 282 00:38:07,680 --> 00:38:10,240 All year, he's been trying to harpoon a manta 283 00:38:10,240 --> 00:38:14,080 with a radio tracking device, to help save the species. 284 00:38:30,680 --> 00:38:35,520 More mantas are currently being slaughtered than born. 285 00:38:35,520 --> 00:38:38,040 Ronald wants to tag a pregnant female 286 00:38:38,040 --> 00:38:41,080 so the transmitter can reveal its birthing grounds. 287 00:38:42,920 --> 00:38:47,440 It will help conservationists to protect the site from poachers. 288 00:38:47,440 --> 00:38:50,760 But so far, Ronald's failed in his task. 289 00:38:54,440 --> 00:39:00,080 And that's because of a hidden hazard that lies in the water below. 290 00:39:11,840 --> 00:39:15,880 The currents of Raja Ampat are some of the strongest on Earth. 291 00:39:39,760 --> 00:39:43,160 These super-strong currents are created 292 00:39:43,160 --> 00:39:46,520 as water flows west from the Pacific into the Indian Ocean. 293 00:39:47,960 --> 00:39:50,040 It's funnelled through Raja Ampat, 294 00:39:50,040 --> 00:39:52,360 a narrow channel linking the two oceans. 295 00:39:57,760 --> 00:40:02,320 Every day, the equivalent of 100 Amazon rivers squeezes 296 00:40:02,320 --> 00:40:04,440 through this gap... 297 00:40:05,960 --> 00:40:09,400 ..bringing a constant flow of nutrients to feed the reef... 298 00:40:12,080 --> 00:40:14,480 ..and plankton to feed the manta. 299 00:40:16,760 --> 00:40:20,480 But these currents make Ronald's task very difficult. 300 00:40:37,360 --> 00:40:39,520 Ronald spots a female. 301 00:40:39,520 --> 00:40:42,120 He can tell her sex because of the two flat fins 302 00:40:42,120 --> 00:40:47,960 at the base of her tail, and a faint bulge reveals she's pregnant. 303 00:40:55,600 --> 00:40:57,160 He's got just one shot. 304 00:41:30,040 --> 00:41:33,800 Windy season is just days away and its rough waters mean 305 00:41:33,800 --> 00:41:36,560 Ronald won't be able to tag for another year. 306 00:42:13,480 --> 00:42:15,560 With just a few days left, 307 00:42:15,560 --> 00:42:18,680 Ronald knows he'll need to try a different approach 308 00:42:18,680 --> 00:42:22,360 if he's ever going to help secure a future for the mantas. 309 00:42:29,920 --> 00:42:32,120 Not all nature's biggest wonders are found 310 00:42:32,120 --> 00:42:34,080 in such remote corners of the planet. 311 00:42:37,040 --> 00:42:41,960 In France, where the Rhone river meets the Mediterranean, 312 00:42:41,960 --> 00:42:46,520 there's one of Europe's largest and most secluded natural wonders. 313 00:42:49,040 --> 00:42:50,160 The Camargue. 314 00:42:52,640 --> 00:42:57,400 1,000 square kilometres of pristine salt marsh, 315 00:42:57,400 --> 00:42:59,760 it has preserved a lost world. 316 00:43:02,680 --> 00:43:05,440 Flamingos in western Europe. 317 00:43:08,840 --> 00:43:10,600 Pure white horses. 318 00:43:15,440 --> 00:43:17,280 And black bulls. 319 00:43:20,960 --> 00:43:24,440 And this wonder has shaped the culture of the people here too. 320 00:43:27,640 --> 00:43:29,360 In one dangerous way. 321 00:43:37,960 --> 00:43:42,040 The Course Camarguaise is a contest between man and bull. 322 00:43:47,920 --> 00:43:50,920 Unarmed bull runners - raseteurs - 323 00:43:50,920 --> 00:43:53,440 try to outwit bulls with their agility... 324 00:43:58,320 --> 00:44:01,400 ..snatching tokens from between their horns. 325 00:44:03,400 --> 00:44:06,800 The bulls are not harmed, 326 00:44:06,800 --> 00:44:12,080 but for the raseteurs, it is a potentially deadly game. 327 00:44:12,080 --> 00:44:14,920 CHEERING 328 00:44:19,200 --> 00:44:23,480 But before any contest, cowboys riding the Carmargue's white horses 329 00:44:23,480 --> 00:44:26,880 have to round up the bulls in the salt marsh. 330 00:44:37,840 --> 00:44:39,440 Across the rest of Europe, 331 00:44:39,440 --> 00:44:43,480 while every great mammal has been hunted to extinction, 332 00:44:43,480 --> 00:44:48,480 here, the secluded Camargue has offered feral bulls safe haven. 333 00:44:51,400 --> 00:44:55,800 They have remained almost unchanged here since the last ice age. 334 00:44:58,000 --> 00:45:01,280 The cowboys choose a bull with the right fighting spirit. 335 00:45:01,280 --> 00:45:04,520 HE SPEAKS FRENCH 336 00:45:06,320 --> 00:45:12,160 They name him after the Roman god of fire - Vulcan. 337 00:45:17,680 --> 00:45:23,040 Later today, Vulcan will take on the raseteurs in his first-ever contest. 338 00:45:32,600 --> 00:45:35,160 Vulcan won't be the only novice in the arena. 339 00:45:39,280 --> 00:45:42,440 Vincent Felix is 19. 340 00:45:42,440 --> 00:45:47,320 If he does well today, it could launch his career as a professional raseteur. 341 00:46:06,080 --> 00:46:11,480 Until now, Vincent has trained with bulls wearing blunted horn protectors. 342 00:46:16,520 --> 00:46:20,800 Vincent's father was a champion raseteur. He's come to watch. 343 00:46:30,040 --> 00:46:34,080 To win, Vincent needs to score more points than a dozen other raseteurs 344 00:46:35,320 --> 00:46:37,880 and face several different bulls. 345 00:46:40,800 --> 00:46:43,800 BULL BELLOWS 346 00:46:57,880 --> 00:47:01,040 Vincent fails to score in the first two rounds... 347 00:47:09,960 --> 00:47:12,440 ..but gets his first points in round three. 348 00:47:15,640 --> 00:47:17,920 But he still trails the leaders. 349 00:47:20,360 --> 00:47:22,400 Now there's just two bulls left. 350 00:47:24,520 --> 00:47:27,440 First, Blackhorn. 351 00:47:27,440 --> 00:47:29,960 Half a tonne of brutal fury. 352 00:47:37,880 --> 00:47:40,200 But Blackhorn keeps escaping the arena. 353 00:47:43,200 --> 00:47:45,080 No-one can add to their points. 354 00:47:48,880 --> 00:47:52,440 Vincent is still behind as Blackhorn is taken off. 355 00:47:55,640 --> 00:47:57,800 Now the last bull. 356 00:48:02,560 --> 00:48:03,600 Vulcan. 357 00:48:11,120 --> 00:48:13,640 BULL BELLOWS 358 00:48:25,360 --> 00:48:28,720 Vulcan is seeing off the raseteurs with frightening ease. 359 00:48:34,320 --> 00:48:37,680 For Vincent, his last chance is slipping away. 360 00:49:11,600 --> 00:49:16,600 He's taken the highest scoring token from Vulcan. 361 00:49:16,600 --> 00:49:20,160 CHEERING 362 00:49:32,600 --> 00:49:37,120 Thanks to Vulcan, Vincent's career as a professional has begun with a victory. 363 00:49:42,160 --> 00:49:44,680 Man and bull brought together in ancient contest, 364 00:49:44,680 --> 00:49:49,320 at the heart of one of Europe's largest natural wonders. 365 00:49:51,600 --> 00:49:52,760 The Camargue. 366 00:50:03,280 --> 00:50:06,720 Back in Raja Ampat, a break in the weather has given Ronald 367 00:50:06,720 --> 00:50:09,360 a final chance to radio tag a pregnant manta. 368 00:50:13,160 --> 00:50:16,280 With the strong currents wrecking his chances, 369 00:50:16,280 --> 00:50:18,480 Ronald's gambling on a new approach. 370 00:50:21,680 --> 00:50:24,800 He chooses an area where the currents are weak, 371 00:50:24,800 --> 00:50:27,920 but there's no guarantee of mantas, 372 00:50:27,920 --> 00:50:31,520 So he must hope that the mantas come to him. 373 00:50:33,880 --> 00:50:36,680 But he has only 45 minutes of air. 374 00:50:45,080 --> 00:50:48,920 With just five minutes left, his luck turns. 375 00:50:53,000 --> 00:50:55,920 And one of the mantas is a pregnant female. 376 00:51:19,680 --> 00:51:21,600 He must get above her to strike. 377 00:51:26,400 --> 00:51:28,280 Now is his only chance. 378 00:51:40,760 --> 00:51:42,760 Perfect hit. 379 00:51:53,760 --> 00:51:57,080 Woo! Woo! 380 00:52:15,160 --> 00:52:19,680 Ronald has taken a crucial step in the battle to save the mantas 381 00:52:19,680 --> 00:52:24,640 who depend upon this vast wonder of the oceans - 382 00:52:24,640 --> 00:52:27,320 the magical reefs of Raja Ampat. 383 00:52:40,160 --> 00:52:43,800 Our Earth's natural wonders are places of danger... 384 00:52:44,960 --> 00:52:46,000 ..reward... 385 00:52:47,440 --> 00:52:48,600 ..and great beauty. 386 00:52:51,360 --> 00:52:52,880 These unique places 387 00:52:52,880 --> 00:52:56,800 have created unique challenges for their inhabitants. 388 00:52:59,920 --> 00:53:03,840 And they have fundamentally shaped the lives of the people 389 00:53:03,840 --> 00:53:07,200 who dare to call them...home. 390 00:53:14,400 --> 00:53:18,680 One of the biggest tests the Earth's Natural Wonders team faced 391 00:53:18,680 --> 00:53:20,600 was how to follow local fishermen 392 00:53:20,600 --> 00:53:24,240 as they made perhaps the most dangerous fishing trip in Africa... 393 00:53:26,080 --> 00:53:29,040 ..and film them at the very edge of Victoria Falls. 394 00:53:32,760 --> 00:53:36,120 But the first difficulty is how to safely film 395 00:53:36,120 --> 00:53:39,720 the fishermen as they cross crocodile-infested channels. 396 00:53:46,080 --> 00:53:50,320 There's a sort of upper time limit to how long you can 397 00:53:50,320 --> 00:53:52,960 linger in the water when there's crocodiles around, 398 00:53:52,960 --> 00:53:58,480 because basically they kind of clock that you're there and then you become a potential target. 399 00:53:58,480 --> 00:54:00,960 Things quickly get trickier. 400 00:54:03,160 --> 00:54:05,080 Three elephants turned up as well, 401 00:54:05,080 --> 00:54:09,280 so now we've got Mick who's checking for crocodiles and we've got 402 00:54:09,280 --> 00:54:14,600 Tom who's meanwhile checking for elephants at our back here. 403 00:54:14,600 --> 00:54:15,840 Hidden by the bush, 404 00:54:15,840 --> 00:54:19,800 the elephants need to be bypassed by both fishermen and crew. 405 00:54:25,840 --> 00:54:28,160 ELEPHANT BELLOWS 406 00:54:32,080 --> 00:54:35,080 Well, we're having to move because we're in the route 407 00:54:35,080 --> 00:54:37,560 that the elephants are likely to want to take. 408 00:54:37,560 --> 00:54:40,840 The fishermen's final destination is a secluded outcrop 409 00:54:40,840 --> 00:54:42,840 at the very edge of Victoria Falls. 410 00:54:44,960 --> 00:54:49,560 The film crew need to transport the heavy camera equipment by boat. 411 00:54:59,120 --> 00:55:00,760 ENGINE CUTS OUT 412 00:55:00,760 --> 00:55:05,800 But only 200 metres from the edge, the engine fails. 413 00:55:09,640 --> 00:55:13,360 This close to the falls, the current could drag them over the lip. 414 00:55:17,200 --> 00:55:21,440 Instead, by steering the drifting boat, they reach the shore. 415 00:55:23,560 --> 00:55:27,960 None of us really know how we're now going to get to film 416 00:55:27,960 --> 00:55:31,240 the edge of the falls, because the one boat that we've got 417 00:55:31,240 --> 00:55:35,560 that will allow us to do that, the engine's screwed, basically. 418 00:55:35,560 --> 00:55:36,880 It's a bit of a problem. 419 00:55:44,120 --> 00:55:46,480 The crew managed to change the engine 420 00:55:46,480 --> 00:55:49,240 and get closer than ever to the edge of the falls. 421 00:55:56,800 --> 00:55:59,000 The new engine isn't up to much, either. 422 00:56:03,960 --> 00:56:05,360 Third time lucky. 423 00:56:10,720 --> 00:56:13,400 This is what we would call the point of no return. 424 00:56:13,400 --> 00:56:16,240 No boats go past this point. 425 00:56:16,240 --> 00:56:19,720 Any further and the boat would be swept off the edge. 426 00:56:20,760 --> 00:56:23,480 OK, home sweet home. 427 00:56:23,480 --> 00:56:25,640 Now the crew must unload. 428 00:56:25,640 --> 00:56:30,320 They have just enough time to set up the jib crane for the final shots. 429 00:56:34,760 --> 00:56:37,120 So we've got the jib set up 430 00:56:37,120 --> 00:56:39,120 right next to the edge of the falls, 431 00:56:39,120 --> 00:56:43,040 but in the last hour, the wind has changed direction 432 00:56:43,040 --> 00:56:45,120 and now there's this almighty spray 433 00:56:45,120 --> 00:56:48,880 covering all these rocks, making it really, really treacherous, 434 00:56:48,880 --> 00:56:51,840 so I'm extremely glad I put a safety rope system up for the guys 435 00:56:51,840 --> 00:56:55,120 operating the jib, because it's absolutely lethal at the edge now. 436 00:57:02,440 --> 00:57:06,560 But in the last hour of good light, the mist clears 437 00:57:06,560 --> 00:57:10,240 and the team finally manage to film the fishermen at the very edge 438 00:57:10,240 --> 00:57:14,880 of one of Earth's greatest natural wonders.