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00:09In the heart of Southeast Asia is an ancient kingdom, with over 3,000 kilometers of coastline.
00:23But beyond its golden shores, there are secret worlds, home to mysterious creatures and forest giants.
00:50This is a fast-changing country, where East and West collide.
01:04People and animals must work together to survive, forming unique relationships.
01:18A spiritual land, full of magic and wonder.
01:30This is Thailand.
01:50Thailand's north is a wild and rugged land, cloaked in forest, hiding ancient communities and unexpected partnerships.
02:18Here in the jungles of Pukial, live some unusual primates.
02:27Fair's leaf monkeys.
02:31They live up to their name, eating the leaves of around 100 different types of plant.
02:45But this low-calorie diet means they've got to eat a lot, so they need to keep moving.
03:08In all the hurry, youngsters risk getting lost among the greenery.
03:15But babies are born bright orange, making them easier for parents to spot.
03:31When he's a few months old, this baby will turn grey, like his parents.
03:36But for now, he remains highly visible.
03:47Sisters and aunts share in the childcare.
03:51It helps them practice their parenting skills.
04:02But this new mother seems reluctant to release her infant.
04:16Being this protective doesn't allow her much time to rest.
04:21She's yet to learn the benefits of sharing.
04:37On the move again.
04:49It's hard work travelling in the treetops with a baby in your arms.
04:55Feeding is more difficult too.
05:01Feeding is more difficult.
05:17This mother is tired and hungry.
05:24And with others keen to care for her baby, she accepts their help.
05:35Now she can concentrate on the important task of eating more leaves.
05:40Knowing her baby is in safe hands.
05:55In this remote region of Thailand, strong partnerships have long formed an essential part of life.
06:08Northern Thailand is a diverse landscape.
06:12Almost two thirds of it is dominated by forested mountains.
06:22This green veil hides some of the world's rarest creatures.
06:28Like the leopard.
06:30The Malayan tapir.
06:33And the bintarong.
06:36Isolation has also protected ancient communities.
06:40Where people and nature forge surprising alliances.
06:54Thailand's northern mountains began to form 50 million years ago.
06:59When Indian and Eurasian plates collided.
07:03And the highest peak was born.
07:09Dooyintunon is known as the roof of Thailand.
07:13It stands over two and a half thousand meters high.
07:23Temperatures here dropped to near freezing.
07:26Bathing the morning forest in cool moist air.
07:42The sea of mist lies an enchanting world of wild woods and white water streams.
08:02As water flows through this forest.
08:05It absorbs carbon dioxide from the soil and air.
08:08Making it more acidic.
08:11It eats away at the limestone rock of the mountains.
08:15Creating worlds within worlds.
08:22Over millions of years.
08:25Streams and rivers.
08:27Have carved a maze of caverns.
08:35So far.
08:37More than four thousand have been discovered.
08:46Tam Lod cave is 50 meters tall.
08:50Come all.
08:59With the sun....
09:02There.
09:03So far.
09:13The sea of
09:13mist. It's out
09:16of our forest. A sea of
09:18mist. What? It's
09:19out of
09:19our valley. The sea of mist.
09:20valley. The sea of mist.
09:30A predator prowls these walls.
09:35This cave racer snake is two meters long,
09:40helping it bridge gaps to scale this cavern.
09:56To escape the snake, the swifts build their nests
10:00in the most inaccessible places.
10:08At night, they keep dead still, hoping the danger passes.
10:23When dawn breaks over the mountains,
10:26the swifts can once more take to the safety of the air.
10:56As they leave the cave, their droppings rain down.
11:10Insect remains in the guano may be appealing to the carp,
11:15but others also take advantage of this fertile sprinkling.
11:31Ampar visits the cave most days.
11:59Ampar visits the cave most days.
11:59In Buddhism, heavenly favor can be earned by small acts of respect or kindness, known as making merit.
12:42Ampar's ritual of collecting this guano also has earthly benefits.
12:55Ampar's ritual of collecting this guano also has earthly benefits.
13:14This natural alliance reaffirms Ampar's spiritual beliefs, as well as providing valuable nitrogen and phosphorus for the soil.
13:29Traditional small-scale farming in the mountains requires a close connection with nature.
13:37So too does modern-day practice.
13:43In northeastern Thailand, where there was once forest, there's now farmland, and people here still maintain an important relationship with
13:53wildlife.
14:00Mr. Tanon is on a personal mission.
14:04By bending and breaking the spines of banana palm leaves, he creates new homes for a rare and secretive mammal.
14:26Among these dry, dead leaves lives the painted bat.
14:36Painted bats have adopted this unusual roosting site because there's a short supply of natural forest in this region.
15:03These bats were a rare sight, but sixteen years ago, a breeding population was rediscovered here.
15:24It's easy to see why they are known locally as Cancow Peasua, the butterfly bat.
15:34For Mr. Tanon, the reward for this partnership is simply to see the natural beauty of these bats on the
15:42wing.
16:04Sometimes, all it takes is one person to make a difference.
16:28In northern Thailand, the lives of animals and people are deeply entwined, and the natural world is an integral part
16:38of religion.
16:43Under the full moon, there's one event that happens each year, symbolizing the letting go of past problems and welcoming
16:53new hope for the future.
16:59In Buddhist culture, sky-borne lanterns represent a move away from darkness into the light.
17:27Remember that, it will heavy, or was it?
17:34The millet lives of animals and children can decide.
17:35The goat wasнев
17:38The festivals of Yipeng and Loi Kretong bring families and friends together.
18:03Celebrating the elements of nature, they honour Pra-Me-Kong-Kar, the water goddess.
18:20Loi in Thai means to float, and small baskets or kratongs fill the village river.
18:30These elaborate rituals help communities to live in harmony and show respect for the natural world.
18:52The connection between people and nature is a complex one.
18:58And there's one creature with which the people of Northern Thailand have had an enduring relationship.
19:06But it has not always been a happy one.
19:23The Asian elephant.
19:27These giants can weigh up to five tons.
19:31So you don't want to cross paths with one in thick jungle.
19:34The Asian elephant.
19:36The Asian elephant.
20:07The Asian elephant.
20:09This woman knows well.
20:12She was rescued by leg.
20:14From a life of toil and hardship.
20:20The felling of the forest for hardwood timber was once common in Northern Thailand.
20:27And elephants were used as tractors.
20:33When logging was made illegal in 1989, many elephants were forced to earn their keep in the tourist industry.
20:45And they were forced to earn their keep in the village.
20:53And the women who were able to make a job.
20:54And they did a job.
20:57And they were able to do the work.
20:58And to the people who were able to make a job.
20:59And to the people who looked at the people, they did a job.
21:01And the people that have come to the people.
21:01They made the job and the people that have been changed.
21:12Now, Lek is working to change the lives of Thailand's domesticated elephants.
21:27She's rescuing them from illegal logging sites, circuses and trekking camps, and giving them
21:34a new life.
21:40Kabu suffered an injury in a logging camp when she was two years old.
21:45But she had to carry on working for another 23 years, until Lek came to her rescue.
22:12The elephants roam here without chains, meeting others and forging new bonds.
22:24Lek Sanctuary also enables visitors to meet these giants.
23:00Lek Sanctuary
23:01Asian elephants live in family groups of related females.
23:07But these individuals have welcomed Lek to be part of their herd.
23:12Lek Sanctuary and territories.
23:19Lek Sanctuary is a land of the island.
23:35Lek Sanctuary is a land of the island.
23:38Lek Sanctuary is a land of the island.
23:42that we have been able to meet with him.
23:46I had a great time for him,
23:48and I felt that he was a part of me.
24:15Elephants are highly intelligent and emotional animals, and after years of psychological
24:21trauma, these individuals are now putting their trust in leg.
24:47In Thailand, there isn't always the space to release large numbers of them back into
24:52the wild, so these elephants are likely to spend the rest of their days in this sanctuary.
24:59I'm sorry.
24:59I'm sorry.
24:59I'm sorry.
25:33I'm sorry.
25:35I'm sorry.
25:39I'm sorry.
25:43I'm sorry.
25:52I'm sorry.
25:53In Thailand's northern mountains, there are a few places where great tracks of forest
25:58still remain.
26:02Especially on the border with Myanmar.
26:06It's the largest area of protected land in mainland Southeast Asia.
26:15At its heart, the wilderness of Hoi Kha Keng is home to some of Thailand's rarest and most
26:23elusive creatures, such as Banteng.
26:33They normally live deep within the forest, but during the dry season, come out into the
26:38clearings to feed on the last remaining grasses.
26:43These wild cows are believed to be the ancestors of all cattle in Southeast Asia.
27:05Each herd is comprised of a male, several females, and their playful calves.
27:21Hoi Kha Keng is one of the few places where numbers seem to be growing.
27:40Samba deer also like to graze here, and our useful sentinels alert to the sounds of the forest.
27:49They need to be.
27:52Large predators live here too.
28:01Armed rangers are here to protect the rarest of them all.
28:05The Indo-Chinese tiger.
28:09It's estimated there are only 200 of these tigers left in Thailand, and they face extinction
28:16due to habitat loss and poaching.
28:30The rangers pass on any information they find to scientists, who are also working hard to prevent
28:38the tigers' decline.
28:42It's a great collaboration between the Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation,
28:48and the Wildlife Conservation Society.
28:55But it's tough work for everyone.
29:00Tigers are almost impossible to find.
29:24The best way for Sompot and the tiger research team to work out how many live here is by using
29:30camera traps.
29:33They've revealed that here in Hoi Kha Keng, just four hours drive from Bangkok, there's a significant
29:40tiger population.
29:50Many Thai people are unaware these secretive cats still exist in their country.
30:12To know where to put the camera traps, the team need to understand the tiger's territory.
30:18To do that, they follow a number of key individuals using satellite collars.
30:29Today, Sompot's tracking one particular tiger.
30:34Its satellite collar shows it keeps returning to the same place.
30:41It's a good chance to get vital camera trap footage.
30:53The tiger has made a kill.
30:57A male Samba deer.
31:02They must work quickly, with minimal disturbance.
31:24Later that night, the tiger returns.
31:37Camera trap footage has been vital for documenting the tigers here.
31:44Tigers' stripe patterns are like fingerprints, unique to each individual.
31:59The database shows around 70 tigers roam these forests.
32:14Numbers have almost doubled in a decade, and that's because of people like Sompot and
32:21his team.
32:41Restoring natural harmony in the forests of northern Thailand is also vital for preserving
32:48the spiritual lives of the people that live here.
32:57These men are from the Black Lahu hill tribe.
33:02Their ancestors lived in the Himalayan foothills for over 2,000 years, settling here within
33:09the last century.
33:13They believe spirits dwell in this forest.
33:22For Papa, cooperating with them is vital.
33:37The Black Lahu have a unique relationship with nature, with an animist faith that predates
33:46Buddhism.
33:51This tree will become a bridge to the spirit world.
34:02An offering is made.
34:07Papa believes this cord will pull his wife's lost soul along the tree trunk back from the
34:15forest.
34:23By tying the cord around her wrist, the spirit doctor reconnects Nalo with her soul.
34:31A Lahu will never cut a spirit cord, wearing it until it falls off.
34:39This sacred connection with the forest is cause for celebration.
34:54By dancing, the Lahu show their joy to their creator spirit Guisha.
35:04The Lahu's spiritual relationship with the forest protects their loved ones and strengthens
35:10the community.
35:31The Lahu's spiritual relationship with the community.
35:40The Lahu's spiritual relationship with the Lahu.
35:43The Lahu's spiritual relationship with the Lahu.
35:54These remote mountain worlds not only hide ancient traditions, they also hide age-old showdowns.
36:06Up here lurks one of northern Thailand's more surprising creatures.
36:12The big-headed turtle.
36:17As his name suggests, he has an enormous head with super-sized jaws.
36:32Food can be hard to come by in this fast-moving water, but as he only needs to eat every
36:37few
36:38days, there's no real urgency, and he knows where he's going.
36:48Long claws and a muscular tail propel him upstream.
37:02He's a little on the slow side, but it helps him save energy.
37:12He's got to where he wants to be.
37:15It's now a waiting game.
37:29Other ancient creatures are drawn from the forest to the water.
37:45Freshwater crabs.
37:49It's likely their ancestors ended up here, 300 kilometres from the coast, when the mountains
37:56formed millions of years ago.
37:59It's a very least of the nature of the river.
38:03Here they are.
38:04It's just that you're waiting for your family.
38:05It's quite a bit.
38:07It's Roo.
38:11To get a little bit.
38:13It's quite a bit.
38:14It's a very funny way.
38:15All the mountains like this is the river for the shore.
38:17It's a river.
38:17It's quite 1930.
38:17It's not that A river is this day.
38:19It's very old.
38:21It's not a river living to a river.
38:23The river is about a river.
38:25The river is about a river.
38:30To a crab, the big-headed turtle looks much like a rock.
38:38And that's just what he wants.
38:53Now those jaws make sense, the ideal crab cracker.
39:14Over millennia, remote forest streams have brought these unlikely animals together.
39:25Thailand's mountainous north is an ancient land.
39:32But there are places where people have had a big influence in recent years.
39:39Like here, in the hills of Mei Hong Son.
39:44Commercial logging cleared parts of this land, creating new opportunities for other kinds
39:59of plant.
40:02Sunflowers now carpet these mountains.
40:12They were first brought to Thailand from Central America as garden plants about 70 years ago.
40:19But no one quite knows how they got to these slopes.
40:24Up here, they spread like wildfire.
40:38Many tourists come to admire this spectacle.
40:48The people of the north have embraced this interloper.
40:59Adopting it as a provincial mascot.
41:12The Mexican sunflower is now part of the fabric of northern Thailand.
41:22The Mexican sunflower is now part of the fabric of northern Thailand.
41:30Where farmland is replacing forest, wildlife finds new ways to flourish.
41:47Weaver ants have colonised much of this man-made landscape.
41:57Hundreds of them work as a team to build their home out of leaves, protecting them against
42:03the elements.
42:20To lash the leaves together, gangs of workers pull as one.
42:29bridges are built, helping ants move quickly around the site.
42:49To hold their construction together, they rely on the youngest members of the colony, grubs.
43:07When they're in their final stages of development, they produce strands of silk.
43:15And make the perfect glue gun.
43:37And make the perfect glue gun.
43:42Their nest happens to be on a mango farm.
43:47But it's no ordinary orchard.
44:00Mr. Boonchoo has recruited this army of miniature warriors to defend his fruit.
44:07They'll eat any pests.
44:11And by tying these strings between mango trees, Mr. Boonchoo helps the ants get to new foraging
44:19grounds, expanding their empire and protecting his orchard.
44:44Healthy ant colonies mean fewer pesticides, and the weaver ants give the farmer something
44:52else.
44:54Mr. Boonchoo likes to harvest their eggs.
45:08Mr. Boonchoo likes to harvest their eggs.
45:25He takes only a little from each nest, separating the ants so they can return to their colony.
45:35These eggs are a Thai delicacy and a favourite dish of the north.
45:50By working with wildlife, farmers in northern Thailand are able to benefit from nature's bounty,
45:58and help it flourish.
46:16But the greatest rewards of all are found in the shadows of these northern mountains.
46:22The soil here is watered by rivers that flow down through this land, irrigating the rice fields.
46:38Thailand exports more than nine million tonnes of rice a year.
46:51Every rice plant is vital for Mr. Teepwing's crop.
46:57But there's a constant threat.
47:00White-backed plant-hoppers invade the paddy fields.
47:10They suck the sap and stunt the growth of the rice plants, reducing the yield.
47:18But living beneath these mountains, the farmers have their own natural pest control.
47:30Every evening, it stirs.
47:54Three hundred thousand wrinkle-lipped bats emerge to hunt for insects on the wing.
48:25This living ribbon of bats is a welcome sight for the farmers.
48:53It's estimated that by eating white-backed plant-hoppers, these bats rescue enough rice to feed the animals.
49:00They feed 26,000 people in Thailand each year.
49:06And by planting his rice in the flight path, Mr. Teepwing will benefit from these hungry little helpers.
49:17In these northern mountains, success and survival rely on working together and exploiting opportunities when they arise.
49:28Ancient beliefs, modern ideas, and unexpected alliances, all help to maintain the natural harmony.
49:51The toughest challenge for the northern Thailand team was filming Indo-Chinese tigers.
49:59There are only about 350 left in the wild.
50:03The only places that stood any chance of success was in the forest of Hoi Ka Keng Wildlife Sanctuary.
50:13Producer James Hemming teamed up with the scientists who have devoted their lives to understanding the habits of these creatures,
50:22sometimes using quite unusual tracking techniques.
50:32Sent marks define tiger territory.
50:35They're like signposts, providing vital clues to their whereabouts.
50:39Day three is two animals.
50:44Two different tigers?
50:45Two different tigers.
50:48Even so, finding them is far from easy.
50:53The team have only got three weeks in this forest, which is four times the size of Greater London.
51:09James is going to need more than a sniff to succeed.
51:14Wow.
51:15Yeah.
51:18Camera traps are his best chance of getting footage of these elusive animals.
51:24The cameras need to be rigged at key locations in the forest,
51:28where they'll be triggered by motion.
51:32And to film a passing tiger, it's really important to get the frame size right.
51:38Pretty good.
51:40Yep, it's all good.
51:41Cool.
51:42OK.
51:46For the scientists, camera traps have also proved essential.
51:51Not just for research, but in helping police with anti-poaching.
51:56In 2015, camera trap images proved that a tiger, which once roamed these forests, had been illegally poached.
52:04It led to the prosecution of three men.
52:11The crew aren't relying just on camera traps.
52:15Wildlife cameraman Graham McFarlane and guide Quan Chai are also in the field.
52:20The tiger could be ten metres from you and you wouldn't see it.
52:32This place is covered with animal prints.
52:36There's elephant, loads of deer.
52:38It's a really good sign, all prey for the tiger.
52:42I've got a really good feeling about this place.
52:47And there's a fresh tiger track, just down there.
52:51Great news.
52:52I've spotted my tiger.
52:54Graham is using a more traditional method, waiting it out in a hide near a spring.
53:00So I've got my camera there, my seat, my little window out on the world.
53:10As Graham settles in, the camera traps start to bring in results.
53:31A leopard is caught on camera.
53:35But no sign of tigers.
53:39A few days later, scientist Sompot may have found a breakthrough that James needs.
53:46The rotting remains of a tiger kill.
53:50Come to Thailand, they said.
53:52Full of beaches.
53:56The tiger could return at any time.
53:59So the team need to work swiftly.
54:02I really hope this works.
54:03This could be the best chance we have of actually filming a tiger here.
54:08Now all they can do is wait.
54:16Patience is also key for Graham.
54:20Another day in the office.
54:23Still no tiger.
54:24I'm not going to give up yet.
54:34As it's the height of the dry season, the spring is proving to be a busy place.
54:48A Malay tapir.
54:50Such an unusual looking animal.
54:55But this binturong has Graham baffled.
54:58I shall have to look that one up in the mammals book.
55:02That's pretty cool though.
55:06And there are signs that predators may be close.
55:09I just saw one of those barking deers with a massive scar.
55:13I can only imagine it was a lucky escape.
55:17Possibly from a tiger.
55:20It makes me nervous.
55:25Graham is right to be nervous.
55:28A ranger was recently attacked here.
55:30By a tiger.
55:32But right now, there's a far bigger threat.
55:36That no one had anticipated.
55:41A forest fire.
55:44Out of control.
55:46James and the team are forced back to base.
55:57It's weird because it was quite sunny earlier.
56:02And now the wind's picked up and it's so smoky.
56:07The langers all left at the same time.
56:10They went that way.
56:12So I guess...
56:15If a fire does come this way, I'll head that way too.
56:22Graham's time in the hide is over.
56:28Back at the headquarters, the fires are now dangerously close to James and the team.
56:36It's suddenly become, within like 10 minutes, incredibly smoky.
56:40We're just actually having to evacuate.
56:46I'm pretty worried to be honest.
56:47It's just so unpredictable.
56:54OK.
56:57Holy moly.
56:58Holy moly.
57:07The team managed to get out safely.
57:10And despite the fires, the camera traps were saved.
57:18Wow.
57:23Look at... I mean, look at the size of him.
57:26Fantastic.
57:27Wow.
57:30Is this lucky that we got this?
57:32Yeah, sure.
57:32Really?
57:33Yeah.
57:36Healthy.
57:37Really healthy?
57:38Yeah.
57:39Good body condition.
57:41Which is great.
57:42Which must mean there's plenty of animals to, you know, to hunt.
57:55I'm over the moon that we actually managed to, you know, get some footage.
57:59Yeah.
58:00Thank you very much.
58:01It was great.
58:04Over the course of the last 20 years, tiger numbers have increased here.
58:09And there's new hope for Thailand's biggest land predator.
58:14No, no, no.
58:25Tomorrow night, a pike fishing competition on a northern Irish loch,
58:29as autumn brings stunning colour to the Chronicles of Urn at seven.
58:34Meanwhile, head to BBC iPlayer for a spectacular wildlife year
58:38on the stunning Serengeti, streaming now.
58:49The