- 2 months ago
Thailand's dense jungles and wetland habitats host nearly 20% of the world's wild cat species. These range from apex predators like the Indochinese tiger and clouded leopard to small, elusive hunters such as the fishing cat and the recently rediscovered flat-headed cat
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AnimalsTranscript
00:02An ancient kingdom.
00:05A last refuge for creatures of shadow and myth.
00:10Behind the veil of green, Thailand's cats bide their time.
00:16Searching for prey and protecting their legacy.
00:22Apex Hunters.
00:25These are the masters of the jungle.
00:36The forests of Thailand are some of the oldest on earth.
00:41For over 100 million years they've stood watch over the landscape.
00:47Hiding some of Thailand's greatest mysteries.
01:00And few are as secretive as this group of hunters.
01:10Elusive. Agile. And with an ability to vanish in the blink of an eye.
01:15Cats are the ultimate masters of the disappearing act.
01:24At around 15 kilograms and standing at about 40 centimetres.
01:29This small feline, larger than a tabby cat, may closely resemble her domesticated relatives.
01:37But this Asian fishing cat has a gift that sets her apart.
01:50Unlike most small cats, she hunts in water.
02:09She eyes her prize.
02:12Fish.
02:27Not fast enough.
02:28Fish.
02:33This is the forest region of Huai Ka Ke.
02:38And together with its neighbouring reserve, it is the largest protected wildlife area in mainland Southeast Asia.
02:56With only around 2,500 fishing cats remaining in the wild, this forest is one of the few remaining habitats
03:03for these remarkable creatures.
03:04Fish.
03:11Shy and solitary, the female prefers to stay under the radar.
03:20But she's been spotted.
03:30A male fishing cat has been tracking her scent through the forest.
03:35She's nearly ready to mate.
03:43Before he can reveal himself, another sound interrupts them.
03:57The alarm call of a macaque echoes through the trees.
04:07The reason for their alarm is not the fishing cats.
04:10They are too small to pose much of a threat to an agile macaque.
04:16There is something much bigger stalking this section of forest.
04:25A troop of macaques from their vantage point in the treetops spot the danger.
04:34High up in the canopy, they are usually safe from most predators.
04:43The birds are very dangerous.
04:44But not this one.
05:01While most cats are good climbers, the clouded leopard is one of the best in the whole cat field.
05:15family her rotating ankles on her back legs allow her incredible agility in the trees
05:23much like a squirrel with the longest upper canines of any carnivore her size
05:33her teeth resemble the legendary saber-tooth she's mostly nocturnal but she's breaking all
05:45the rules for a meal she's not the only rule breaker a few kilometers away her two tiny
05:57cubs unwisely venture from the safety of their den about a month old they are helpless and a
06:08soldier and away from their hiding spot is a dangerous move the long-tailed macaques and
06:19oh fools moving quickly to a new part of their home range far from the prying eyes of the nimble
06:30predator in this part of the forest temptation can lure even the most nervous primate to the ground
06:48pollinated entirely by a tiny wasp figs are vitally important to these forests
06:55providing an important food resource for many animals and birds that live here the macaques are not the
07:04only creatures here for the feast a herd of sturdy banteng emerges from the forest a relative of domestic cattle
07:25these wild bovines are usually very shy preferring to keep to the thickets for protection however the
07:34promise of figs is enough to draw them out into the open to pick through the undergrowth gobbling up any
07:40fruit dislodged by the birds or monkeys some are not drawn to this area for figs the king of this
07:57jungle is
07:57on patrol he treads the familiar pathways along the edge of the river marking his territory and smelling for
08:06any sign of females it's his job to keep them and their cubs safe from intruding males he's not hunting
08:17and ignores the banteng as they feed this big dark bull is this herd's leader he's the only male of
08:27this
08:27group and he's highly protective of all his lighter colored females green pea fowls add a splash of vivid
08:35color but not all them are here for the food birds have an incredibly sophisticated ability to see colors
08:51so for a watching female this brilliant display is simply dazzling
09:02males are highly territorial and if a beauty contest fails to determine the top bird things can turn ugly
09:43the winner claims the territory and mating rights to the watching females
09:52after their fill of figs the banteng move off through the forest
09:58and following a silent shadow
10:17this tiger is a female she's got cubs to feed and unlike the big male she's focused on the hunt
10:29she keeps her distance for now
10:34this clearing offers little cover
10:43she follows their scent as they move to the water nearby
10:49it's lined with steep banks and thick vegetation the perfect spot for an ambush
11:03perfectly camouflaged the tiger waits and watches
11:21her target the bangteng herd completely oblivious to her presence
11:30just the way she likes it
11:36she lets her prey come to her
11:49with every step they get closer
11:56still she waits every muscle coiled and ready
12:04she's entirely focused on the herd
12:08she's forgotten about the peahen
12:12the alarm call sends the banteng running
12:31she settles for a dip in the stream to cool down after the failed hunt
12:49there's no need for stealth now
12:54with hunting off the table she heads back in the direction of the thickets
13:10where she's eagerly welcomed by her two adoring cubs
13:21they're about five months old and growing fast
13:24she is the center of their world and she's completely devoted to them
13:30their father the big territorial male plays almost no role in their upbringing
13:37their mother provides everything they need
13:40from food to protection from potential predators
13:48she wiles away the afternoon with them
13:50she'll return to the hunt at nightfall
14:02about one third of all mainland southeast asia's known mammal species call this forest home
14:13and this leopard is one of them
14:18with as few as 400 wild leopards remaining in thailand she's incredibly rare
14:25she too has a secret
14:29cubs
14:31the little female is a tiny twin
14:37the other cub is a little male
14:40and he's very special indeed
14:45these two are part of the future of this incredibly special gene pool
14:53oblivious to their importance to the survival of their kind
14:55they explore the streams and forests of their home
15:01they are nearing a year old
15:03but it will be a few months until they venture off entirely on their own
15:11the little female is constantly accompanied by her black shadow
15:18her twin brother may look like a completely different species
15:22but aside from a rare gene that causes a surplus of pigment in his skin or hair
15:26he's exactly the same as his sister
15:37it is unknown exactly how many black leopards roam thailand's forests
15:42but it is thought that his coat is an advantage in shady habitats when it comes to hunting
15:50he and his sister are at the age where they are learning to hunt
15:59a quail
16:01the perfect target
16:10not even close
16:16what the little female lacks in talent
16:19she makes up for in youthful enthusiasm
16:24she sets her sights higher up in the trees
16:47an A for effort but their lack of experience means the birds in this part of the forest are safe
16:53for now
16:54these clumsy games are the building blocks that will eventually transform her and her brother into deadly assassins
17:07sunset in the forests of thailand is the queue for the night stalkers to begin their rounds
17:14the female fishing cat is back on the hunt but she's got a stalker of her own
17:31the male fishing cat continues to lurk close behind
17:37time to make a move
17:41normally solitary creatures
17:43fishing cats rarely interact with each other
17:50except to meet
17:55with a growling noise called chittering
17:57she advertises her readiness to mate
18:02but that doesn't guarantee she'll accept him as a partner
18:08he'll need to prove himself first
18:27his act still needs work
18:35but he's not to be deterred
18:44the main one
18:44the man who is a friend
18:55with a dog
18:56the man who can find the wild
18:56a dog
18:57to be better
18:57it's just a father
18:57the man who is a hunter
19:08He'll stick to her like glue in case any other males track her down.
19:28The light of day reveals his progress.
19:39Finally, his persistence pays off.
19:52Mating complete, they go their separate ways with barely a backward glance.
20:03Time for the female to focus on the important matter of catching food.
20:18Gingerly, she pats the water to make waves, as if insects were landing on the surface.
20:25The fish moves in to investigate a potential meal.
20:33A split second is all she needs to scoop the fish to shore.
20:53Landing a meal this slippery needs special equipment.
20:57Her semi-retractable claws and partially webbed feet are perfect for the job.
21:08High above, the green lung of this entire ecosystem is hard at work.
21:15Thanks to its ability to moderate temperature, protect the interior from wind and rain,
21:20and provide ecological niches for countless creatures,
21:24the canopy itself is alive with activity.
21:38For the most part, hornbills are protected from the many predators that lurk below.
21:43But they cannot underestimate one of the jungle's most agile climbers.
21:53The clouded leopard spots the opportunity.
22:05The clouded leopard spots the latitude and theą isling,
22:07the
22:07Said the
22:36Not fast enough.
22:42The cat must go hungry once more.
22:54This great hornbill is lucky to survive, waiting for him as a hungry mate, concealed and imprisoned
23:07in a hole that she plastered almost completely shut from the inside using regurgitated mud.
23:14This female hornbill relies on her mate to bring her food while their chicks develop.
23:39Without a mate to share parenting duties, the female fishing cat searches alone for a quiet corner of the forest.
23:50It's been nearly two months since she mated and she's pregnant.
23:57She needs to find a den site soon.
24:03But she won't find any peace here.
24:08At nearly a ton, banteng bulls move through the forest like bulldozers.
24:17The herd's dominant bull spots an intruding banteng bull.
24:23He gores the ground in a display of strength.
24:31But instead of backing down, the newcomer stands his ground.
24:36He has his eye on the bull's females and he lays down a challenge.
24:41This will only be settled one way.
24:43This will only be settled one way.
24:49The men of the sea.
24:49The men of the sea.
25:04Let's go.
25:34The lighter-coloured newcomer wins the battle.
25:38The old male is out.
25:41A changing of the guard and a new bloodline for the herd.
25:47The seasons are also changing, and May usually sees the end of the dry season.
25:55Rain collects into streams.
25:57Streams become rivers, and where there are rivers there is life in abundance.
26:09Sambar deer are seldom found far from water.
26:13And while they are mostly active at night or early mornings and evenings,
26:17they will often while away the day near or even in a river.
26:27They are some of the largest deer species on Earth,
26:30potentially reaching half a ton in weight.
26:33Their sheer size makes them difficult to hunt for most of the predators here.
26:40With the exception of one.
26:58Patient, silent, and practically invisible,
27:03the tigress waits for the perfect moment.
27:27At a top speed of 56 kilometres an hour, she closes in.
27:43Instead of feeding immediately, she drags the kill under cover
27:46before moving away towards the thick undergrowth.
27:53Where her two cubs are hiding, patiently waiting for their mother's return.
28:04They still rely on their mother's milk, but they are slowly being weaned onto meat.
28:14Oh, come on.
28:19Oh, come on.
28:29Oh, come on.
28:33Oh, come on.
28:49The tiger is not the only mother out on the hunt.
29:07The clouded leopard has been away from her two young cubs for days in search of food.
29:17She's getting desperate.
29:38The noisy leaf litter makes stalking more difficult.
29:44And with no sign of any prey on the forest floor, she once again turns her attention to the treetops.
29:51A lar gibbon swings obliviously through the canopy.
30:05Among the fastest primates, they fly through the trees, their long arms and curved fingers propelling them.
30:14While the clouded leopard prefers stealth, lar gibbons make quite a racket.
30:20The eerie call of this male is part of a duet between him and his mate.
30:24Her answer pierces the jungle at over 100 decibels.
30:45She may be a good climber.
30:47But a gibbon can cover nine metres in a single swim and move through the trees at 55 kilometres an
30:53hour.
31:12The hunt is over before it even begins, as the gibbon vanishes deep into the forest.
31:21This is not her lucky day.
31:30But all that is about to change.
31:35Her keen hearing picks up a rustle of leaves.
31:39Wild boar piglets.
31:41Small and easy to catch.
31:51But they come with a security detail.
32:00A wild boar piglet.
32:03Born at less than a kilogram, it's a perfect meal for a hungry clouded leopard.
32:20There is a whole litter of them up for grabs.
32:25The piglets may be small and helpless, but their mother is not.
32:56A straggling piglet is her reward.
33:19Her meal over, she returns to her death.
33:29She stayed away longer than normal in her desperation to find food.
33:51She searches, smelling for any sign of her cubs.
34:01The cubs are gone.
34:05A forest of predators is often to blame.
34:13After a last look, she melts back into the forest alone.
34:22Cats are not the only creatures here that embrace the dark.
34:28In a nearby cave system, the setting sun is the cue for thousands of bats to start their day.
34:44As they stream out of their rocky vault, birds of prey congregate above a colony.
35:01They circle closer and closer to the dark cloud of bats.
35:07Suddenly they attack, picking their targets out of the sky like predatory fighter jets.
35:23Only when the light fails completely are the bats safe from the aerial attack.
35:32On dark, cloudy nights, only thermal cameras can penetrate the forest's stygian blackness.
35:40This Malayan porcupine, armed with sharp, microscopically barbed quills, may be small,
35:46but it's still incredibly dangerous to tackle, even for a tiger.
36:07One wrong move could mean a serious injury.
36:12descaliving sound
36:13&
36:13accompagnation
36:13dwindows
36:3910
36:53She comes off very lightly.
36:55A few quills embedded in her thick coat will not cause any lasting harm.
37:12At dawn, the fishing cat is back on the hunt.
37:20Although fish are her favourite food, she too will adapt to hunt anything within her grasp.
37:28Anything from rodents to insects will do.
37:37Even a bird within leaping distance is worth a try.
38:05She cannot linger for a second try.
38:08She has somewhere to be.
38:24Her cubs are waiting.
38:31But she's not alone.
38:43Her den has an unwelcome visitor.
38:46A king cobra.
38:50One bite to her or her cubs would be fatal.
38:55She has a choice.
38:57Flee or defend her family.
39:08Growing to lengths of five and a half metres, the king cobra is the world's longest venomous snake.
39:16It's armed with enough neurotoxic venom to kill an elephant.
39:23It has slithered into the fishing cat's den site.
39:27If bitten, if bitten, the mother would face certain death.
39:37She stands her ground.
40:01Luckily, her bravery pays off.
40:10Her cubs, barely three weeks old, have just opened their eyes for the first time.
40:20For the next 18 months, they will be her top priority.
40:34The leopard cubs are now about 18 months old.
40:37They are beginning to wander further and further from the den as they hone their skills as hunters.
40:44Their practice is beginning to pay off.
40:48They are now agile and calculating predators.
40:55Their final rite of passage into adulthood is hunting for themselves.
41:04These are the first steps towards independence.
41:16The tiger cubs are not yet ready to leave the safety of their mother's side.
41:23She still has much to teach them, such as there are more ways than one to find food.
41:33Her attention is focused on something in the river.
41:41Her body language changes.
41:43She's picked up a delectable scent.
41:54Her keen sense of smell leads her to the water's edge.
42:00The tigers are supreme hunters, but they are not above scavenging.
42:09Unlike many other cats, she'll happily wade into deep water, especially for food.
42:22It's not often that a free lunch presents itself.
42:26And this dead wild boar is a lucky windfall for her and her cubs.
42:33They're not fussy eaters.
42:35It's unclear how the boar died.
42:38But surviving here means taking whatever is available.
42:50Perseverance and adaptability is key.
42:53And in Thailand's mist-shrouded jungles, few creatures master this skill as well as cats.
43:18And in Thailand's mist-shrouded jungle.
43:19And in Thailand's mist-shrouded jungle.
43:22He's a place where it is.
43:22And in Thailand's mist-shrouded jungle.
43:25And we're even looking at the toughest, way in Thailand.
43:27You know, that's a little bit too.
43:28I love it.
43:30A 보이는 mask, and it's more difficult.
43:30For the clouded leopard, a new season brings a new life.
43:45A chance to start over.
43:59Her new family, born to rule the shadow worlds of Thailand's great forests.
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