BONNIN: INDIA.
A VIBRANT, BUSTLING WORLD, HOME TO OVER A BILLION PEOPLE, BUT IF YOU KNOW WHERE TO LOOK, THE MOST SPECTACULAR WILDLIFE... [GROWLS] [HOOTING] ANCIENT CULTURES... AND EXTREME LANDSCAPES CAN BE FOUND.
[ELEPHANT TRUMPETS] I'M LIZ BONNIN.
I'M HERE TO EXPLORE INDIA'S SPECTACULAR WILDLIFE IN ONE OF THE MOST BIODIVERSE PLACES ON EARTH.
I'VE SPENT YEARS STUDYING WILDLIFE, BUT EVERY TIME I RETURN TO INDIA, I DISCOVER SOMETHING NEW.
[ROARS] I COMPLETELY UNDERESTIMATED HOW EXTRAORDINARY AND EYE-OPENING THIS IS GOING TO BE.
ACTOR FREIDA PINTO WAS BORN HERE.
HA HA HA!
SHE WANTS TO SHARE THE REMARKABLE BOND BETWEEN INDIA'S PEOPLE AND THE NATURAL WORLD.
PINTO: YOU ALWAYS SEE THAT THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN MAN AND ANIMAL.
WOW!
BONNIN: AND FROM THE HIGHEST PEAKS ON EARTH, MOUNTAINEER JON GUPTA EXPLORES INDIA'S MOST EXTREME LANDSCAPES.
MY PASSION IS MOUNTAINS, AND THERE IS NOWHERE IN THE WORLD LIKE THE HIMALAYAS.
BONNIN: WE'RE TRAVELING THE LENGTH AND BREADTH OF THIS SUBCONTINENT TO REVEAL THE HIDDEN WONDERS OF INDIA'S NATURAL WORLD.
[HOOTING] BONNIN: INDIA IS HOME TO A SPECTACULAR ARRAY OF HABITATS AND SPECIES, MANY OF WHICH ARE FOUND NOWHERE ELSE.
I'VE BEEN ENCHANTED BY INDIA EVER SINCE MY FIRST VISIT.
MY GREAT GRANDPARENTS CAME FROM HERE.
THIS LAND IS SO VAST YOU COULD SPEND A LIFETIME EXPLORING IT AND STILL ONLY SCRATCH THE SURFACE.
I'M STARTING MY JOURNEY 300 MILES WEST OF DELHI...
IN A PLACE WHICH SEEMS RATHER UNREMARKABLE, BUT THIS VILLAGE HOSTS A UNIQUE WILDLIFE EVENT, A COLLABORATION BETWEEN BIRDS AND PEOPLE I'VE HEARD ABOUT BUT HAVE NEVER WITNESSED.
IF IT'S HALF AS IMPRESSIVE AS THEY SAY, I'M IN FOR A REAL TREAT.
THIS IS KHICHAN, AND IT'S KNOWN AS THE VILLAGE OF THE CRANES.
EVERY YEAR, TENS OF THOUSANDS OF BIRDS MIGRATE HERE FROM THEIR BREEDING GROUNDS ON THE STEPPES OF EURASIA AND MONGOLIA, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE WATERING HOLES THAT BORDER THIS VILLAGE THAT DRAW THE BIRDS HERE.
THE PEOPLE PLAY AN INTEGRAL PART IN THE LIVES OF THESE ELEGANT BIRDS.
I'VE DISCOVERED THAT THE STORY OF INDIA'S WILDLIFE IS ONE OF ANCIENT REVERENCE.
EVERY DAY IN WINTER, THE PEOPLE OF THIS VILLAGE FILL A SQUARE WITH FOOD FOR SOME WEARY TRAVELERS.
DEMOISELLE CRANES.
IT HAS CREATED ONE OF THE MOST SPECTACULAR SIGHTS ON THE SUBCONTINENT.
LIKE ALL THE BEST SPECTACLES, IT STARTS SLOWLY.
[CRANES SQUAWKING] AT DAWN, THE BIRDS START TO ARRIVE IN SMALL NUMBERS.
THEY FLY IN FORMATION, LIKE RIBBONS STRETCHED ACROSS THE SKY.
THERE'S SOMETHING REALLY EMOTIVE ABOUT WATCHING THEM FLY OVERHEAD.
THIS FLUID, COORDINATED MOVEMENT.
OH, IT'S JUST, JUST BEAUTIFUL.
AS THE SUN RISES, SO THE NUMBER OF BIRDS INCREASES.
GRADUALLY THE SKY FILLS WITH CRANES.
IT MIGHT SOUND A BIT LIKE A CACOPHONY WHEN THEY'RE ALL TOGETHER, AND THERE IS A REAL ORDER TO IT ALL.
THEY LAND ON A HILLSIDE OVERLOOKING THE VILLAGE.
ONCE THE NUMBERS REACH A CRITICAL MASS, THEY TAKE TO THE SKIES AGAIN.
OH, MY GOD!
LOOK AT THAT!
IT STARTED OFF EVER SO GENTLY, AND NOW IT'S REALLY, REALLY KICKING OFF THAT'S EXTRAORDINARY.
BUT THE BIRDS DON'T ENTER THE FEEDING AREA STRAIGHT AWAY.
THEY ARE EXTREMELY WARY.
SO WHILE THE PEOPLE OF THE VILLAGE GO ABOUT THEIR MORNING ROUTINE...
THE CRANES CIRCLE ABOVE...
WAITING FOR THE FIRST BIRD TO TAKE THE PLUNGE.
FOR SOME UNKNOWN REASON, THE FIRST BIRD IS QUITE OFTEN THIS ONE, A BIRD WITH ONLY ONE FOOT.
DAY AFTER DAY, IT'S THE FIRST ONE TO FEED.
MAYBE IT NEEDS THIS HEAD START BECAUSE IT CAN'T COMPETE WHEN THE SQUARE IS CROWDED.
THE REST OF THE CRANES ARE CIRCLING IN WHAT LOOKS LIKE A REALLY SYNCHRONIZED, COORDINATED TYPE OF ACTIVITY.
ALL CONTACT CALLING TO EACH OTHER NONSTOP.
ONCE THE REST CAN SEE THERE'S NO DANGER, THEY FLOCK TO THE SQUARE IN THEIR THOUSANDS.
I'M SO IMPRESSED WITH HOW ORDERLY THIS ALL IS.
THEY DON'T ALL LAND EN MASSE TO FEED.
THERE'S A SORT OF CONTROLLED MOVEMENT OF THE BIRDS OUTSIDE THE ENCLOSURE, AND THEN THE FRONT BIT TAKES OFF, CIRCLES OVERHEAD, AND LANDS ON THE OUTSIDE OF THE ALREADY FEEDING BIRDS, AND THEY'RE DOING THIS IN STAGES.
IT COULD BE PANDEMONIUM, BUT IT'S NOT.
IT'S INCREDIBLY CIVILIZED AND ORDERLY.
I COMPLETELY UNDERESTIMATED HOW EXTRAORDINARY AND EYE-OPENING THIS WAS GOING TO BE.
THIS FLOCK ACTS LIKE A WELL-OILED MACHINE.
NO CALL, NO MOVEMENT IS MADE BY ACCIDENT AND EVEN THE SUBTLEST CHANGE IN BEHAVIOR... MOVES THROUGH THE FLOCK LIKE A RIPPLE.
THIS HAS TO BE SEEN TO BE BELIEVED.
DEMOISELLE CRANES ARE THE SMALLEST OF ALL CRANES.
THEY WERE GIVEN THEIR NAME WHEN THE FRENCH QUEEN MARIE ANTOINETTE FIRST SAW ONE.
SHE LOVED THEIR DELICATE APPEARANCE.
DEMOISELLE MEANS MAIDEN OR YOUNG LADY, BUT THESE BIRDS ARE MUCH TOUGHER THAN THEY LOOK.
TO GET TO KHICHAN, THEY HAVE TRAVELED 1,200 MILES ACROSS THE CENTRAL ASIAN PLAIN, BUT IT'S THE HEIGHT THEY FLY THAT IS REMARKABLE.
SPECIALLY ADAPTED LUNGS PROCESS OXYGEN MORE EFFICIENTLY SO THEY CAN RISE UP INTO THINNER AIR.
THEY FLY OVER THE HIMALAYAS AT ALTITUDES OF UP TO 23,000 FEET.
THE CRANES STARTED TO COME HERE BECAUSE OF THE WATERING HOLES SURROUNDING THIS DESERT VILLAGE.
SEVERAM MALI PARIHAR IS ONE OF THOSE THAT BEGAN THIS PROJECT.
HOW MANY CRANES WERE THERE AT THE BEGINNING COMPARED TO HOW MANY THERE ARE NOW?
[SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE] SO HOW MUCH GRAIN DO YOU PUT OUT EVERY DAY?
THAT IS A LOT.
HOW--SO HOW DO THEY PAY FOR THIS?
BONNIN, VOICE-OVER: THE PEOPLE OF KHICHAN ARE MOSTLY MEMBERS OF THE JAIN COMMUNITY.
IT IS A CENTRAL BELIEF OF THIS ANCIENT RELIGION THAT ANIMALS AND PEOPLE SHOULD BE TREATED WITH EQUAL RESPECT.
WHEN THEY SAW HUNGRY BIRDS ON THEIR LONG MIGRATION, THEY FELT IT WAS THEIR DUTY TO HELP THEM.
THE VILLAGERS OF KHICHAN HAVE DEDICATED THEMSELVES TO THE PRESERVATION OF THESE MAGNIFICENT CRANES.
BONNIN: AND YOU GO BEYOND JUST FEEDING THEM, IS THAT RIGHT?
I SAW SOME NEWSPAPER CLIPPINGS ABOUT, UM, TELEPHONE OR ELECTRICITY WIRES.
YES.
[SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE] BONNIN, VOICE-OVER: IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF DEDICATION.
BONNIN: WHY--WHY GO THROUGH ALL OF THAT?
[SPEAKING LOCAL LANGUAGE] DO YOU EVER GET TIRED OF THIS, EVERY MORNING, THIS INCREDIBLE SPECTACLE?
BONNIN, VOICE-OVER: BUT THESE WILD BIRDS ARE NERVOUS FEEDERS.
ANYTHING CAN SCARE THEM OFF.
AS QUICKLY AS THE CRANES ENTERED THE SQUARE, THEY LEAVE.
THE VILLAGERS LAY OUT THE FOOD FOR THE NEXT DAY, AND THE ROUTINE STARTS ALL OVER AGAIN.
I'VE BEEN LUCKY ENOUGH TO WITNESS MANY SPECTACLES, BUT THEY TEND TO BE IN WILD PLACES AWAY FROM PEOPLE.
TO SEE SOMETHING AS DRAMATIC AS THESE CRANES RIGHT IN THE CENTER OF AN OTHERWISE ORDINARY VILLAGE IS A RARE TREAT INDEED.
[WOMAN SPEAKING LOCAL LANGUAGE] PINTO: AS AN ACTOR GROWING UP IN INDIA, PERFORMANCE IS IN MY BLOOD.
ONE OF INDIA'S OLDEST FORMS OF THEATER MIXES ANIMALS AND PEOPLE INTO A WORLD FAMOUS SPECTACLE PACKED WITH SPIRIT OF MY HOME.
TO WITNESS IT, I'VE TRAVELED TO ASSAM IN THE NORTHEAST OF INDIA, WHERE, THANKS TO THEIR ISOLATION, THE ISLAND COMMUNITIES OF THE BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER MAINTAIN AGE-OLD TRADITIONS.
INDIAN CULTURE AND RELIGION HAVE A VERY STRONG LINK TO THE NATURAL WORLD, SPECIFICALLY ANIMALS, AND A LOT OF GODS IN INDIAN MYTHOLOGY AND RELIGION SEEM TO APPEAR IN SOME ANIMAL FORM OR THE OTHER.
SO HOW DO THEY BRING THESE GODS TO LIFE?
THIS IS THE ANCIENT SKILL OF MASK MAKING.
THEY ARE USED TO TELL MYTHOLOGICAL STORIES OF THE STRUGGLES BETWEEN GODS.
IN INDIA'S RELIGIONS, SUCH GODS OFTEN TAKE THE FORM OF ANIMALS.
I THINK IT WILL BE ABSOLUTELY INCOMPLETE, THIS TRIP, IF I DIDN'T TRY TO GATHER SOME SKILLS MYSELF.
OK.
SO THE NEXT STEP IS COW DUNG AND WHAT ELSE?
COW DUNG, YEAH, AND CLAY.
AND CLAY.
OK.
IT'S A MIXTURE OF COW DUNG AND CLAY TO GIVE THE MASK WHATEVER CHARACTER THEY DESIRE TO GIVE IT.
SO RIGHT NOW YOU HAVE... [SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE] YEAH, YEAH, HANUMAN.
SO RIGHT NOW, HE IS BUSY MAKING A VERY, VERY FAMOUS, UM, CHARACTER IN THE "RAMAYANA."
"RAMAYANA."
IT'S HANUMAN, THE MONKEY GOD.
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: HANUMAN IS ONE OF THE MOST RECOGNIZABLE GODS THROUGHOUT INDIA, A DEITY WITH THE FACE OF A MONKEY AND THE QUICK-WITTED INSTINCTS, TOO.
OK. [SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE] [SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE] WELL, BASICALLY WHAT HE'S SAYING IS THAT I'M VERY GOOD AT THIS AND I DON'T NEED ANY--ANY HELP.
HEH.
NO.
HA HA HA!
I'M ACTUALLY THE WORST WHEN IT COMES TO CRAFTS AND ART, SO THIS IS, UM, ME PRETENDING THAT I'M ACTUALLY AN EXPERT WHEN I'M ACTUALLY NOT.
PINTO: INDIAN LIFE IS FULL OF STORIES AND RELIGIOUS FABLES THAT SERVE AS A BEDROCK OF THIS CULTURE.
THE MASKS ARE AN IDEAL WAY TO BRING THOSE STORIES TO LIFE.
THEY ARE THE MOST COLORFUL AND EXPRESSIVE I'VE EVER SEEN.
ONE LOOK IS ENOUGH TO CONVINCE ME I NEED TO TRY THEM ON.
OK. OH, YEAH.
HA HA HA!
THIS IS GOING TO BE A BATTLE.
HEH HA HA HA!
GOOD AND BAD.
HA HA HA!
HAHH.
HA HA HA!
HEE YEE HA!
HA HA HA!
[GRUNTING] THAT'S MY OSCAR.
HA HA HA!
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: LEGEND HAS IT THAT THE INHABITANTS OF THESE ISLANDS WERE URGED TO LEARN HOW TO MAKE THESE MASKS BY A VOICE FROM THE BRAHMAPUTRA ITSELF.
THE MASKS HAVE A SPIRITUAL PURPOSE.
THESE CHARACTERS ARE FROM THE STORY I'M TO BE SHOWN.
THE "RAMAYANA" IS NOT JUST ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT BOOKS IN THE HINDU RELIGION, IT'S ONE OF THE BEST KNOWN STORIES IN THE WHOLE OF INDIA.
IT'S THE STORY OF RAM AND HIS BATTLE WITH THE DEMON RAVAN WHO IS AFTER HIS WIFE SITA.
[PERCUSSION PLAYING] HERE SITA IS BEING CAPTURED.
THE VULTURE JATAYU TRIES TO SAVE HER.
HYAH!
[SCREECHES] HA HA HA!
THE DEMON KING KILLS THE VULTURE AND RUNS OFF WITH SITA, BUT IN THE STORY, IT IS RAM WHO TRIUMPHS THANKS TO THE HELP OF THE ANIMAL KINGDOM.
ESPECIALLY THE MONKEY ARMY, LED BY THE NIMBLE HANUMAN.
[SCREAMING] THESE LEGENDS HAVE BEEN A PART OF OUR CULTURE FOR CENTURIES.
LIKE MILLIONS OF OTHER INDIANS, THEY WERE A CENTRAL PART OF MY CHILDHOOD.
THIS CONSTANT TELLING AND RETELLING OF STORIES WHERE NATURE HELPS OVERCOME ADVERSITY REMINDS US OF THE IMPORTANCE OF THE ANIMALS THAT SURROUND US.
AND I WANT TO SAY THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THIS WONDERFUL PERFORMANCE.
THIS WAS ABSOLUTELY WONDERFUL TO BRING IT TO LIFE.
THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR DOING THIS FOR US.
THANK YOU, THANK YOU.
GUPTA: FROM A MAN-MADE SPECTACLE TO ONE THAT WAS CREATED 40 MILLION YEARS AGO.
TO MY MIND, THESE ARE INDIA'S GREATEST MARVEL OF ALL...
THE HIMALAYAS.
I'VE CLIMBED THROUGHOUT THE HIMALAYAS IN NEPAL AND CENTRAL ASIA BUT NEVER BEFORE IN INDIA.
THE REASON I WANTED TO COME HERE IS THAT MY GRANDFATHER WAS BORN IN THE FOOTHILLS OF THESE MOUNTAINS.
THOUGH HE LEFT INDIA FOR BRITAIN, THIS VAST LANDSCAPE WAS THE BACKDROP TO HIS CHILDHOOD.
EVERYTHING HERE IS ALIVE.
EVEN THOUGH THEY ARE THE HIGHEST MOUNTAINS ON EARTH, THEY ARE ACTUALLY THE YOUNGEST.
IN GEOLOGICAL TERMS AT JUST 40 MILLION YEARS OLD, THEY ARE MERE INFANTS.
THE HIMALAYAS ARE STILL GROWING.
AS THE LAND MASSES THEY SIT ON CONTINUE THEIR SLOW MOTION COLLISION, THE HIMALAYAS SLOWLY RISE.
IT'S MIND-BOGGLING TO THINK THAT THIS IS STILL TAKING PLACE TODAY AND THAT THE HIMALAYAS ARE GROWING.
IT'S JUST A FEW INCHES A YEAR, BUT IT'S BEEN HAPPENING FOR MILLIONS OF YEARS.
FOR ME, LIFE IN THESE MOUNTAINS IS SIMPLY ON A DIFFERENT SCALE FROM THE WORLD BELOW.
HAVING SPENT A LOT OF MY TIME LIVING IN THESE HIGH MOUNTAINS, IT'S CLEAR TO ME THAT THESE MOUNTAINS ARE VERY MUCH ALIVE.
LAST YEAR, I WAS ON A HIGH CAMP ON A MOUNTAIN JUST NEAR EVEREST, AND I TOOK THE DAY OFF TO REST, AND AS I SPENT THE DAY, SAT THERE WATCHING THE MOUNTAINS, I COULDN'T HELP FEEL THAT THEY WERE ALSO BREATHING WITH ME.
IN THE MORNING, IT'S CLEAR, CRYSTAL CLEAR, AND THROUGH THE DURATION OF THE DAY, CLOUDS COME UP THE VALLEYS AND DISPERSE INTO THE BIG HILLS.
AND THEN LATER ON IN THE AFTERNOON WHEN THE TEMPERATURES START TO PLUMMET, THE CLOUDS DO THE OPPOSITE.
THEY THEN DESCEND BACK INTO THE VALLEYS AND SLOWLY DISSIPATE BACK AWAY, LEAVING IT CLEAR AGAIN.
AND AS I WATCHED THESE CLOUDS, I COULDN'T HELP BUT FEEL THAT THESE MOUNTAINS HAD TAKEN AN ENTIRE DAY JUST TO TAKE ONE FULL BREATH...
BUT EVEN GIANTS NEED HELP.
[WATER GURGLING] IN THE HIMALAYAS, IT COMES IN THE FORM OF ONE OF THE SMALLEST INHABITANTS...
THE PIKA.
I WANT TO SEE HOW THIS TINY CREATURE PLAYS A VITAL ROLE IN THE LIFE OF THEM.
SAHAS BHARVE STUDIES THE ANIMALS OF THE MOUNTAINS.
OH.
THERE'S ONE RIGHT THERE.
IT'S-- OH, YEAH, I SEE IT.
AH, THEY ARE QUITE SMALL.
YEAH, THEY ARE.
GUPTA, VOICE-OVER: PIKA ARE KNOWN LOCALLY AS THE FRIENDLY MOUSE, BUT THEY ARE ACTUALLY PART OF THE RABBIT FAMILY.
HE'S GOING SOMEPLACE.
THEIR HOPPING RUN IS THE GIVEAWAY.
YOU CAN DEFINITELY SEE THAT THIS IS PART OF THE RABBIT FAMILY.
IT--IT RUNS LIKE A RABBIT.
I KNOW.
YEAH.
GUPTA, VOICE-OVER: PIKA DO NOT HIBERNATE.
DURING THE WINTER, THEY MAKE BURROWS UNDER THE SNOW AND UNDER THE ROCKS.
IN SPRING, THE TUNNELS THEY CREATE BECOME DRAINAGE CHANNELS DISPERSING THE MELT WATER.
THROUGH THE WINTER, PIKA LIVE OFF FOOD THEY HAVE GATHERED IN THE SHORT SUMMER.
BHARVE: PIKAS LIVE BELOW THE SNOW IN THE WINTERS.
FIRST OF ALL, THEY HAVE THIS BIG CACHE OF FOOD IN THEIR BURROW, BUT IF THEY NEED TO GET TO ANOTHER CACHE, THEY HAVE PATHS UNDER THE SNOW.
IT'S ALL CONNECTED?
YEAH.
GUPTA: THEIR ACTIVITY DISPERSES THE SEEDS OF MANY PLANTS.
THEIR FOOD STORES AND DROPPINGS BECOME FERTILIZER, AND BECAUSE THEY ARE ACTIVE YEAR ROUND, THEY ARE ONE OF THE FEW SOURCES OF FOOD FOR PREDATORS IN THE WINTER.
BHARVE: PIKAS ARE REALLY VITAL TO THE HIMALAYAN SYSTEM BECAUSE NOT ONLY DO THEY AERATE THE SOIL, WHICH HELPS THE GRASS GROW, BUT THEY'RE ALSO A REALLY KEY PREY SPECIES FOR A BUNCH OF ANIMALS LIKE WEASELS AND MARTENS AND FOXES AND EAGLES.
GUPTA, VOICE-OVER: I WANT TO SEE IF I CAN GET A CLOSER LOOK.
HERE HE COMES.
JUST SAT THERE CHECKING ME OUT.
I CAN SEE EVERY LITTLE WHISKER AND HIS NOSE MOVING UP AND DOWN.
PROBABLY TRYING TO SNIFF ME OUT, TRYING TO WORK OUT WHAT I AM.
I'LL TRY AND GET A BIT CLOSER.
PROBABLY RUN AWAY.
BRILLIANT.
YOU CAN STILL SEE HIM.
CAN'T RESIST.
OH, MY GOD.
HERE WE GO.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
GUPTA, VOICE-OVER: WITHOUT THESE BUSY CREATURES, THE HIMALAYAS WOULD BE A VERY DIFFERENT PLACE.
THIS VAST LANDSCAPE OWES SO MUCH TO SUCH A TINY CREATURE.
PINTO: THE SHEER SIZE OF INDIA MEANS THERE ARE MANY EXTREME HABITATS FOR WILDLIFE.
I'VE TRAVELED A SHORT WAY DOWN THE BRAHMAPUTRA TO KAZIRANGA NATIONAL PARK, 160 SQUARE MILES OF GRASSLAND.
I'M HERE TO SEE INDIA'S LONGEST RUNNING CONSERVATION SUCCESS STORY, INDIA'S RHINOCEROS, THE ONE HORNED RHINO, AND THIS IS THE BEST WAY TO GET CLOSE TO ONE.
SO THIS IS, UH, QUITE EARLY IN THE MORNING, AND THE ELEPHANT IS OUR CHOSEN MODE OF TRANSPORTATION.
I'M RIDING WITH WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN SANDESH KADUR.
HE'S SPENT A LIFETIME STUDYING THE RHINOS.
WE'RE GOING TO HOPEFULLY SPOT THESE RHINOS TODAY.
WELL, WHERE WE ARE, KAZIRANGA, IS ONE OF THE BEST PLACES TO SEE THE ONE HORNED RHINO.
RIGHT.
IT HAS HALF THE WORLD'S POPULATION RIGHT HERE, BUT WE DO HAVE TO LOOK FOR THEM.
OK. PINTO, VOICE-OVER: AS WE ENTER THE GRASS, I'M DESPERATE FOR MY FIRST GLIMPSE OF THIS RARE BEAST.
LOOK AT THAT, LOOK AT THAT.
OH, WOW.
THAT'S AMAZING.
OH, WE'RE VERY CLOSE TO THIS GUY.
OH, YEAH.
THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BEST RHINO SIGHTINGS I'VE HAD IN A LONG TIME.
NOW YOU CAN SEE HOW BIG THE RHINO IS.
BECAUSE I'VE NEVER SEEN A ONE HORNED RHINO BEFORE, SO THIS IS LITERALLY MY FIRST TIME.
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: THE RHINOCEROS CONSERVATION STORY GOES BACK OVER A HUNDRED YEARS.
KAZIRANGA WAS CREATED IN 1905 WHEN HABITAT DESTRUCTION AND HUNTING HAD BROUGHT RHINO NUMBERS IN INDIA CRASHING TO JUST 10 OR SO.
SINCE THEN, THESE PROTECTED LANDS HAVE HELPED NUMBERS RISE.
THERE ARE NOW OVER 2,000 HERE.
PEOPLE COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD TO SEE THEM.
KADUR: THEY'VE GOT VERY, VERY SMALL EYES.
THEY'RE PRACTICALLY BLIND.
PINTO: AW.
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: RHINOS HAVE BAD EYESIGHT BUT GOOD HEARING.
THEIR EARS SWIVEL AT THE SLIGHTEST SOUND TO LOCATE DANGER.
WHEN THREATENED, THESE MASSIVE BEASTS CAN CHARGE AT UP TO 30 MILES PER HOUR.
KADUR: OH, MY GOD.
HE'S BEEN-- HE'S HAD A LITTLE BIT OF A FIGHT.
OH, YEAH.
HE'S GOT A... GOT A LITTLE... GASH.
SEE, THAT'S HOW DELICATE THE SKIN IS.
ANY LITTLE THING PUNCTURES IT AND WOUNDS IT.
IT LOOKS LIKE ARMOR, BUT IT'S ACTUALLY VERY, VERY SOFT.
REALLY?
AND ANOTHER LITTLE TIDBIT.
MM-HMM.
THEY GET SUNBURNT VERY QUICKLY.
AW.
HMM?
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: IN SUMMER, TEMPERATURES APPROACH 100 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT.
THE RHINOS TAKE TO THE WATER TO COOL DOWN.
THEIR SKIN GETS COVERED IN TICKS AND MITES.
THE RHINO RELIES ON MINA BIRDS AND EGRETS TO PICK THE PARASITES FROM THOSE HARD-TO-REACH PLACES.
SO WHAT'S-- WHAT'S YOUR-- WHAT DO YOU FEEL LIKE?
YOUR FIRST RHINO?
MY FIRST RHINO EXPERIENCE.
I ACTUALLY AM--AM--AHH.
THIS IS BEAUTIFUL.
IT MAKES YOU EMOTIONAL, RIGHT?
JUST TO BE IN THE PRESENCE OF THESE--THESE WILD ANIMALS.
FOR ME, THAT WAS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING.
IT'S A REAL, UM, PRIVILEGE.
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: JUST AS WE'RE ABOUT TO LEAVE, SANDESH SPOTS AN UNBELIEVABLE TREAT.
KADUR: OH, LOOK AT THAT!
BABY RHINO.
HA.
IT'S A BABY RHINO.
AW.
HOW OLD DO YOU THINK THAT IS?
OH THIS IS A NEWBORN, HARDLY TWO MONTHS OLD.
THIS IS INCREDIBLE.
GOD, WE'RE SO LUCKY.
WE ACTUALLY SEE THE MOTHER AND THE BABY.
THAT'S RIGHT.
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: THIS IS A RARE SIGHT.
RHINOS ONLY HAVE A SINGLE CALF EVERY 3 YEARS, BUT THIS IS A SIGN OF THE CONTINUED HEALTH OF THE RHINO PROGRAM HERE IN KAZIRANGA.
PINTO: INCREDIBLE.
KADUR: YOU COULDN'T HAVE ASKED FOR MORE.
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: ONCE, RHINOS WERE FOUND ALL ACROSS THE NORTHERN PLAINS, BUT POACHING THREATENED THEIR VERY EXISTENCE.
THANKS TO OVER A HUNDRED YEARS OF PROTECTION IN THIS PARK, NUMBERS ARE ON THE INCREASE.
THERE ARE NOW OVER 3,000 IN THE WILD.
[GRUNTS] OVER HALF LIVE IN THESE PROTECTED LANDS.
GUPTA: FROM A LAND OF GRASSES IT'S JUST 1,200 MILES NORTHWEST TO ONE OF EXTREME GRADIENTS.
I WANT TO LEARN ABOUT THE ANIMALS THAT HAVE ADAPTED TO LIFE AMONG THE PEAKS OF THE HIMALAYAS.
THESE ARE TAHR.
THERE'S A REASON I WANT TO SEE THEM IN ACTION.
I'VE HEARD THIS GOAT IS THE ULTIMATE MOUNTAIN ANIMAL.
THIS IS A FORBIDDING LANDSCAPE.
THEY'VE ADAPTED TO LIVE IN THE MOST EXTREME MOUNTAIN ENVIRONMENT ON EARTH.
THEIR LONG, THICK FUR KEEPS THEM WARM IN THE HARSH MOUNTAIN WINTERS.
THEIR HOOVES HAVE HARD EDGES AND SOFT RUBBERY CENTERS, PERFECT TO WEDGE INTO ROCKY CRACKS.
THEIR SHOULDERS ARE SHOCK ABSORBERS.
THEY CAN GO ANYWHERE, AND I DO MEAN ANYWHERE.
LIFE IN THESE MOUNTAINS LIVES ON A KNIFE EDGE.
THERE'S VERY LITTLE ROOM FOR ERROR.
I'VE CLIMBED EVEREST IN NEPAL, BUT I'D THINK TWICE BEFORE ATTEMPTING TO DESCEND THAT.
[BLEATING] YET THIS IS THE DAILY COMMUTE FOR EVEN THE YOUNGEST TAHR.
AT EACH STEP THEY TAKE, THERE'S ROCKS AND GRASS TUMBLING DOWN THE ROCK FACE.
TAHR EAT GRASS, HERBS AND LEAVES, BUT FOOD IS A SCARCE COMMODITY UP HERE.
BY CLIMBING THEY CAN GET TO VEGETATION THAT NO OTHER ANIMAL CAN ACCESS.
HEH HEH HEH.
I CAN BARELY WATCH IT.
I CAN'T BELIEVE IT.
THERE ARE NOW TWO FAMILIES DESCENDING THE CLIFF.
EVEN THE YOUNGEST TAHR TAKES THIS IN ITS STRIDE.
I JUST WONDER AT WHAT POINT THE MOTHER STANDS AT THE TOP OF A CLIFF AS BIG AS THIS, AT LEAST 3 OR 400 METERS HIGH, LOOKS OVER, AND JUST SAYS, "YES.
I THINK IT'S ABOUT TIME THAT YOU, "MY TINY, TINY LITTLE TAHR COME DOWN THIS ROCK FACE WITH ME AND OFF YOU GO."
I CAN'T HELP BUT BE IMPRESSED AT THE AGILITY AND THE DEXTERITY OF THE TAHR.
IT'S A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF HOW INDIA'S WILDLIFE HAS ADAPTED TO LIVE IN EVEN THE MOST INHOSPITABLE PLACES.
PINTO: THROUGHOUT INDIA, PEOPLE HAVE A BOND WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.
IF YOU GO THROUGH ANY BOOK THAT TALKS ABOUT RELIGION OR HINDUISM JUST IN GENERAL, YOU ALWAYS SEE THAT THERE IS A CONNECTION BETWEEN MAN AND ANIMAL.
I'M TRAVELING TO MAJULI ON THE BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER.
MAJULI IS THE LARGEST RIVER ISLAND IN INDIA.
IT'S 4 TIMES THE SIZE OF MANHATTAN.
ONE OF THE ISLANDS THAT CLUSTER AROUND MAJULI IS HOME TO A MAN WHOSE DEDICATION TO NATURE IS AN EXAMPLE TO US ALL.
TO MEET HIM, I NEED TO GET ON A FERRY, AND THAT'S NOT AS STRAIGHTFORWARD AS IT SOUNDS.
GETTING ACROSS THE BRAHMAPUTRA CAN BE QUITE A TASK.
AS YOU CAN SEE, IT GETS PRETTY CHAOTIC.
SOMEHOW THROUGH ALL THIS CHAOS, LIKE MOST OF INDIA IS, THINGS GET DONE.
WE WILL GET ON THE FERRY, OUR CARS WILL LOAD, AND WE'LL FINALLY GET TO OUR DESTINATION.
SHALL I LOAD?
THE RIVER HERE IS UP TO 6 MILES WIDE.
THERE'S CONSTANT TOING AND FROING OF PEOPLE, LIVESTOCK, AND OTHER ANIMALS, WHICH EXPLAINS THE PRICE LIST FOR TICKETS.
OK. WE'VE FOUND IT.
THIS ONE'S VERY IMPORTANT.
INDIA IS A VERY, VERY KIND COUNTRY AND A VERY HOSPITABLE COUNTRY.
YOU PROBABLY KNOW THAT BY NOW.
UM, UNLIKE MANY OTHER MODES OF TRANSPORTATION, WE HAVE NO PASSENGER RESTRICTIONS HERE ON THE FERRY, SO IF YOU WANT TO BRING A BUFFALO, YOU CAN.
AN ELEPHANT WITH A MAHOUT, OF COURSE YOU CAN.
UH, SHEEP, GOAT, CALF, PIG, BULL, COW, HORSE, AND LIKE ANIMAL, WE CAN.
AND IF YOU WANT TO GET A WILD ANIMAL LIKE TIGER OR LION, YOU CAN.
SO LET'S GO.
IF YOU'RE WONDERING HOW MUCH A WILD TIGER COSTS, AROUND $1.50.
[MAN SPEAKING LOCAL LANGUAGE] PINTO: 150,000 PEOPLE LIVE ON MAJULI.
IT'S A PLACE WHERE TIME HAS STOOD STILL.
AND ALL OVER THE ISLAND, PEOPLE ARE LOOKING FOR WAYS TO WORK WITH THE NATURAL WORLD.
THIS MAN HAS EVEN MADE A BIKE USING BAMBOO.
I CAN NEVER RESIST TRYING SOMETHING NEW.
[SPEAKING LOCAL LANGUAGE] PINTO: OK. [SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE] OK.
SO HE SAYS THE ONLY TRICK TO THE BICYCLE IS LEARNING HOW TO MANEUVER THE HANDLES.
[SPEAKS LOCAL LANGUAGE] PINTO, VOICE-OVER: BUT HE'S NOT THE MAN I'M HERE TO SEE.
SEE YOU LATER.
AAH!
THIS UNIQUE CULTURE IS UNDER THREAT, NOT BY MAN BUT BY THE VERY THING THAT GIVES IT LIFE, THE BRAHMAPUTRA RIVER ITSELF.
SINCE THE 1950s, MAJULI HAS LOST A THIRD OF ITS LAND MASS DUE TO EROSION FROM THE RIVER.
IN 15 TO 20 YEARS, MAJULI AND HER NEIGHBORING ISLANDS COULD CEASE TO EXIST UNLESS SOMETHING IS DONE.
I'M CROSSING TO A NEIGHBORING ISLAND WITH SOMEONE WHO HAS BECOME A LEGEND.
HE HAS TAKEN ACTION THAT HAS HIGHLIGHTED THE PLIGHT OF THESE ISLANDS BY PLANTING TREES, THOUSANDS OF THEM.
28 YEARS.
SO SAND.
SAND.
OK.
HE'S PLANTED EVERY SINGLE TREE IN THIS FOREST.
THERE WAS PRACTICALLY NOTHING.
IT WAS JUST SAND, JUST BARREN LAND, AND HE'S PLANTED EVERY SINGLE TREE.
IT HAS TAKEN 3 DECADES, BUT ON THIS ISLAND, JADEV PARENG HAS CREATED HIS OWN RAINFOREST.
NOW ROOTS AND VEGETATION BIND THE LAND TOGETHER, FORMING A NATURAL BARRIER AGAINST THE CURRENT, AND WILDLIFE HAS RETURNED, TOO.
JADEV HAS SEEN ELEPHANTS, RHINOS, AND EVEN TIGERS IN HIS FOREST.
PINTO, VOICE-OVER: JADEV TELLS ME HIS STORY AND WHY HE HAS WORKED SO TIRELESSLY TO SAVE THE LAND HE GREW UP IN.
THE FRUITS THAT HE ATE ON THIS ISLAND, UM, AS A CHILD, HE REALIZED THAT AFTER THE FLOODS WHEN--WHEN THE TREES WOULD BE DESTROYED AND FUTURE GENERATIONS WOULD NOT HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO TASTE THOSE LOVELY FRUITS THAT HE ATE AS A KID, SO A PART OF IT IS HIM TRYING TO SAVE THIS PLACE FOR THE ANIMALS, BUT IT'S ALSO A VERY-- UM, IT'S A PRIDE IN HIS CHILDHOOD THAT HE WANTS TO PASS ON TO THE NEXT GENERATION OF CHILDREN.
UM, HE'S A VERY GENEROUS MAN.
PINTO: IT'S THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF HEROES LIKE JADEV THAT INDIA'S WILD PLACES REMAIN PROTECTED.
BONNIN: AT THE OTHER END OF THE COUNTRY IS A MOUNTAIN RANGE CALLED THE WESTERN GHATS.
THEY'RE INDIA'S OLDEST MOUNTAINS.
THEY RUN FOR 1,000 MILES FROM MUMBAI TO THE SOUTHERN TIP OF INDIA.
THEY'RE HOME TO 50 MILLION PEOPLE, BUT THE MONSOON RAINS AND SOUTHERN HEAT CREATE NEAR PERFECT CONDITIONS FOR WILDLIFE, TOO.
THIS GREAT MOUNTAINOUS TROPICAL RAINFOREST IS ONE OF THE MOST BIODIVERSE PLACES ON EARTH.
[THUNDER] THE WESTERN GHATS EXPLODE WITH LIFE, PACKED WITH SPECIES THAT ARE ONLY FOUND HERE.
50% OF ALL OF INDIA'S AMPHIBIANS ARE FOUND IN THE WESTERN GHATS.
MANY LIVE NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD, LIKE THE RARE PURPLE FROG.
[CROAKS] THIS SPECIES MAY BE ONE OF THE STRANGEST LOOKING CREATURES ON THE PLANET, BUT SCIENTISTS BELIEVE IT'S A RARE SURVIVOR OF A LINEAGE THAT DATES BACK 130 MILLION YEARS TO THE TIME OF THE DINOSAURS.
FOR 50 WEEKS, THIS MALE HAS REMAINED HIDDEN UNDERGROUND, BURIED IN THE MUD WHERE HIS FOOD IS.
HIS POINTED NOSE ALLOWS HIM TO BURROW, BUT IT LIMITS THE SIZE OF HIS MOUTH, RESTRICTING HIS DIET TO TERMITES AND OTHER SMALL BUGS.
HE EMERGES FOR JUST TWO WEEKS EVERY YEAR AS THE MONSOON BEGINS.
HE HAS JUST ONE THING ON HIS MIND, TO BREED.
AFTER HE'S MATED, HE'LL RETURN TO HIS MUDDY BURROW.
WITH SUCH A SHORT TIME ABOVE GROUND, THIS SPECIES REMAINED UNDISCOVERED UNTIL 2003 WHEN IT WAS FORMALLY IDENTIFIED, AND IT WAS INSTANTLY ADDED TO THE ENDANGERED LIST.
THE WESTERN GHATS ARE HOME TO OVER 300 ENDANGERED SPECIES.
THE ONE I'M TRAVELING TO SEE IS THE LION-TAILED MACAQUE.
IT'S THOUGHT TO BE ONE OF THE ANCESTORS OF ALL ASIAN MACAQUES.
THIS IS THE ONLY AREA IN WHICH THEY'RE FOUND.
WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN KALYAN VARMA IS ONE OF THOSE HELPING TO PROTECT THE LOCAL POPULATION OF MACAQUES.
LIKE ALL MONKEYS, THEY'RE VERY INQUISITIVE.
AH, THEY'RE JUST COMING FROM THE MORNING ROOST.
WOW.
LOOK AT--OOH!
OH, HE'S SO HANDSOME.
THEY'RE DEFINITELY USED TO CARS ANYWAY.
OH, WOW!
LOOK AT THIS.
OH.
HA HA HA!
THEY'RE JUST VERY CURIOUS ABOUT US.
I DIDN'T EVEN SEE HIM.
WELL, GOOD MORNING.
NOW AND THAT'S A LION-TAILED MACAQUE.
BONNIN, VOICE-OVER: THESE ARE THE MOST ENDANGERED OF ALL INDIA'S MACAQUES.
THERE ARE JUST 4,000 LEFT IN THE WILD.
THEIR HOME IN RAINFOREST CANOPY IS BEING CUT DOWN TO MAKE WAY FOR TEA PLANTATIONS.
THEY'RE BEING FORCED TO SHARE SPACE WITH PEOPLE.
[VEHICLE APPROACHING] [HORN HONKS] [BELL CHIMING] BONNIN: I'VE GOT LION-TAILED MACAQUES ABOVE ME TO MY RIGHT.
THIS BEAUTIFUL FEMALE BEHIND ME, AND I CAN'T QUITE BELIEVE JUST HOW CLOSE I AM TO-- OH, A MOTHER AND INFANT.
TWO.
OH MY GOD.
THEY'RE--THIS IS... UNBELIEVABLE.
THERE ARE 3 FEMALES IN THIS TROOP WITH VERY YOUNG INFANTS HANGING ON TO THEIR BELLIES.
THERE'S ONE THERE, THERE'S ANOTHER ONE THERE, AND THERE WAS ANOTHER FEMALE OVER THERE WITH AN INFANT UP IN THE TREE, AND THAT IS SO RARE TO SEE.
FEMALES WILL ONLY BEAR MAYBE 3 OR 4 OFFSPRING IN THEIR LIVES.
LIKE MANY SPECIES OF MACAQUES, SCIENCE HAS NAMED THESE BEAUTIFUL ANIMALS AFTER THEIR TAILS, WHICH IS SOMEWHAT SURPRISING.
FOR ME, IT'S MORE THE--THE MANE AROUND THE FACE THAT REMINDS ME OF LION.
WHY AREN'T THEY CALLED LION-MANED MACAQUES?
I ALWAYS WONDERED THAT, AS WELL, BECAUSE IN THE LOCAL LANGUAGES IN ALL OF SOUTH INDIA THEY CALL IT THE LION-FACED OR THE LION-MANED MACAQUE.
DO THEY REALLY?
ABSOLUTELY, AND I DON'T KNOW WHY THE ENGLISH SCIENTIFIC NAME IS LION-TAILED MACAQUE.
BONNIN: LION-TAILED MACAQUES FACE THREATS EVERY DAY FROM BUSY ROADS.
[HORN HONKS] [PEOPLE CHEERING AND WHISTLING] THE NATURE CONSERVATION FOUNDATION HAS COME UP WITH AN INGENIOUS SOLUTION TO THE PROBLEM OF GETTING ACROSS THE THOROUGHFARES THAT SLICE THROUGH THEIR FORESTS... BRIDGES MADE FROM FIRE HOSES.
BONNIN: HOW MUCH OF A DIFFERENCE HAS THIS MADE TO CASUALTIES AND FATALITIES?
OH, IT'S QUITE A BIT.
I THINK A LOT OF THEM, ESPECIALLY THE YOUNG ONES LOVE USING THIS.
IT'S THE OLDER ONES THAT ARE ON THE ROAD MOSTLY, SO THE YOUNG ONES DEFINITELY LIKE THE PROTECTION OF THE BRIDGES.
RIGHT.
BUT ONCE IN A WHILE, SOME OF THESE ALPHA MALES HAVE TAKEN THAT OVER AS THEIR TERRITORY, SO YOU SEE ONE ALPHA MALE SITTING ON THERE, BEING A BULLY, NOT LETTING ANYONE PASS THROUGH.
OH.
SO IT'S NO LONGER A BRIDGE.
IT'S THE ALPHA MALE'S TERRITORY.
ABSOLUTELY.
THEY LIKE THIS PLACE BECAUSE THEY GET A VANTAGE POINT ALL THIS TRAFFIC GOING UNDERNEATH THEM.
UH-HUH.
WELL, WHAT I'M LOVING IS THAT NOT ONLY DO YOU HAVE THESE BRIDGES, YOU'VE ALSO GOT THOSE TWO GUYS WITH THE SIGNS TO SLOW THE TRAFFIC DOWN.
SO THE WILL IS THERE.
THERE'S A LOT OF EFFORT BEING PUT INTO PROTECTING YOUR REMAINING MONKEYS.
YES, AND, YOU KNOW, THIS POPULATION IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SINGLE POPULATIONS, SO WE ARE HOPING THAT AS THIS POPULATION GROWS, EVENTUALLY THEY'LL COLONIZE OTHER FOREST FRAGMENTS IN THIS LANDSCAPE.
BONNIN, VOICE-OVER: LION-TAILS STILL FACE HUGE CHALLENGES, BUT THANKS TO THE PEOPLE HERE, THEIR FUTURE ALREADY LOOKS A LOT BRIGHTER.
I REALLY DIDN'T EXPECT TO GET THIS CLOSE TO THESE MACAQUES.
I MEAN, I SUPPOSE WE'RE USED TO SEEING MONKEYS CLIMBING OVER CARS THESE DAYS, BUT THESE ARE LION-TAILED MACAQUES.
THEY LIVE REALLY HIGH UP IN THE CANOPY, AND THE ONLY REASON THIS HAS BEEN POSSIBLE IS BECAUSE A VERY TINY PROPORTION OF THE REMAINING POPULATION HAVE ADAPTED, AND THEY'VE BECOME HABITUATED TO HUMANS, AND THAT'S THE REASON WHY WE CAME HERE, AND IT'S TOTALLY BEEN WORTH IT.
GUPTA: I NORMALLY SPEND MY TIME THOUSANDS OF FEET UP IN THE MOUNTAINS, BUT I'VE LEFT THE HEIGHTS OF THE HIMALAYAS TO COME DOWN TO SEA LEVEL TO WITNESS OUR LAST NATURAL WONDER, A WILDLIFE EVENT FEATURING AN ANIMAL THAT'S VERY CLOSE TO MY HEART, THE OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLE.
I'VE ACTUALLY BEEN FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO DIVE WITH OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES.
NOW OF ALL THE BIG ANIMALS IN THE OCEAN, THERE IS SOMETHING TOTALLY UNIQUE ABOUT WATCHING TURTLES SWIM.
IT'S INCREDIBLY GRACEFUL AND--AND EFFORTLESS.
THE EXPERIENCE OF SWIMMING WITH TURTLES WAS SO INTIMATE THAT I'VE NEVER FORGOTTEN IT.
SO WHEN I HEARD OF THE MASS HATCHING OF OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES THAT TAKES PLACE HERE EVERY YEAR, I SIMPLY HAD TO COME.
THIS IS ODISHA ON THE BAY OF BENGAL.
THE SEAS HERE ARE RICH WITH NUTRIENTS PICKED UP AND CARRIED BY INDIA'S GREAT RIVERS 1,500-MILE JOURNEY FROM THEIR SOURCE HIGH IN THE HIMALAYAS.
WHERE THE RIVERS MEET THE SEA, THEY DEPOSIT THEIR BOUNTY.
THESE WATERS ARE BURSTING WITH LIFE.
AT THE MOMENT, AS YOU CAN SEE, THIS BEACH IS JUST CALM, LIKE ANY OTHER NORMAL BEACH, AND IT'S HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THROUGH THE NIGHT AND TOMORROW MORNING THIS ENTIRE BEACH WILL BE ALIVE AND WILL ERUPT WITH BABY OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES.
THIS IS THE LARGEST MASS NESTING SITE IN THE WORLD FOR THE OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLE.
IT'S VITAL TO THE SURVIVAL OF THE SPECIES.
IT'S CONSIDERED SO IMPORTANT THAT THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT POST GUARDS TO PROTECT THE YOUNG TURTLES.
OLIVE RIDLEY TURTLES SPEND THEIR LIVES OUT AT SEA, BUT EACH YEAR AT ONE PARTICULAR TIME, HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF FEMALES RETURN HERE.
IT'S THE BEACH THEY HATCHED ON, AND THEY, TOO, WILL LAY THEIR EGGS HERE.
IT'S AN EVENT THAT IS KNOWN AS THE ARRIBADA.
IT MEANS "THE ARRIVAL."
ONCE THE EGGS ARE LAID... SHE RETURNS TO THE SEA... LEAVING THE EGGS TO INCUBATE IN THE SAND.
THEY'LL TAKE BETWEEN 40 AND 60 DAYS TO GROW.
I'M HERE TO SEE HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF BABY TURTLES BURSTING OUT OF THE SAND.
AS NIGHT DRAWS IN, THE FIRST TURTLES BEGIN TO HATCH.
THE--THESE TWO LITTLE FELLAS ARE THE FIRST TWO THAT I'VE SEEN THIS EVENING.
THEY'VE JUST LITERALLY POPPED OUT OF A HOLE JUST TO THE RIGHT OF MY FOOT HERE AND ARE NOW SLOWLY TAKING THEIR VERY FIRST STEPS TOWARDS THE OCEAN, WHICH IS JUST HERE, AND IT'S JUST LOVELY TO WATCH.
MY FIRST BABY TURTLE MAKES IT TO THE SEA, BUT THIS IS JUST THE BEGINNING.
THE HATCHING IS SO IMPORTANT THAT WE HAVE TO USE A CAMERA THAT FILMS BY MOONLIGHT ALONE.
IT'S SUCH A BIG MOMENT FOR THIS LITTLE TURTLE.
HE'S CLEARLY JUST TAKING HIS TIME TO LOOK AROUND AND DECIDE WHICH WAY HE THINKS IS BEST.
WE BELIEVE THAT THEY FOLLOW THE LIGHT, AND OFTEN WHEN THEY COME OUT AT NIGHT LIKE THIS, THE MOON AND THE REFLECTION OF THE MOON ON THE SEA IS THE WAY--IT'S HOW THEY KNOW WHICH WAY TO GO.
LIGHT POLLUTION INLAND MAKES SOME OF THE YOUNG HEAD THE WRONG WAY.
ACROSS THE BEACH, HUNDREDS OF NESTS START TO MOVE.
SCIENTISTS HAVE DISCOVERED THAT THE TURTLES COORDINATE HATCHING BY CALLING TO EACH OTHER WHILE THEY'RE STILL IN THE EGGS.
MOST OF THE TURTLES HATCH UNDER COVER OF DARKNESS.
AS DAWN BREAKS, I CAN SEE WHY.
THEY ARE EASY PICKINGS FOR PREDATORS... [CRYING] LIKE JUNGLE CROWS AND BRAHMINY KITES.
EVEN THOSE THAT MAKE IT TO THE SEA AREN'T SAFE.
SHARKS AND OTHER THREATS AWAIT.
OF ALL THE TURTLES BORN HERE, ONLY 1 IN 1,000 WILL REACH MATURITY.
IT'S THE REASON THAT THERE ARE OVER A MILLION YOUNG, BUT IT'S NOT JUST PREDATORS THAT ARE A HAZARD.
THIS POOR LITTLE TURTLE'S REALLY WELL CAUGHT UP IN THIS FISHING NET, AND I'M TRYING TO FREE HIM, BUT I'VE JUST GOT TO BE REALLY GENTLE.
HE'S SO FRAGILE THAT I'M DESPERATELY TRYING NOT TO HURT HIM WHILE I DO THIS.
THIS COULD TAKE ME A LONG TIME.
HERE WE GO.
GOT HIS LITTLE FIN FREE.
YAY!
HA HA HA!
THE LOCAL FISHERMEN STOP WORK DURING THE ARRIBADA AND THE HATCHING, AND IT'S NOT JUST THE FISHERMEN WHO ARE HELPING.
CHETAN RAO HAS SPENT THE PAST YEAR TRYING TO UNDERSTAND THIS PHENOMENON.
THERE'S A FEW FOLK ON THE BEACH WITH BUCKETS.
CAN YOU TELL ME WHAT THEY'RE DOING, WHAT THEIR PURPOSE IS?
A LOT OF THESE HATCHLINGS START PROBABLY-- YOU KNOW, INSTEAD OF MOVING TOWARDS THE SEA, THEY END UP GOING TOWARDS THE OTHER SIDE.
AWAY FROM THE BEACH.
AWAY FROM THE BEACH, YES.
RIGHT OK.
SO A LOT OF THESE LOCALS HAVE VOLUNTEERED THEMSELVES TO COME HERE AND SORT OF TO PICK UP HATCHLINGS THAT ARE, LIKE, DISORIENTED AND RELEASE THEM CLOSE TO THE WATER SO THAT THEY CAN ALL CAN GO BACK SAFELY.
SO THESE GUYS ARE VOLUNTEERS FROM THE LOCAL VILLAGE?
YES.
THEY'RE ALL LOCAL VILLAGERS WHO ARE HERE, BUT THEY ONLY PICK UP HATCHLINGS THAT THEY FIND THAT'S IT NOT GOING IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION AND JUST LEAD IT TOWARDS THE SEA.
SO THESE BABY TURTLES WE SEE TODAY... YEAH.
HOW LONG WILL IT BE BEFORE THEY RETURN HERE, AND HOW DO THEY KNOW THAT THIS IS THEIR BEACH, HOW DO THEY KNOW TO COME HERE?
WELL, THEY RETURN AFTER A SPAN OF 15 TO 16 YEARS WHEN THEY'RE SEXUALLY MATURE, BUT HOW DO THEY COME BACK IS PROBABLY PART OF A INBRED HOMING INSTINCT.
YOU KNOW, LIKE THEY KNOW WHERE THEY WERE BORN.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE TO THINK BECAUSE HOPEFULLY THESE TURTLES WILL GO, THEY'LL SWIM FOR HUNDREDS, THOUSANDS OF MILES ROUND THE OCEAN, AND YOU'RE SAYING IN 15 YEARS-PLUS THEY'LL COME BACK TO THIS BEACH AND LAY THEIR EGGS.
EXACTLY.
THAT'S INCREDIBLE, YOU KNOW.
IT IS, IT IS.
IT'S ONE OF NATURE'S GREAT MYSTERIES.
GREAT MYSTERIES.
YEAH.
GUPTA: AS THE BABY TURTLES ENTER THE WATER, THE SUN RISES ON A NEW DAY.
THE PEOPLE HERE ARE DOING EVERYTHING THEY CAN TO MAKE SURE THIS BEACH CONTINUES TO BE SOMEWHERE THAT BABIES CAN HATCH IN SAFETY.
BONNIN: INDIA HAS SHOWN US SIGHTS FOUND NOWHERE ELSE IN THE WORLD.
WE'VE WITNESSED SPECTACLES ON A SCALE WE WOULD NEVER HAVE IMAGINED, AND EVERYWHERE WE VISITED, WE'VE MET PEOPLE, PEOPLE WHO DON'T JUST WANT TO HELP BUT WHO KNOW THE TRUE VALUE OF THE WORLD AROUND THEM BECAUSE IN INDIA PEOPLE AND NATURE GO HAND IN HAND.
IT'S A RELATIONSHIP THAT DATES BACK TO THE BEGINNING OF THIS CIVILIZATION... [ROARS] A RELATIONSHIP FORGED IN THE RELIGIONS AND CULTURES OF INDIA, A GIFT FROM THE PAST THAT CAN HELP TO ENSURE THAT WHAT MAKES INDIA SO SPECIAL TODAY WILL STILL BE HERE TOMORROW.
MAYBE THAT'S THE TRUE WONDER OF INDIA.
IN A COUNTRY OF OVER A BILLION PEOPLE, THERE IS STILL A PLACE HERE FOR SOME OF THE MOST EXTRAORDINARY WILDLIFE ON EARTH.