From Docuwiki

Wild China

The amazing scenery and wildlife of China have always been closed to the prying cameras of Natural History filmmakers - until now. Given unprecedented access to this vast country, the renowned BBC Natural History Unit has produced a series full of breathtaking footage and amazing discoveries.

From the glittering peaks of the Himalayas to the teeming waters of the South China Sea, China encompasses a dazzling range of landscapes. The peaks, rainforests, deserts and caves of this vast and enigmatic country are home to a diverse array of wildlife ranging from giant pandas, tigers and golden snub-nosed monkeys to wild swans, whale sharks and beautiful tropical flowers.

As we travel through the deepest river-gorge in the world, watch fishermen using captive cormorants to gather fish and discover the remarkable Pallas' pit vipers that pluck birds from the air, it is clear that, this amazing country is ready to reveal the most incredible wildlife surprises.

Episode One

Heart of the Dragon

The improbable egg-carton hills of Southern China seem to float in a sea of glistening rice paddies. This is a landscape full of surprises. Next to peasants ploughing with buffaloes are rivers concealing dwarf alligators and giant salamanders, trained cormorants that catch fish for their masters, bats with unusual tastes and monkeys that hide in caves.

But this isn't a nature park. Almost 300 million people live here, with a tradition of eating wildlife. So what forces have shaped this remarkable landscape and how do farmers and wild creatures manage to coexist among the rocks and the rice fields?