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The Mekong's journey is the home of the river's mighty delta. A large deposit of rich nutrients carried downstream over hundreds of kilometres makes this region, the jewel of Vietnam's crown, a biological treasure trove.
核心主题与亮点
• “母亲河”：当地社区依赖湄公河每年的洪水所带来的肥沃沉积土，这些土壤滋养了越南主要的农业区——这里常被称为该国的“粮仓”。
• 水上生活：聚落、高脚屋和水上市场构成了当地人的日常生活图景；人们的交通往来与商业贸易，皆在纵横交错的运河及河汊之上进行。
• 生物宝库：湄公河的下游河段形成了一片错综复杂的区域，涵盖湿地、果园及各类生态系统，孕育着丰富且珍稀的野生动植物。
• 地方传统：当地人的日常生活融合了佛教信仰、民间传说以及对河流的感恩仪式；此外，椰子加工等传统手工艺和以船为载体的商业活动，也是当地文化的重要组成部分。
核心主题与亮点
• “母亲河”：当地社区依赖湄公河每年的洪水所带来的肥沃沉积土，这些土壤滋养了越南主要的农业区——这里常被称为该国的“粮仓”。
• 水上生活：聚落、高脚屋和水上市场构成了当地人的日常生活图景；人们的交通往来与商业贸易，皆在纵横交错的运河及河汊之上进行。
• 生物宝库：湄公河的下游河段形成了一片错综复杂的区域，涵盖湿地、果园及各类生态系统，孕育着丰富且珍稀的野生动植物。
• 地方传统：当地人的日常生活融合了佛教信仰、民间传说以及对河流的感恩仪式；此外，椰子加工等传统手工艺和以船为载体的商业活动，也是当地文化的重要组成部分。
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00:04Vietnam, the final chapter of the Mekong's journey through Southeast Asia, and the home of the river's delta.
00:19The Mekong Delta is one of the most biodiverse regions on the planet.
00:27A jewel in Vietnam's crown.
00:32In the canopy above, and on the mudflats below, the mangroves are bustling with life.
00:48But the ever-changing delta provides challenges for all that live here.
00:57From the dramatic daily tides, to the torrential rains and seasonal floods.
01:12Each animal has a unique story of adaptation and survival in this landscape forged by the Mekong itself.
01:21The Mekong.
01:25The Mekong.
01:31The Mekong.
01:34The Mekong.
01:35The Mekong.
01:41The Mekong.
01:45The Mekong.
01:55The Mekong.
01:56The Mekong.
01:57The Mekong.
01:57The Mekong.
01:57The Mekong.
01:58The Mekong.
02:00The Mekong.
02:01The upper Mekong Delta.
02:07A vast expanse of wetlands through which the river must flow before finally emptying into the South China Sea.
02:21Over thousands of years, the flat landscape has caused the river to split into smaller and smaller channels.
02:32Now, the region is a dense maze of mangroves and winding waterways.
02:43A biological treasure trove.
02:53The mangroves are inaccessible to humans.
03:01This is a rare place where the animals still rule.
03:12The canopy rustles as the forest wakes up.
03:23Long-tailed macaques live throughout the mangroves.
03:29They nest overnight in the canopy above the channels.
03:36Once they're awake, they have only one thing on their minds.
03:41Breakfast.
03:44Macaques prefer fruit, but it's May.
03:48The rains have only just arrived, so there isn't much around.
03:59With young mouths to feed, they'll eat just about anything.
04:07But a few leaves won't be enough to satisfy the hungry troop.
04:21This morning, they're looking for something in particular.
04:31A male seems to have found it, but he needs a good vantage point to make sure.
04:43Excitement quickly spreads through the troop as they climb down to the water's edge.
04:52They've found a channel that's got just what they're after.
05:00The dominant male leads the charge.
05:06The others follow.
05:12These macaques aren't here to cool off.
05:17The water flows thick with insects, nuts, leaves and seeds.
05:25Like a supermarket conveyor belt, it provides everyone with an easy meal.
05:36Macaques are competent swimmers.
05:40They have to be.
05:44The mangroves flood each year between July and November.
05:49Swimming is often the easiest way to get around.
05:56But that's not all.
05:59Macaques also rely on their swimming skills to escape danger.
06:08They have a number of predators, pythons, big cats and even wild dogs.
06:16Sometimes leaping into the water below is the only option.
06:23This is why they prefer to sleep in branches over flowing channels.
06:30If they're surprised by a predator, all they need to do is jump.
06:44The splashing alerts other foraging parties nearby.
06:50Good news travels fast.
06:54It isn't long before the whole troop is making the most of the floating buffet.
07:07Macaques store food in their cheek pouches.
07:12This keeps their hands free to swim and allows them to collect as much as possible while they're in the
07:18water.
07:21Their aquatic ability also allows them to hunt for marine invertebrates.
07:28Which is why they're also known as crab-eating macaques.
07:39They're very comfortable being underwater.
07:43But not everyone is quite so intrepid.
07:49This adolescent is still learning the ropes.
07:55He's right to be nervous.
07:58Pythons patrol these riverbanks.
08:03And he won't stand a chance if one catches him by surprise.
08:13It pays to be back up in the trees as quickly as possible.
08:29Except for a couple of well-deserved breaks, the whole troop keeps going for a couple of hours.
08:43Soon, cheek pouches are bulging.
08:49But not everyone has taken advantage of the feast on offer.
08:58This young mother has a problem.
09:02She can only eat if she gets in the water.
09:06But her baby is only a few weeks old and clings constantly to her belly.
09:17She can't afford to leave it unguarded on the riverbank.
09:23Other females in the group are fascinated by newborns and will sometimes kidnap unattended infants.
09:31She must trust her own instincts.
09:38Somehow her baby knows what to do.
09:41Once submerged, it holds its breath.
09:45Then clambers around onto her back.
09:58She emerges with full cheeks and a very wet baby.
10:02And heads up into the safety of the canopy to enjoy her spoils.
10:14The Mekong River is the foundation of all life in the Delta.
10:24After a journey of 4,150 kilometers from its source in Tibet, the river flows out of Cambodia and into
10:34Vietnam.
10:44As it heads towards the South China Sea, the river passes through an extensive mangrove forest.
11:00The mangroves of the Mekong Delta are architectural wonders of the natural world.
11:11Their complex external root systems provide shelter for countless animals, both above and below the water.
11:29This diversity flourishes in a world that is constantly changing.
11:40These mangroves are tidal.
11:55These mangroves of the Mekong River.
11:56Twice a day, water rushes in and out of these channels.
12:05Living in this fickle environment is a challenge.
12:12One that has sculpted the lives of many creatures.
12:18As the water recedes, a strange world emerges.
12:24As the water recedes, a strange world emerges.
12:45There is no tide.
12:48A female pops up to see if the coast is clear.
12:57She's hungry.
13:02Mudskippers live in harmony with the tides.
13:07Twice daily, the freshly exposed mud provides them with an opportunity to feast.
13:18Swinging her head from side to side, she sucks up any small creatures and plants left in the silt.
13:29But as the mud dries throughout the day, sifting through the sediment like this becomes more difficult.
13:39Mudskippers have evolved an ingenious solution to this problem.
13:45She collects a mouthful of water, carries it to a drier area, and wets the mud to collect food off
13:54the surface.
14:03Their limb-like pectoral fins enable them to crawl or skip over the mud.
14:13It might look clumsy, but they're surprisingly agile.
14:22Mudskippers are amphibious fish, and spend many hours a day out of water.
14:32They have gills, but also possess the rare ability to extract oxygen from a mouthful of air.
14:44They can also breathe through their wet skin.
14:50When they start to dry out, a roll in the mud does the trick.
15:03This terrestrial way of life exposes them to one particular annoyance that most fish wouldn't have to put up with.
15:17The mangroves are infested with mosquitoes.
15:21The mangroves are infested with mosquitoes.
15:22And mudskippers provide an easy meal.
15:28There's little they can do.
15:32Even a hasty retreat doesn't always deter these resilient pests.
15:45Being a fish out of water, mudskippers are also a welcome snack for hungry predators.
15:53Birds and even larger species of mudskipper are a constant threat.
16:03Their primary defense is their exceptional eyesight.
16:09This female rests in the shallows.
16:13With eyes on the top of her head, she has almost panoramic vision.
16:22She can spot predators, prey and suitable males from afar.
16:41It's the middle of the wet season and time to spawn.
16:48Male mudskippers are fiercely territorial.
16:55They defend the area around their burrows, hoping to lure in any passing females.
17:08Most disputes occur at the boundaries between territories.
17:16Tempers quickly escalate.
17:20With some flamboyant posturing, the larger male is quick to see off his small arrival.
17:33But it's the female mudskippers that are the real heavyweight fighters.
17:41They have larger territories, each of which contains several males and they vigorously fight each other for control over these
17:50male haremes.
17:53Females are less flamboyant than the males.
17:58They have a smaller dorsal fin with a longer central spine.
18:04This small female is on the edge of a larger one's territory.
18:13A fight breaks out almost immediately.
18:17With dorsal fins flaring, they wrestle.
18:23But the smaller female quickly concedes defeat, lowering her dorsal fin.
18:34She slowly backs away as the resident victor stares her down.
18:41For now, the males in the area remain out of the loser's reach.
18:56These remarkable fish share their muddy domain with some equally strange creatures.
19:06Crabs live here in abundance.
19:13They might not look too significant, but they are fundamental to keeping the mangroves healthy.
19:23Their small claws are constantly at work.
19:31Crabs are the engineers of the mangrove ecosystem.
19:35And unique in the way that they process and transform the muddy environment.
19:46They gather balls of mud and organic matter, which they drag into their burrows.
19:55This aerates the soil and replenishes the nutrients in the salt.
20:11Among the crabs of the Mekong Delta, fiddlers are the most common.
20:24Like the mudskippers, their lives are defined by the daily tides.
20:31A single huge claw makes the male fiddlers instantly recognisable.
20:40They are detritus feeders and will eat any plant or animal matter they find.
20:51They sift through the mud with their smaller claws.
20:57It s this rapid movement from the ground to their mouths that give these crabs their name.
21:06Appearing to play their larger claw like a fiddle.
21:12With two small claws, females can feed at twice the rate of males.
21:24The male s giant claw might come at a cost, but it s his prized asset when it comes to
21:30attracting a mate or fighting over territory.
21:40A larger male defends his burrow against a smaller opponent.
21:47But his work isn t done.
21:49But his work isn t done.
21:53Two more males quickly arrive.
21:58The larger one squares up to him.
22:08This combat might not look violent, but these crabs can generate a phenomenal amount of pain.
22:14they are tied to the most as they are now.
22:18Claws are often crushed, or torn off, when neither crab concedes.
22:27The defender retreats.
22:33He loses his burrow, but at least he still has his claw.
22:47Although the mangroves are busiest at water level,
22:53a few creatures rise above the hustle and bustle.
23:07Brilliant white egrets punctuate the tree line.
23:15These little birds happily nest alongside different species.
23:24Other canopy dwellers prefer their own space.
23:32Each has its own neighborhood.
23:38Herons monopolize one area.
23:47Cormorants another.
23:55The mangrove canopy becomes a noisy nursery
24:00where the Delta's larger birds can raise their chicks in safety.
24:31Back at water level, the macaque is in the sea.
24:33The macaques have been feeding all morning.
24:42The whole troop has gathered for the feast.
24:47There is safety in numbers, but more macaques also means more competition.
24:57Some avoid the crowds in the water and try their luck foraging on the muddy riverbanks.
25:09When less food floats on the surface, they dig for crabs and other tasty creatures in the silt.
25:24Others head up into the trees.
25:36Eventually, the overcrowding takes its toll.
25:50Tempers boil over.
26:03But these skirmishes are usually short-lived.
26:12Although these macaques live in large troops, they don't necessarily enjoy each other's company.
26:20The larger the group, the less food there is to go around.
26:27If there are too many of them, aggression rises.
26:32Social behavior like grooming stops, and the macaques become visibly stressed.
26:46The stress manifests as an itch that must be scratched.
26:53Even the young are affected.
26:59The only solution is to disperse.
27:04A group splits away from the troop.
27:10Their change in demeanor is immediate.
27:16Grooming resumes, and social harmony is restored.
27:46As the wet season continues,
27:48the Mekong slowly swells.
27:54Rain and floodwaters transform the flat, low-lying landscape,
27:59creating a vast expanse of lush wetlands.
28:13The arrival of the water triggers a population explosion of insects and other invertebrates.
28:23The basis of the food chain.
28:31Other animals soon follow.
28:40Thousands of birds flock to the delta wetlands to take advantage of the endless supply of food.
28:54Water lilies grow at an aggressive rate and quickly dominate the environment.
29:04They provide shelter for many aquatic creatures.
29:10And a floating walkway for smaller birds as they hunt.
29:24Larger birds such as cranes and herons also patrol the waters.
29:34A few spot-billed pelicans make a rare appearance.
29:39While egrets and painted storks arrive in vast numbers.
29:55Storks stir up the shallows as they wade.
30:00Their large beaks trawl from side to side and snap up any fish that they scare out of hiding.
30:13These wetlands support a huge amount of life across the food chain.
30:21They are phenomenal ecosystems.
30:27The perfect place to raise a family.
30:37Pheasant-tailed jacanas are an unusual species when it comes to parenting.
30:46This male is part of a harem belonging to a dominant female.
30:54While she's off in search of more males to breed with.
30:57He's left to look after their nest.
31:04Females lay four eggs.
31:06And despite his attentive behaviour, he has already lost three to predators.
31:16Like any first-time parent, he nervously awaits the new arrival.
31:32Having just emerged, this chick is at its most vulnerable.
31:39It must quickly learn to stand.
31:47With a little help from dad, the tiny chick takes its first steps.
32:00Making sense of its giant feet doesn't take long.
32:06Chikana chicks are able to walk, swim and dive only a few hours after hatching.
32:16The devoted father soon takes his chick out on its first lesson.
32:22How to forage in a floating world.
32:29Their giant feet allow them to spread their weight so they can walk across the lily pads.
32:42A second male in the harem has slightly more on his plate.
32:48He's expecting three chicks.
32:52The first arrived early and must wait for its siblings to catch up.
33:09For the next two months, their father has his work cut out for him.
33:15Then he'll leave them to fend for themselves.
33:46Having split from the main troops, he's been removed from the two.
33:48this group of macaques is more relaxed.
33:54They're ready for their daily rest.
33:59It's well-earned downtime.
34:04And a chance for everyone to catch up.
34:13Mothers can feed their young in peace and quiet.
34:24Importantly, this is when grooming takes place throughout the troop.
34:34The jungles are full of blood-sucking critters,
34:38and it isn't easy keeping yourself pest-free.
34:43It often takes a friend to get to those hard-to-reach places.
34:52Grooming is about more than keeping pests at bay.
34:57It plays a vital role in maintaining troop harmony.
35:06Macaque troops have more females than males.
35:12Most females are related, and they observe a strict hierarchy.
35:22This hierarchy dictates who grooms whom and for how long.
35:32A young mother shows her respect for the more dominant macaque
35:40women.
35:41A young mother has a strong bond of trust.
35:52A young mother has a strong bond of trust.
36:03A young mother has a strong bond of trust.
36:06They also eat and breed before lower-ranking females.
36:14Their babies inherit these privileges.
36:19In this way, the hierarchy is sustained from one generation to the next.
36:30For the first few weeks of their lives, baby macaques are in constant contact with their mothers.
36:42This time together gradually reduces as they grow up, until finally the youngsters wean at about six months.
36:57After a good feed, most of these infants are more intent on playing than hanging about with mum.
37:07They might not be conscious of the importance of this playtime, but these youngsters are forging important long-term bonds.
37:22Female macaques remain with the troop for life.
37:27Through this play, these young females are laying the foundations for relationships that will last their whole lives.
37:42Young males follow a different path in life.
37:46And their play reflects this.
37:56Young males follow a different path in life.
37:56At around five years old, just before they reach sexual maturity, they're forced from the troop to find another.
38:09This mixing helps keep the gene pool healthy.
38:17But life outside the safety of the troop is dangerous.
38:21But life outside the safety of the troop is dangerous.
38:23Rather than face these dangers alone, the young males will form bachelor groups.
38:31They're wrestling now, but in a few years they will be relying on each other to survive.
38:47By November, the Mekong is at its highest.
38:56The river overflows far out into the flood plains.
39:03This annual cycle of flooding deposits nutrient-rich sediment across the region.
39:12layer upon layer has built up over the last 6,000 years.
39:18During which time the delta has extended around 200 kilometers out into the South China Sea.
39:28The nutrient-rich sediment makes the region one of the most fertile on Earth.
39:37This fertility is the foundation of the delta's extraordinary diversity of wildlife.
39:44This fertility is the foundation of the delta's extraordinary diversity of wildlife.
40:03So do the lives of the Vietnamese people.
40:10The Mekong Delta is the agricultural heart of the nation.
40:21Nearly half of the country's food is produced in the region.
40:29Goods are sold locally on vast floating markets.
40:34Or shipped out across the country on larger boats.
40:41It's one of the busiest places along the river.
41:08But all this industry comes at a price.
41:13As the rich fertility of the delta is increasingly exploited, the natural environment suffers.
41:26Only 10% of the region's natural forest remains.
41:37To the east of the Mekong, there are pockets of jungle that have survived human expansion.
41:5140 metres above ground, the trunk of this diptero carp looks like any ordinary tree.
41:58But it isn't. A flash of beak, the only clue as to what's going on inside.
42:14Nestled deep within the tree trunk is one of Southeast Asia's most iconic birds.
42:19The great hornbill. Great hornbills are a threatened species with only around 20,000 left in the world.
42:32This brilliantly colourful male has work to do.
42:36Inside the tree's hollow is his mate and their eggs.
42:40This monogamous species nests in the cavities of trees.
42:45Before laying her eggs, the female closes the entrance using mud, faeces and fruit pulp.
42:58She leaves a small slit, just big enough for a hornbill beak.
43:04And her partner feeds her through this tiny gap.
43:08With little foliage or branches, few predators can access the towering nest.
43:14But there's a price to pay.
43:17She must remain self-imprisoned for the entire incubation period of her eggs.
43:23And won't leave until her chicks fledge a further two months.
43:29After feeding his mate, the male flies off to find more food.
43:37Great hornbills truly are one of nature's spectacles.
43:42The heaviest of the hornbill species, this male weighs almost three and a half kilograms.
43:49It is said that the wingbeat of a great hornbill can be heard almost a kilometre away.
43:55On top of his beak is the distinctive cask or horn.
43:59For hornbills, size matters.
44:03Larger horns are bigger beacons for attracting a mate.
44:07The male calls to his.
44:11A unique hollow structure inside the bill helps his distinctive sound reverberate for kilometres.
44:19Back at the nest, life is a waiting game.
44:24The male is his mate's only source of food and water.
44:31He regurgitates the berries he's collected from his crop.
44:36With a lifespan of up to 35 years, this incredible teamwork means that couples like this will raise many chicks
44:45in their lifetimes.
44:47With great hornbill numbers in serious decline due to deforestation, the survival of the species depends upon it.
44:57But there's hope for the Mekong Delta's wildlife.
45:02The Tram Chim National Park.
45:11A pair of Saurus cranes are the first to arrive from Cambodia.
45:18They migrate here each year for the dry season.
45:25These impressive birds have an almost three metre wingspan and can live for up to 80 years.
45:35The park was established in 1999 to protect the unique wetland ecosystem and the rare Saurus cranes that winter here.
45:50Sadly, there are fewer than 2,000 of these cranes along the Mekong.
45:59There are currently only around 30 individuals in the park.
46:07But their numbers are slowly rising.
46:13They are not the only ones in need of protection.
46:17And parks like Tram Chim are being established across the country.
46:23Allowing many species to regain a foothold in the natural environment.
46:36The mighty Mekong's journey is soon coming to an end.
46:42The river's influence stretches far and wide throughout the upper Mekong Delta.
46:51As the nutrient-rich waters course through Vietnam towards the South China Sea, they leave behind a spectacular range of
47:01habitats.
47:03Resourceful macaques will make the most of their water world.
47:09Fierce female mudskippers will continue to battle it out on the mangrove floor.
47:14And in a few months, the Jakarna chicks will have to fend for themselves.
47:21As the Mekong powers towards the Vietnamese coastline and its final destination.
47:38Fierce female mudkippers will continue to battle it.
47:38Martian River, Montaigne, the Larkin River, the Dino River, the Gauntari 그래요.