Rare Wildlife of China’s Mountains (Full Episode) | The Hidden Kingdoms of China | Nat Geo Animals

The wildest, highest, and largest mountain region on Earth. Home to creatures rarely filmed. China is a diverse country, full of rare and surprising creatures. For the first time, we'll uncover their remarkable, untold stories. In the Hidden Kingdoms of China. The Mountain Kingdom lies within an area of almost 48,000 square miles. Nearly 14 times the size of Yellowstone. There's more ice here than virtually anywhere else. Earning it the title, The Third Pole. This ice births Asia's three mightiest rivers. The Yellow, Mekong, and Yangtze. Which provide water for more than a billion people. Nestled in the western province of Qinghai. Remoteness and extremes of weather define the Mountain Kingdom. Our story takes place here. Within this mountain valley. Home to arguably the most famous predator in the world. Sacred in Tibetan Buddhism. And seldom seen. Let alone filmed in the wild. Only a movement gives away his presence. The snow leopard is the ghost of the mountains. He seems to occupy a negative space. Near invisible. So well camouflaged that he quickly melts back into the mountain. The snow leopard is perfectly adapted to this kingdom. And is not alone. Citizens here defy the odds. At over 16,000 feet above sea level. Steep-sided mountains and valleys with little cover. Are all they have to call home. A female snow leopard scent marks her territory. She's the top carnivore and owner of these rocky mountains. Our queen is not alone. This is her yearling cub. For now, mom and cub can play. A high altitude mountain version of hide and seek. This is a rare and privileged view. Of a snow leopard family in the wild. It might look like fun. But being confident on and off their feet. Is a crucial skill for our mom and her cub. On these mountain slopes. Like any youngster, he copies mom in everything he does. For now, these two are inseparable. But there's a serious side to mountain life. Even as the top predator. Survival here is hard. Mom's milk is no longer enough. She needs to hunt every 8 to 10 days. Just to keep them both alive. Not an easy task here. Snow leopards are solitary when not raising cubs. So have no one else to rely on. Any available food. Can be spread over nearly 400 square miles. And any prey they do find. Often sees them coming. As summer breaks. One of the goofiest looking creatures. Emerges from its hideaway. Deep underground. The Himalayan marmot. Also known as the Tibetan snow pig. He's one of the highest living mammals in the world. Marmots survive the coldest 8 months of the year. By sleeping in their burrows. During this time. Their heart rate drops to just a few beats per minute. This mountain specialist may look chubby. But he's lost a third of his body weight. During last winter's hibernation. And is rebuilding his fat reserves. In the short period of plenty. Now is the time to feast. Marmots subterranean cities. Extend up to 320 feet. And go down almost 20. Short powerful limbs. And curved thick claws. Are the perfect construction tools for the job. This burrow is being prepared for a delivery. While another marmot collects as much as it can physically carry. This grass bundle will freshen up the bedding nicely. The signs are clear. Breeding season is on. But not all is well. In high altitude marmot country. A fight breaks the peace. Standing on their hind legs. Two rivals grip each other like sumo wrestlers. They throw their heads back as if in a dance. But this isn't play. The rewards are high. The victor secures access to females. And breeding rights. In this vast steep sided world. Not all stay close to home. Some have to range far and wide to find food. A pack of Tibetan wolves. Cousins of the better known North American gray wolf. They've been living at high altitude for more than 20,000 years. And are supremely adapted to mountain life. These woolly wolves have an extra thick coat to protect them against freezing temperatures. And superior heart function to cope with life at over 16,000 feet. This pack is large for Tibetan wolves. Whose numbers don't normally exceed 20. The cubs weigh just over one pound at birth. But now need an almost constant supply of food. From their parents and older siblings. Luckily, wolves aren't fussy eaters. They will eat any available meat. Either hunted or scavenged. Big or small. So when an adult returns with a meal. There's great excitement. The cubs scramble to paw and lick his mouth. Stimulating him to regurgitate food. Even if they aren't his. He feeds all. With full stomachs, the mountain kingdom wolf pack can relax. And get some well earned rest. Out here, hiding places are scarce. A palace cat. Solitary. And secretive. He looks like he'd be more at home on a sofa. But he's actually one of the world's smallest wild cats. And a formidable hunter. A flat head. Low set ears. And the ability to blend in. All help him to hide when stalking prey. In open areas with little cover. When taking a break. He relies heavily on marmot burrows for a day den. He doesn't have the ability or strength to build anything remotely comparable. He's got the longest and densest fur of any cat on earth. It insulates him against the freezing temperatures. And makes him look bigger than he is. His long furry tail also acts as a body wrap. For now, keeping warm is not his priority. He's on the hunt. The targets are these guys. Pikas. The smallest members of the rabbit family. And a favorite food of the palace cat. But nothing comes easy for a predator in China's mountain kingdom. His expertise is the stalk. This time he moves in too soon. The prey now safely in its hole. With daylight fading, he needs a smarter hunting strategy. Maybe younger, less vigilant pika will be an easier target. Tail twitching with excitement. And using the mountain slope to his advantage. Inches closer. He's within just a few feet. Of his prey. The palace cat is right on top of his prey. The timing of the pounce is all that now separates him from the next meal. Food at last. The snow leopard queen and her cub are now crossing into an area of steep cliffs. Mom needs to train her cub so he can one day hunt for himself. Finding food is the first challenge. Mom needs an area nearly twice the size of Chicago to survive. In this, she has to hunt. Hard enough on the flat, but in these mountains, a real mission. These blue sheep are mom's main target. Just like her, they're incredibly well camouflaged. Blue sheep are expert climbers on steep cliffs. Helping them access one of their favorite foods. Lichen. Rich in carbohydrates, it's likely an important energy source. Split hooves make cliff climbing easier as they spread the animal's weight to improve balance. Rough pads on the bottom of each toe provide a suction-like grip on the smooth rocks. They're a tough hunt for mom, but worth it. So as well as camouflage, the skill here is to adapt to the terrain and feel comfortable climbing through it. Sure footing is the most important thing. But to get enough food, blue sheep must also spend time grazing on the open mountain slopes, where they rely on strength in numbers. Here, snow leopards are more obvious to see coming. Mom and cub need a different hunting strategy if they are to succeed. The skill is the ambush. At just the right moment, he completely outfoxes mom. The cub is learning well. Mom senses an opportunity. A small group of sheep is separated off from the main herd. She rolls in the dirt, presumably to disguise herself further. Her cub mustn't give the game away. With the experience of a much older head, he uses the slope and the overhang to keep out of sight and not scare away the sheep. Mom moves in behind. The cub holds his position. The stage is set. Our snow leopard mom and cub are in the perfect position to make a kill. But at the last moment, the sheep spot the hunters. Despite their lack of success this time, it's clear the cub understands the tactics and is almost ready. Overnight, a more experienced hunter has taken down a blue sheep. Placed around the carcass, remote cameras are capturing rare footage of the kingdom's predators, revealing just how important a resource like this is for them. A golden eagle shares the meal with a red fox. A Tibetan fox grabs what he can while no one else is around. And then another snow leopard family. It's not our mom and cub, but it's a great sign. China is in fact home to more snow leopards than anywhere else on the planet. The mountain kingdom is not just about the cats. These are Tibetan foxes, surely the world's cutest. For them to survive here, they need a few tricks of their own up their sleeve. For now, they're enjoying a moment of peace. But even these predators have to keep a constant eye out for danger. Eurasian lynx. Of her ears works like a hearing aid, allowing her to detect any movement. Exceptional eyesight means she can spot a mouse from 250 feet away. This is a skilled hunter. And now she's heading right towards the Tibetan fox den. At this time of year, there may well be small cubs still inside. And these cats are known to hunt them. The foxes are on high alert. Dropping a frozen pika from an earlier kill might just be enough to attract the cat's attention to a different food source. But this cat is focused. Tibetan fox dens have multiple entrances. Any cub underground could be hidden in any one of these holes. One of the young foxes shows an extraordinary moment of bravery. He takes the dead pika even further away from the den, hoping the cat will follow. But it doesn't work. The Eurasian lynx now has her head directly in one of the fox den entrances. But there are no cubs there. This time, against all the odds, these cunning foxes have done enough to protect their family. In the mountain kingdom, four seasons may pass in one day. Snow falls in summer, but just a few hours later, temperatures can rise over 30 degrees. Yet despite these challenges, a special cast of animals make this mountain kingdom home. During their time of plenty, marmots get pelted with hail. Blue sheep hunker down. And the snow leopard toughs out whatever conditions come along. Of all the creatures surviving here, perhaps the hardiest is the yak. Perfectly equipped for mountain life, their lung capacity is about three times that of cattle living at lower altitudes. Yaks have more and smaller red blood cells, which improves the blood's ability to transport oxygen. The food they consume ferments in their digestive system, generating heat. And this, together with their fur, keeps them warm. Despite this, they can still fall victim to the mountain's harsh conditions. And an 800-pound carcass out here will not go unnoticed for long. A Tibetan blue bear, one of only a handful of times it's been filmed in the wild. She seems intrigued by the bonanza of three yak carcasses. But she's not the only one to detect them. Wolves. The bear needs to be wary. She has cubs close by, and so a pack of wolves is a threat. The wolves are much more focused on the carcasses. Strength in numbers wins the prize. This food will not only feed them, but also any cubs who are likely back at the den. More and more of the pack enter the fray. Scent-rolling behavior is key. By rubbing themselves on the carcass, wolves may bring the scent of food back to the den. Those who've yet to feed might then follow the smell to the source. The wolves devour all they can. The next in line for the feast are gathering. Dead yaks make for a feast in this mountain kingdom. The Himalayan vulture is one of nature's unsung heroes. Not the prettiest of creatures, and often associated with death and decay, but vital to the health of the ecosystem. These birds are nature's cleanup crew. They work together to quickly tear apart the animal, accessing the prize of nutrient-rich internal organs. In large groups, they'll strip a yak carcass in just two hours. The ultimate biological recycling team, they play a vital role in clearing away rotting meat. They do this thanks to a stomach that contains a high acid content. They may not win on looks, but by finishing off the carcasses, they've prevented the spread of disease. The Eurasian lynx finally has her meal. She's the only one of her kind that primarily hunts big prey like this. She's going to have to get the carcass somewhere safe as soon as possible. A truly Herculean task when the prey is nearly as large as her. Dragging it up an almost vertical cliff, even for an experienced hunter, is energy-sapping. And there are many waiting for this meal. From above, airborne scavengers detect her kill. Soaring on the updrafts created by steep cliffs, lammergeiers. With a wingspan of over nine feet, and eyesight so strong they can see a carcass from four miles away, they can be on it in minutes. The competition is circling. She must quickly get the carcass to safety. Simply too tired to eat for now, she guards her kill. But then, disaster. As if frozen in shock, she helplessly watches the gazelle tumble for a hundred feet down the steep mountain slope. Her only option is to repeat the mammoth task again, as fast as possible, before others steal the feast. She drags the carcass back up for the second time. It takes every last ounce of her energy. Finally, she does it. And in a more secure location, this extraordinary cat gets her reward. There are no better examples of the survival skills needed to endure in this mountain kingdom. And our snow leopard family proves themselves to be just as tough. Our queen still reigns supreme. She's kept her cub fit. There's good reason for their playfulness. The family finally has a meal. Thanks to his mom, the cub has learned the essential lessons he needs to survive mountain life. In the next few months, he'll be ready to strike out on his own. One day, he may well reign here. Where tenacity, stealth, and determination are crucial to surviving in China's hidden mountain kingdom.