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Film-makers and scientists venture into Burma's jungles for the first time in 50 years. The team searches for Asian elephants in the mountains of western Burma

For the first time in over 50 years, a team of wildlife film-makers from the 麻豆社's Natural History Unit and scientists from the world-renowned Smithsonian Institution has been granted access to venture deep into Burma's impenetrable jungles. Their mission is to discover whether these forests are home to iconic animals, rapidly disappearing from the rest of the world - this expedition has come not a moment too soon.

On the first leg of their journey, wildlife film-makers Gordon Buchanan and Justine Evans set out to discover whether the mountains of western Burma are home to a population of Asian elephants that could prove critical to the survival of the species. Finding elephants in a dense bamboo forest is a challenge. Notoriously grumpy, Asian elephants are likely to charge if caught unaware. It is a race against time as the world eyes up Burma's natural riches - what the team finds could change the future of Burma's wilds forever.

59 minutes

Credits

Role Contributor
Producer Mark Wheeler
Series Producer Susanna Handslip
Presenter Gordon Buchanan
Presenter Justine Evans
Presenter Ross Piper
Expert Chris Wemmer
Expert Khyne U Mar

Broadcasts

Filming the elephants

"Filming wild elephants through bamboo forest was always going to be potentially fraught"

Recording the audio

Recordist Mark Roberts describes capturing the sound of the jungle.

Composing the soundtrack

Composer Jonathan Gunton writes about creating the music for Wild Burma.