Borneos Secret Kingdom

The waters of the Kinabatangan River have passed over rapids, through hills, and into vast flood plains. We take a look at the river during an El Niño year, and the rains are late, spreading famine and relentless heat. Nature pulls no punches. From the unusual nesting practices of Hornbills, to the jungle skills of Orangutans, life rises to meet nature's challenges.

In shallow pools of the Kinabatangan River, endemic fighting fish battle for territory. Further on, clouded leopards stalk primates, and flying snakes perform death-defying leaps. As we make our way down to the flood plains, we pass soaring forests inhabited by one of the most well-known and beloved of Borneo's natives; the Orangutan.

The Kinabatangan-Segama Wetlands is one of the largest and most pristine coastal ecosystems in Southeast Asia, but the wet-season is shaking things up. Proboscis monkeys squabble for control over harems, Oriental short-clawed otters scour for fish, and crocodile eggs hatch from nests. It is a rich nursery for freshwater and marine species alike.