285
00:28:31,971 --> 00:28:35,122 as the inspiration
for its most fabulous creature. 286
00:28:36,251 --> 00:28:39,800 Fertile rivers may have shaped this civilisation, 287
00:28:39,891 --> 00:28:41,609 but the Chinese believed 288
00:28:41,691 --> 00:28:46,560
that the rivers themselves were formed and controlled by a dragon. 289
00:28:47,931 --> 00:28:50,445 Unlike the destructive dragon of the West, 290
00:28:50,531 --> 00:28:53,284
the Chinese dragon was benevolent, 291
00:28:53,371 --> 00:28:55,931
provided it was treated with respect. 292
00:29:03,691 --> 00:29:08,287
The ancient Chinese called themselves descendents of the dragon 293
00:29:08,371 --> 00:29:12,364 and knew they needed to live
harmoniously in the dragon's realm. 294
00:29:16,931 --> 00:29:19,047 This respect for the dragon 295
00:29:19,131 --> 00:29:22,089 has relevance today
for a remarkable creature 296
00:29:22,171 --> 00:29:25,766
which lives around the paddy fields of China's other great river, 297
00:29:25,851 --> 00:29:27,250 the Yangtze. 298
00:29:28,051 --> 00:29:29,404 (SHOUTING) 299
00:29:46,651 --> 00:29:51,167 This fearsome-looking beast is a Chinese alligator, 300
00:29:51,251 --> 00:29:53,287 known as the muddy dragon. 301
00:29:54,611 --> 00:29:58,729 Despite its association
with the mythical Chinese dragon, 302
00:29:58,811 --> 00:30:04,329
the reptile has long been regarded
by country people as a fish-eating pest, 303
00:30:04,411 --> 00:30:08,006 and has been persecuted
almost to the point of extinction.
304
00:30:15,571 --> 00:30:20,486 There are only around 150
Chinese alligators left in the wild, 305
00:30:20,571 --> 00:30:24,086
and it's mainly down to the care and protection offered by dedicated people 306
00:30:24,171 --> 00:30:28,847
like retired farmer Chang Jin Rong that any survive at all. 307
00:30:31,531 --> 00:30:35,285 Today, most Chinese alligators live in captivity. 308
00:30:35,371 --> 00:30:38,283
At this breeding centre near Xuancheng, 309
00:30:38,371 --> 00:30:42,080 Chinese alligators gather
for their extraordinary courtship. 310
00:30:43,091 --> 00:30:44,570 (BELLOWING) 311
00:30:50,131 --> 00:30:52,850
The males bellow to attract a mate. 312
00:30:53,971 --> 00:30:56,041 As it travels through the water, 313
00:30:56,131 --> 00:30:59,168
the sound is both heard and felt by the female. 314
00:30:59,251 --> 00:31:01,082 (BELLOWING CONTINUES) 315
00:31:11,371 --> 00:31:14,568
The bellowing is her cue to investigate. 316
00:31:25,411 --> 00:31:28,528 In the alien world
of the Chinese alligator, 317
00:31:28,611 --> 00:31:31,683 these two will be able to learn much about each other 318
00:31:31,771 --> 00:31:34,490
using the scent glands under their jaws. 319
00:31:38,331 --> 00:31:42,529 Satisfied with her choice,
the two swim off together before mating. 320
00:31:50,731 --> 00:31:53,165 The muddy dragon
owes its continued survival 321
00:31:53,251 --> 00:31:56,641 to a government initiative a quarter of a century ago, 322
00:31:56,731 --> 00:32:00,201 which created the
captive breeding centre at Xuancheng.
323
00:32:09,891 --> 00:32:11,643 Having dug a little deeper, 324
00:32:11,731 --> 00:32:14,040 it does seem
that ancient beliefs about nature 325
00:32:14,131 --> 00:32:16,725
still have resonance in modern China. 326
00:32:18,731 --> 00:32:22,804 Far upstream, along one of the Yangtze's mountain tributaries, 327
00:32:22,891 --> 00:32:24,927
another ambitious conservation project 328
00:32:25,011 --> 00:32:28,242 is attempting to save
China's most famous creature. 329
00:32:32,251 --> 00:32:36,847
China's first captive breeding centre for the giant panda opened in 1983. 330
00:32:52,891 --> 00:32:55,644 This is Wolong Reserve, 331
00:32:55,731 --> 00:33:00,680 a far cry from the bamboo forests where wild pandas live. 332
00:33:00,771 --> 00:33:05,003
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