6 animals from David Attenborough’s ‘Asia’ you have to see for yourself

The legendary Sir David Attenborough has returned to our screens once again with a landmark new nature series. Asia is a seven-part documentary on BBC One and BBC iPlayer dedicated to to the unique wildlife living on the world’s largest continent. Each episode explores the different landscapes of Asia – from high mountains and congested cities to deep oceans and arid deserts – and the incredible animals that live in these challenging environments.

For those inspired by Attenborough’s wildlife tales, we’ve picked six animal encounters from the series that you can experience yourself.

With a wingspan stretching up to five metres, reef manta rays are a sight to behold. But despite their size, and their nickname ‘devil fish’ – due to their two horns – they are among the ocean’s gentlest creatures. Living in coastal tropical and sub-tropical waters, they feed off plankton and small fish, often swimming with their mouths open. Manta rays can live up to 50 years old.

Where to see: Komodo isn’t just the home to dragons, but also manta rays. There are opportunities to swim responsibly among them (with certified diving/snorkelling schools), or even see them from above water – particularly around Karang Makassar. Manta rays can also be found in large numbers around Raja Ampat, West Guinea, the Maldives and the Philippines.

Asia episode: 1. Beneath the Waves

David Attenborough describes snow leopards as the most ‘elusive of all’. Living in the High Himalaya, these high-altitude big cats rarely roam below 3,000 metres. With grey-white fur that camouflages against a backdrop of snow-covered rocks, they are often called the ‘ghosts of the mountains’, making them predatory masters. Snow leopards are currently classed as ‘Vulnerable’ by the IUCN, with approximately 4,000-6,000 living in the wild.

Where to see: It’s difficult, but not impossible, to seek out snow leopards. Dedicated treks led by tracking specialists can help you trace the snow-pressed paw prints of these big cats, with Ladakh being an established spot for this activity. Wanderlust World Guide Award winner Valerie Parkinson leads expeditions into the mountains around Ladakh.

Asia episode: 2. Above the Clouds

“Asia’s most handsome bird” is how Attenborough compliments the red-crowed crane, also known as the Japanese crane. With a bright red patch on their heads, and glistening white and black plumage, they are among the world’s largest cranes, reaching up to 150cm in height. In winter, they are known for performing a mating dancing, involving leaping, jumping and bowing – it’s often said to be one of the best nature experiences for birding enthusiasts.

Where to see: Thousands of red-crowned cranes live in Kushiro Shitsugen National Park in Hoikkaido, Japan’s northermost island. It is the only place in the world they can be seen year-round, but February is when you can witness their famous courtship performance.

Asia episode: 3. The Frozen North

Read next: 20 of the best winter experiences around the world

Known for their distinctive red coat, orangutans spend most of their days hanging out in trees, foraging for wild fruit, leaves and insects. These intelligent animals are the largest tree-dwelling mammals in the world, with dominant males recognisable due to their large cheek pads (named flanges). There are three species of orangutan: the Bornean orangutan, the Sumatran orangutan, and only in 2017, scientists announced a third species, the Tapanuli orangutan. Only around 800 of this critically endangered species are living today.

Where to see: Orangutans can be found in both Malaysian and Indonesian Borneo. Sabah’s Danum Valley is a wildlife hotspot, whereas Batang Ai National Park in Sarawak is an fine example of a community-led conservation project, led by Iban tribes.

Asia episode: 4. Tangled Worlds

Read next: The secrets of wild Sabah

As the largest mammal in Asia (although smaller than African elephants), Asian elephants can be anywhere from 6-12ft tall, with adult males weighing up to an enormous 4,000kg. These gentle and social creatures live in small herds in subtropical forests and grasslands in Southeast Asia, feeding mostly on grasses – but also tree bark, leaves and roots. Elephants also love cultivated crops, such as sugarcane and bananas, and – as we see in Asia – are not afraid to ask for it!

Where to see: As we learn in the series, Sri Lanka is home to the highest density of Asian elephants in the world. Uda Walawe National Park on the borders of the Hill Country is known to have more than 700 roaming the area, but they can seen across the island, including Yala National Park, Wilpattu National Park and Minneriya National Park, among others.

Asia episode: 5. Crowded Continent

The last truly wild horses on Earth, takhi are a central part of Mongolian culture and are the only equine species never to be domesticated. Living in the barren steppes of the country, they have short, spikey manes and their fur varies in caramel colours. The takhi are an environment success story, once extinct from hinterlands of Asia and Europe – however efforts were made to reintroduce them into the wild and now hundreds can be found galloping Mongolia’s steppe and grasslands.

Where to see: Hustai National Park in Mongolia, 90km from Ulaanbaatar, was created in 1993 when the takhi to help reintroduce the horses back into the wild. Early mornings and evenings are suggested as good times to catch them drinking from the river.

Asia episode: 6. The Arid Heart