1 00:00:00,000 --> 00:00:07,000 On this episode of Expedition X, my team treks deep into the Cambodian jungle. 2 00:00:07,000 --> 00:00:10,000 There is a monster living in this forest. 3 00:00:11,000 --> 00:00:14,000 To track a terrifying creature. 4 00:00:16,000 --> 00:00:17,000 Can you hear that? 5 00:00:17,000 --> 00:00:18,000 Yes, we got a cave. 6 00:00:18,000 --> 00:00:20,000 I just saw something run across. 7 00:00:20,000 --> 00:00:21,000 Alright. 8 00:00:21,000 --> 00:00:23,000 That's now on The Attack. 9 00:00:23,000 --> 00:00:24,000 What is that? 10 00:00:24,000 --> 00:00:26,000 Come here, fill, fill, fill, fill. 11 00:00:26,000 --> 00:00:27,000 Holy... 12 00:00:27,000 --> 00:00:28,000 Ah! 13 00:00:29,000 --> 00:00:32,000 My name is Josh Gates. 14 00:00:32,000 --> 00:00:36,000 In my travels, I've experienced strange things that defy logic 15 00:00:36,000 --> 00:00:38,000 and made me question everything. 16 00:00:38,000 --> 00:00:40,000 Oh my God. 17 00:00:40,000 --> 00:00:45,000 Now, I've put together a team to investigate the stranger side of the unknown. 18 00:00:45,000 --> 00:00:47,000 Let's go! 19 00:00:47,000 --> 00:00:51,000 Phil Torres is a scientist who hunts for rational explanations. 20 00:00:51,000 --> 00:00:55,000 What the problem has actually found is just no. 21 00:00:55,000 --> 00:01:00,000 Jessica Chobot's paranormal research has made her a true believer. 22 00:01:00,000 --> 00:01:02,000 There is a monster living in this forest. 23 00:01:02,000 --> 00:01:03,000 Fill, fill, fill. 24 00:01:03,000 --> 00:01:05,000 I just saw something run across. 25 00:01:05,000 --> 00:01:07,000 Together, we're searching for answers. 26 00:01:07,000 --> 00:01:08,000 What is that? 27 00:01:08,000 --> 00:01:12,000 To the world's most extraordinary mysteries. 28 00:01:12,000 --> 00:01:15,000 This is Expedition X. 29 00:01:16,000 --> 00:01:25,000 Phil and Jess, the case that we're tackling today is one that I'm super intrigued by. 30 00:01:25,000 --> 00:01:30,000 And one of the reasons I'm so intrigued by it is because I've actually had my own first-hand experience. 31 00:01:30,000 --> 00:01:36,000 About 10 years ago, my team and I discovered and cast a series of enormous, mysterious footprints 32 00:01:36,000 --> 00:01:39,000 in the Himalayas while investigating reports of the Yeti. 33 00:01:39,000 --> 00:01:41,000 That one is a beauty. 34 00:01:41,000 --> 00:01:42,000 Look at that. 35 00:01:42,000 --> 00:01:43,000 That one is clear as day. 36 00:01:43,000 --> 00:01:44,000 What do you think that is? 37 00:01:44,000 --> 00:01:45,000 It's a big animal. 38 00:01:45,000 --> 00:01:48,000 This looks like a clear, almost like a human footprint. 39 00:01:48,000 --> 00:01:50,000 So you actually found real Yeti footprints. 40 00:01:50,000 --> 00:01:51,000 Well, that's the question. 41 00:01:51,000 --> 00:01:52,000 They're real. 42 00:01:52,000 --> 00:01:53,000 They're footprints. 43 00:01:53,000 --> 00:01:55,000 The question is, what are they from? 44 00:01:55,000 --> 00:01:59,000 And ever since this happened, I have been obsessed by the idea that there could be 45 00:01:59,000 --> 00:02:03,000 unknown, uncataloged primates out in the world. 46 00:02:03,000 --> 00:02:05,000 This is something that really spans the globe. 47 00:02:05,000 --> 00:02:09,000 Every culture, every continent makes reference to this kind of bigfoot-like creature. 48 00:02:09,000 --> 00:02:12,000 And with that many sightings and that many stories, I just don't think it's something 49 00:02:12,000 --> 00:02:13,000 you can easily write off. 50 00:02:13,000 --> 00:02:15,000 Yes, you're absolutely right. 51 00:02:15,000 --> 00:02:17,000 Here in the States, we think of this as Bigfoot. 52 00:02:17,000 --> 00:02:19,000 It's the Yeti in the Himalayas. 53 00:02:19,000 --> 00:02:21,000 But there are so many variants of this story. 54 00:02:21,000 --> 00:02:23,000 In Australia, they call it the Yaoi. 55 00:02:23,000 --> 00:02:25,000 In China, it's called the Yarin. 56 00:02:25,000 --> 00:02:27,000 In Central Asia, it's called the Amas. 57 00:02:27,000 --> 00:02:31,000 And in fact, nearly every culture does have one of these mystery primate stories. 58 00:02:31,000 --> 00:02:34,000 And lots and lots of people claim to see them. 59 00:02:34,000 --> 00:02:37,000 So, Phil, you're a resident biologist here. 60 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:38,000 What do you think? 61 00:02:38,000 --> 00:02:40,000 Is something like this a possibility? 62 00:02:40,000 --> 00:02:43,000 I will admit that there's a possibility. 63 00:02:43,000 --> 00:02:47,000 It may be small, but when you look at some of the evidence, it's hard to explain away. 64 00:02:47,000 --> 00:02:52,000 Yes, it's a story that spans the globe, but I think it's important to look at it regionally. 65 00:02:52,000 --> 00:02:56,000 And certain areas have more of a biological possibility that something like this could exist. 66 00:02:56,000 --> 00:03:00,000 And in terms of a region where there's been a lot of interesting eyewitness reports, 67 00:03:00,000 --> 00:03:02,000 today we're going to turn to Southeast Asia. 68 00:03:02,000 --> 00:03:06,000 There is something really unusual going on in Cambodia right now. 69 00:03:06,000 --> 00:03:07,000 Check this out. 70 00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:12,000 Locals call it the Tectec or the Monoprey. 71 00:03:12,000 --> 00:03:16,000 And it has earned itself a unique and fearsome reputation. 72 00:03:16,000 --> 00:03:22,000 Though Cambodia is home to more than 800 species of mammals, birds and reptiles, 73 00:03:22,000 --> 00:03:25,000 large apes are not known to inhabit the region. 74 00:03:25,000 --> 00:03:31,000 And yet for centuries, locals have told stories about a terrifying ape-like creature. 75 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:37,000 They say it inhabits the most remote areas of Cambodia's 500 million acres of jungles. 76 00:03:38,000 --> 00:03:42,000 Dutch traders in Cambodia wrote about them in the 1700s. 77 00:03:42,000 --> 00:03:45,000 During the Vietnam conflict in the 60s and 70s, 78 00:03:45,000 --> 00:03:52,000 US servicemen and North Vietnamese forces near the Cambodian border filed official after-action reports 79 00:03:52,000 --> 00:03:57,000 of encounters with fearsome ape-like creatures during firefights. 80 00:03:59,000 --> 00:04:05,000 Soldiers called them rock apes because the beasts reportedly responded to rifle and machine gun fire 81 00:04:05,000 --> 00:04:07,000 by throwing rocks. 82 00:04:08,000 --> 00:04:11,000 More recently, terrified villagers in western Cambodia 83 00:04:11,000 --> 00:04:16,000 describe encounters with a big foot-like creature more than 7 feet tall. 84 00:04:16,000 --> 00:04:22,000 Aggressive, ferocious, foul-smelling, and at times extremely dangerous. 85 00:04:22,000 --> 00:04:25,000 Now, as humans encroach further into this jungle habitat, 86 00:04:25,000 --> 00:04:27,000 sightings are increasing. 87 00:04:27,000 --> 00:04:33,000 Wildlife researchers, park rangers, hunters and hikers have all described the Tectec 88 00:04:33,000 --> 00:04:35,000 as something more than legend. 89 00:04:35,000 --> 00:04:38,000 They insist it's a flesh and blood creature. 90 00:04:39,000 --> 00:04:41,000 So there we go. You look intrigued. 91 00:04:41,000 --> 00:04:42,000 Yeah, I'm very intrigued. 92 00:04:42,000 --> 00:04:47,000 I mean, the Tectec seems to be credible, and if we can prove its existence, 93 00:04:47,000 --> 00:04:51,000 then that means we could possibly prove the existence of other mystery primates. 94 00:04:51,000 --> 00:04:52,000 And Phil, what do you think? 95 00:04:52,000 --> 00:04:54,000 You know, I love me a good jungle mystery. 96 00:04:54,000 --> 00:04:55,000 Yes? 97 00:04:55,000 --> 00:05:00,000 And the way I see it, we're in a golden age of discovery or rediscovery, 98 00:05:00,000 --> 00:05:03,000 because we have all this new technology to put to use in the field 99 00:05:03,000 --> 00:05:06,000 that wasn't even available two or three years ago. 100 00:05:06,000 --> 00:05:07,000 Right. 101 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:10,000 So there have been new monkeys discovered in Tanzania and the Congo. 102 00:05:10,000 --> 00:05:14,000 There's a new species of orangutan identified in Indonesia, not far from Cambodia. 103 00:05:14,000 --> 00:05:15,000 Right. 104 00:05:15,000 --> 00:05:17,000 So there are mysteries out there yet to be discovered. 105 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:21,000 I'm not saying it's a Tectec, but there could be something there. 106 00:05:21,000 --> 00:05:23,000 In the jungles of Cambodia, we might be able to find. 107 00:05:23,000 --> 00:05:26,000 Which brings us back to these stories of these US servicemen 108 00:05:26,000 --> 00:05:30,000 who claimed to see some sort of ape-like creature during firefights 109 00:05:30,000 --> 00:05:32,000 in Vietnam and Cambodia during the war. 110 00:05:32,000 --> 00:05:36,000 Now, I'd only ever read about these accounts until now. 111 00:05:36,000 --> 00:05:38,000 I actually was able to track down one of these men. 112 00:05:38,000 --> 00:05:44,000 He's a Green Beret who served in Cambodia not far from where these recent Tectec sightings were reported. 113 00:05:44,000 --> 00:05:47,000 And he's agreed to go on record for the very first time. 114 00:05:47,000 --> 00:05:50,000 Take a look at what he and his men claim to see. 115 00:05:50,000 --> 00:05:52,000 My name is Robert Gale. 116 00:05:52,000 --> 00:05:55,000 I entered the army in the late 60s. 117 00:05:55,000 --> 00:05:59,000 I trained to be a Special Forces soldier. 118 00:05:59,000 --> 00:06:02,000 Ultimately, I was awarded and earned the Green Beret. 119 00:06:02,000 --> 00:06:08,000 And that's how I ended up with part of the Fifth Special Forces Group in Vietnam and in Cambodia. 120 00:06:08,000 --> 00:06:10,000 We were under direct orders. 121 00:06:10,000 --> 00:06:12,000 It was a classified mission. 122 00:06:12,000 --> 00:06:16,000 And the weirdest encounter I ever had was on late one afternoon. 123 00:06:16,000 --> 00:06:17,000 It was very dark. 124 00:06:17,000 --> 00:06:19,000 We encountered an attack. 125 00:06:19,000 --> 00:06:22,000 I'll never forget the point men stops. 126 00:06:22,000 --> 00:06:25,000 He saw something and he pointed up. 127 00:06:25,000 --> 00:06:28,000 And I told the people around me, look up, look up. 128 00:06:28,000 --> 00:06:32,000 And we looked up and he saw something climbing the tree. 129 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:33,000 Saw it scampering up. 130 00:06:33,000 --> 00:06:37,000 Ape-like human form, something that I've never seen before. 131 00:06:37,000 --> 00:06:40,000 Our point men, he got pelted with a rock. 132 00:06:40,000 --> 00:06:43,000 And then we all started getting pelted with rocks. 133 00:06:43,000 --> 00:06:48,000 When I first became alert to what was happening in the trees and I saw the movement. 134 00:06:48,000 --> 00:06:50,000 It was black, no clothes. 135 00:06:50,000 --> 00:06:54,000 I could see it was clumped with dirt and mud. 136 00:06:54,000 --> 00:07:00,000 I could see the eyes, which when you're looking at it in the trees, it tends to scare you. 137 00:07:00,000 --> 00:07:02,000 It was kind of a foul odor. 138 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:06,000 The hair is kind of bushy and matted. 139 00:07:06,000 --> 00:07:10,000 It was just strange and very unnerving. 140 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:13,000 What do you think? 141 00:07:13,000 --> 00:07:17,000 I mean, everything that he mentions in regards to the throwing of the rocks, 142 00:07:17,000 --> 00:07:21,000 that odor is all consistent with other reports that I've heard and read about regarding Tectec. 143 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:23,000 And Phil, what do you make of it? 144 00:07:23,000 --> 00:07:26,000 I certainly believe they saw something and even were attacked by something. 145 00:07:26,000 --> 00:07:29,000 But I'm just not convinced of what it was. 146 00:07:29,000 --> 00:07:32,000 And to answer that question, I'd like to send the two of you on a mission 147 00:07:32,000 --> 00:07:35,000 deep into the jungles of Northwestern Cambodia. 148 00:07:35,000 --> 00:07:36,000 Alright. 149 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:37,000 You ready for this? 150 00:07:37,000 --> 00:07:38,000 Yeah. 151 00:07:38,000 --> 00:07:40,000 This is the area where this green beret and his men served. 152 00:07:40,000 --> 00:07:45,000 It's also the area where the most recent Tectec sightings have been reported. 153 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:52,000 It's also an area where an ancient ruined city called Mahendra Parvada was recently rediscovered. 154 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:55,000 It's a fascinating place, but the villagers who live there, remember, 155 00:07:55,000 --> 00:07:59,000 they believe that this mystery primate is not only real, they believe it's dangerous. 156 00:07:59,000 --> 00:08:01,000 There have been reports of recent attacks. 157 00:08:01,000 --> 00:08:03,000 So your mission is simple. 158 00:08:03,000 --> 00:08:06,000 Find out what these people are actually encountering. 159 00:08:06,000 --> 00:08:07,000 Alright. 160 00:08:07,000 --> 00:08:08,000 Sound good? 161 00:08:08,000 --> 00:08:09,000 Yeah, let's do this. 162 00:08:10,000 --> 00:08:15,000 Phil and Jessica head to Siem Reap, 200 miles north of the capital of Phnom Penh. 163 00:08:16,000 --> 00:08:20,000 This is a land of temples and tumbled stone, 164 00:08:20,000 --> 00:08:25,000 a gateway to the glories of the past and the achievements of the Angkor Empire. 165 00:08:25,000 --> 00:08:31,000 It is also the region of the country with the largest concentration of Tectec sightings. 166 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:34,000 The investigation begins at Angkor Wat. 167 00:08:37,000 --> 00:08:38,000 Wow. 168 00:08:38,000 --> 00:08:39,000 Here we are. 169 00:08:39,000 --> 00:08:40,000 This is so cool. 170 00:08:40,000 --> 00:08:46,000 This 400-acre site was initially constructed as a Hindu temple in the 12th century. 171 00:08:46,000 --> 00:08:48,000 And according to the carved records on the wall, 172 00:08:48,000 --> 00:08:53,000 it took more than 300,000 workers over 35 years to build it. 173 00:08:53,000 --> 00:08:57,000 Today, the ruins are an evocative reminder of the powerful kingdom 174 00:08:57,000 --> 00:09:01,000 that once rose from the jungles of Southeast Asia. 175 00:09:01,000 --> 00:09:02,000 So we're meeting Nick up here. 176 00:09:02,000 --> 00:09:03,000 Alright. 177 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,000 I've connected my team with my friend, author and journalist Nick Ray, 178 00:09:06,000 --> 00:09:09,000 who's an expert on Cambodian culture and history. 179 00:09:09,000 --> 00:09:10,000 Nice to meet you. 180 00:09:10,000 --> 00:09:12,000 Nice to see you. 181 00:09:12,000 --> 00:09:18,000 Nick notes that the residents of this region have long shared space with their primate brethren, 182 00:09:18,000 --> 00:09:22,000 from the pigtailed macaques that now overrun Angkor Wat, 183 00:09:22,000 --> 00:09:25,000 to ancient Hindu imagery that adorns the temple walls. 184 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:29,000 The details preserved in these walls, this is amazing. 185 00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:34,000 As you see, it's showing all these epic characters from Hinduism, including Hanuman, 186 00:09:34,000 --> 00:09:35,000 the monkey. 187 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:39,000 Often referred to as the monkey god, Hanuman is a warrior deity 188 00:09:39,000 --> 00:09:44,000 prominently featured in an epic Hindu poem about Cambodia's origins, 189 00:09:44,000 --> 00:09:49,000 called the Rinke, and appears all over the walls of Angkor Wat. 190 00:09:49,000 --> 00:09:52,000 He may also have served as folkloric inspiration 191 00:09:52,000 --> 00:09:55,000 for the creature seen in the jungles today. 192 00:09:55,000 --> 00:09:59,000 They may actually resemble what a tectac looks like. 193 00:09:59,000 --> 00:10:03,000 What type of written records or evidences are there? 194 00:10:03,000 --> 00:10:06,000 Mainly it comes from these early European explorer accounts 195 00:10:06,000 --> 00:10:10,000 that describes from local tribes the horror of this jungle creature. 196 00:10:10,000 --> 00:10:14,000 In the 17th century, a French explorer named Henri Baudesson 197 00:10:14,000 --> 00:10:16,000 was the first to write about the tectac. 198 00:10:16,000 --> 00:10:21,000 When he visited Western Cambodia, local tribesmen spoke of a giant ape-like beast 199 00:10:21,000 --> 00:10:24,000 fiercer than anything else in the jungle, 200 00:10:24,000 --> 00:10:28,000 a kind of monster that would attack villagers. 201 00:10:29,000 --> 00:10:33,000 As time went on, similar stories of giant ape attacks 202 00:10:33,000 --> 00:10:37,000 started popping up all over the jungles of Southeast Asia. 203 00:10:37,000 --> 00:10:39,000 What's been the most recent sighting? 204 00:10:39,000 --> 00:10:42,000 Not so far from here, the holy mountain of Phnom Kulen, 205 00:10:42,000 --> 00:10:45,000 the birthplace of the Khmer Empire, there's some people up there. 206 00:10:45,000 --> 00:10:49,000 They also have the same stories the way tectac attack people. 207 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:50,000 Interesting. 208 00:10:50,000 --> 00:10:52,000 How do people see the tectac now? 209 00:10:52,000 --> 00:10:56,000 Do they see it as a protector or as something of fear? 210 00:10:56,000 --> 00:10:59,000 They see it as dangerous, definitely something you want to avoid 211 00:10:59,000 --> 00:11:02,000 and you can see palpable fear on locals when they talk about it. 212 00:11:02,000 --> 00:11:04,000 They believe and they're scared. 213 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:12,000 Bloody tail. 214 00:11:12,000 --> 00:11:14,000 Oh, somebody got in a fight. 215 00:11:14,000 --> 00:11:15,000 Yeah. 216 00:11:15,000 --> 00:11:19,000 Though sometimes aggressive, these monkeys are usually no threat to humans. 217 00:11:19,000 --> 00:11:23,000 Though if you imagine them scaled up to ten times this size, they'd be terrifying. 218 00:11:23,000 --> 00:11:25,000 It's one thing to talk about these little guys here, 219 00:11:25,000 --> 00:11:27,000 but what people are talking about with this tectac, 220 00:11:27,000 --> 00:11:30,000 it reminds me actually of the gigantic apithecis. 221 00:11:30,000 --> 00:11:35,000 This was a factual thing that there was an ape-like creature roaming around this area 222 00:11:35,000 --> 00:11:40,000 as recently as 100,000 years, which in evolutionary terms, that's pretty recent. 223 00:11:40,000 --> 00:11:44,000 It's certainly plausible that a species could continue to exist here. 224 00:11:44,000 --> 00:11:46,000 That just hasn't been seen. 225 00:11:47,000 --> 00:11:51,000 There's precedent for the discovery of species that were believed to be mere legend, 226 00:11:51,000 --> 00:11:54,000 nor Smithology immortalized the fearsome Kraken, 227 00:11:54,000 --> 00:11:57,000 a tentacled monster rumored to attack ships. 228 00:11:58,000 --> 00:12:02,000 It was most likely inspired by sightings of the elusive giant squid, 229 00:12:02,000 --> 00:12:09,000 which wasn't seen by cameras until a Japanese team captured footage from a deep-sea mission in 2004. 230 00:12:09,000 --> 00:12:13,000 With much of Cambodia's jungles still largely unpopulated, 231 00:12:13,000 --> 00:12:18,000 is it possible that this region could be hiding a giant primate like the tectac? 232 00:12:19,000 --> 00:12:22,000 We actually have a map of recent sightings. 233 00:12:22,000 --> 00:12:23,000 Fantastic, let's take a look. 234 00:12:23,000 --> 00:12:25,000 This is a work in theory right now. 235 00:12:25,000 --> 00:12:31,000 Up in this area of Veracay National Park, that's where a lot of the older sightings were from, several years ago. 236 00:12:31,000 --> 00:12:37,000 And now, in this area just north of where we are now, there's been a bunch of recent sightings. 237 00:12:37,000 --> 00:12:40,000 And that fascinates us. That's where we want to go. 238 00:12:40,000 --> 00:12:41,000 Yeah, that's the hotspot. 239 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:46,000 Well, you're looking around Phnom Kulen and the location of the lost city of Mahendra, Povata. 240 00:12:46,000 --> 00:12:49,000 You know, Josh went to Mahendra, Povata was telling us about it, 241 00:12:49,000 --> 00:12:52,000 and at the time he was one of the first people to go there. 242 00:12:52,000 --> 00:12:56,000 And it's really remarkable how a place that big has been there the whole time. 243 00:12:57,000 --> 00:13:01,000 The perfect example of how legend and oral history actually turned out to be true. 244 00:13:01,000 --> 00:13:02,000 Yeah, absolutely. 245 00:13:02,000 --> 00:13:04,000 With all the new archaeological findings there, 246 00:13:04,000 --> 00:13:08,000 it seems like there's a lot more human activity happening in that area, which could flush out wildlife. 247 00:13:08,000 --> 00:13:14,000 Certainly human encroachment, and that's certainly going to have an impact on all the wildlife, including any possible tectac. 248 00:13:14,000 --> 00:13:16,000 Yeah, just more eyes to see the things. 249 00:13:16,000 --> 00:13:18,000 Absolutely. 250 00:13:18,000 --> 00:13:22,000 Nick offers to connect Phil and Jess with a prominent wildlife biologist, 251 00:13:22,000 --> 00:13:25,000 working at a research station high on the mountain. 252 00:13:25,000 --> 00:13:27,000 That is, if they can reach him. 253 00:13:27,000 --> 00:13:29,000 And keeping that in mind, it's pretty tough to get to. 254 00:13:29,000 --> 00:13:32,000 The terrain is incredibly remote. It's really deep jungle. 255 00:13:32,000 --> 00:13:36,000 This is the wet season. There's only kind of one small road up there. 256 00:13:36,000 --> 00:13:40,000 Well, that is not going to be a deterrent for us, because we actually have a plan. 257 00:13:41,000 --> 00:13:47,000 We're hopping a ride to an outpost on the edge of civilization where the real dangers of the Cambodian jungle await. 258 00:13:47,000 --> 00:13:53,000 Deadly insects, venomous snakes, and hopefully the strange creature that's terrifying locals. 259 00:13:54,000 --> 00:13:56,000 Okay, let's go. 260 00:13:56,000 --> 00:13:58,000 We're going to check that country. 261 00:14:03,000 --> 00:14:06,000 My investigators, Phil Torres and Jessica Chobot, 262 00:14:06,000 --> 00:14:08,000 have touched down in Siam Reap, Cambodia, 263 00:14:08,000 --> 00:14:14,000 to look into recent reports of a mysterious ape-like creature known as the tectac. 264 00:14:14,000 --> 00:14:16,000 We're going to check that country. 265 00:14:16,000 --> 00:14:21,000 Now they're flying out of the city, bound for the holy mountain of Panam Kulan, 266 00:14:21,000 --> 00:14:26,000 to meet a biologist and hike to the once lost city of Mahendra Parvada, 267 00:14:26,000 --> 00:14:28,000 the epicenter of the recent sightings. 268 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,000 I don't think we would have been able to get there if we weren't in here. 269 00:14:33,000 --> 00:14:37,000 Absolutely. This tells you it is rainy season here right now. 270 00:14:38,000 --> 00:14:43,000 This is the wettest time of year when the area we're flying over gets 75% of its rainfall. 271 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:49,000 With storms dumping water two out of every three days, many of the local rivers overflow. 272 00:14:49,000 --> 00:14:54,000 That means much of the forest area where we will be trekking could be hit by deadly floods. 273 00:14:54,000 --> 00:14:58,000 It is trouble as far as you can see. How is it going to go down there? 274 00:14:58,000 --> 00:15:03,000 You can't possibly tell me that the tectac could not hide in there. 275 00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:08,000 The forest can hide in ancient cities besides Berlin and absolutely can hide. 276 00:15:08,000 --> 00:15:11,000 A tectac, it is completely dense forest. 277 00:15:16,000 --> 00:15:19,000 The fossils of tectacus were found not far from here. 278 00:15:19,000 --> 00:15:25,000 Any intelligent animal knows that there are places of safety along those rocks in those caves. 279 00:15:29,000 --> 00:15:35,000 The team lands at a remote jungle outpost, which is as close to the lost city as they can get by air. 280 00:15:42,000 --> 00:15:49,000 The sun drops and the team heads into the village to meet their contact wildlife researcher, Greg McCann. 281 00:15:49,000 --> 00:15:53,000 Greg is the project director for Habitat ID, 282 00:15:53,000 --> 00:15:58,000 a group whose mission is to protect the planet's endangered wildlife areas. 283 00:15:58,000 --> 00:16:03,000 He has agreed to take Phil and Jessica to the outskirts of Mahendra Parvada, 284 00:16:03,000 --> 00:16:09,000 where an alleged ape-like beast has reportedly attacked several villagers in three separate incidents. 285 00:16:12,000 --> 00:16:16,000 What's interesting about this area is that there are so many indigenous groups. 286 00:16:16,000 --> 00:16:17,000 Yes, that's right. 287 00:16:17,000 --> 00:16:18,000 And they all speak different languages. 288 00:16:18,000 --> 00:16:22,000 I think this is like probably the most language-diverse area in the world. 289 00:16:22,000 --> 00:16:26,000 And they probably all have a word for something like a tectac. 290 00:16:26,000 --> 00:16:27,000 Yes, that's right. 291 00:16:27,000 --> 00:16:32,000 My take on it is this is actually the real thing, not to mention both the North Vietnamese Army 292 00:16:32,000 --> 00:16:36,000 and the American GIs claim to have seen and fired on this thing. 293 00:16:36,000 --> 00:16:41,000 I believe the people who say they've seen it, because their descriptions are consistent over a large geographical area. 294 00:16:41,000 --> 00:16:44,000 And these descriptions go back centuries. 295 00:16:44,000 --> 00:16:45,000 Take a look at this. 296 00:16:45,000 --> 00:16:46,000 Oh yeah. 297 00:16:46,000 --> 00:16:48,000 You're familiar, there's the older ones over here. 298 00:16:48,000 --> 00:16:49,000 Yeah, but look at that. 299 00:16:49,000 --> 00:16:52,000 There's so many sightings happening in and around that place. 300 00:16:52,000 --> 00:16:54,000 Some of these line up with what I have. 301 00:16:54,000 --> 00:16:59,000 This is actually what they're calling the most dangerous place that not a lot of local people want to go up there. 302 00:16:59,000 --> 00:17:01,000 There are caves up here. 303 00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:02,000 This is, you know, harder to get to. 304 00:17:02,000 --> 00:17:03,000 It's more remote. 305 00:17:03,000 --> 00:17:05,000 It's like a hotspot of activity. 306 00:17:05,000 --> 00:17:09,000 The area on the map is only eight miles away. 307 00:17:09,000 --> 00:17:13,000 But Greg says with the rough terrain, it will take us an entire day to get there. 308 00:17:13,000 --> 00:17:15,000 Tomorrow morning, we're taking it on. 309 00:17:15,000 --> 00:17:16,000 Perfect. 310 00:17:16,000 --> 00:17:17,000 Let's do it. 311 00:17:20,000 --> 00:17:23,000 You guys have handled machetes before? 312 00:17:23,000 --> 00:17:24,000 Yeah. 313 00:17:24,000 --> 00:17:25,000 Oh yeah. 314 00:17:25,000 --> 00:17:26,000 Let's do this. 315 00:17:26,000 --> 00:17:31,000 In the morning, we pack up our thermal and infrared cameras, plus some audio recording equipment, 316 00:17:31,000 --> 00:17:36,000 and head out with Greg and his local colleague, Doiak, in search of the Tech Tech. 317 00:17:36,000 --> 00:17:40,000 I punch in the GPS coordinates for the eastern ruins of Mahendra Pavada. 318 00:17:40,000 --> 00:17:43,000 That's where the Tech Tech has been spotted multiple times, 319 00:17:43,000 --> 00:17:48,000 and Greg has put his camera traps, hoping to capture definitive proof of the creature's existence. 320 00:17:49,000 --> 00:17:54,000 All right. 321 00:17:54,000 --> 00:17:56,000 Watch your step here. 322 00:17:56,000 --> 00:17:57,000 All right. 323 00:17:57,000 --> 00:17:58,000 Guys, check this out. 324 00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:00,000 Look at this scorpion. 325 00:18:00,000 --> 00:18:01,000 He looks ticked. 326 00:18:01,000 --> 00:18:03,000 This thing is ready to strike. 327 00:18:03,000 --> 00:18:04,000 Look at that. 328 00:18:04,000 --> 00:18:07,000 This is the Asian Forest Scorpion, and I swear they are everywhere. 329 00:18:07,000 --> 00:18:10,000 You flip any log, you will find scorpion. 330 00:18:10,000 --> 00:18:12,000 This is actually a juvenile. 331 00:18:12,000 --> 00:18:14,000 They get probably five times bigger than this. 332 00:18:14,000 --> 00:18:16,000 But they have two kinds of this. 333 00:18:16,000 --> 00:18:17,000 They have one moist beaker. 334 00:18:17,000 --> 00:18:18,000 Okay. 335 00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:19,000 And red color. 336 00:18:19,000 --> 00:18:22,000 This one is more painful than the red one. 337 00:18:22,000 --> 00:18:24,000 Good job finding the most painful thing. 338 00:18:24,000 --> 00:18:26,000 You know? 339 00:18:32,000 --> 00:18:34,000 And we got a river. 340 00:18:36,000 --> 00:18:41,000 Greg points out that if they travel by river, they could shave half a day off their journey. 341 00:18:41,000 --> 00:18:45,000 Raft, I think, is probably our own best option. 342 00:18:45,000 --> 00:18:47,000 Do you think we can build a raft? 343 00:18:47,000 --> 00:18:48,000 Yes. 344 00:18:48,000 --> 00:18:51,000 We had to find some wine and some bamboo. 345 00:18:59,000 --> 00:19:01,000 He will make us an unsinkable craft. 346 00:19:01,000 --> 00:19:03,000 Are you going to go grab those vines? 347 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:04,000 Yeah. 348 00:19:04,000 --> 00:19:06,000 It's starting to look like a little raft. 349 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:07,000 What do you think? 350 00:19:07,000 --> 00:19:08,000 We're going to float? 351 00:19:08,000 --> 00:19:09,000 No, I don't think... 352 00:19:09,000 --> 00:19:11,000 You don't even go to float. 353 00:19:11,000 --> 00:19:12,000 Tuyak, come on. 354 00:19:12,000 --> 00:19:14,000 Got a good sense of humor. 355 00:19:14,000 --> 00:19:15,000 Okay, ready? 356 00:19:16,000 --> 00:19:17,000 Woo! 357 00:19:17,000 --> 00:19:19,000 Hey, it's floating. 358 00:19:19,000 --> 00:19:20,000 Nice. 359 00:19:20,000 --> 00:19:23,000 All right, I'll go on the back and push. 360 00:19:23,000 --> 00:19:24,000 You got up front steering? 361 00:19:24,000 --> 00:19:25,000 I'll steer. 362 00:19:25,000 --> 00:19:26,000 See you downstream. 363 00:19:26,000 --> 00:19:27,000 Yeah. 364 00:19:31,000 --> 00:19:36,000 Rivers in the Cambodian jungle have dangers on, in and around them. 365 00:19:36,000 --> 00:19:41,000 From venomous swimming snakes like the King Cobra to all manner of deadly parasites. 366 00:19:41,000 --> 00:19:45,000 It's definitely much safer to be on the raft than in the water. 367 00:19:46,000 --> 00:19:47,000 Paddle forward. 368 00:19:49,000 --> 00:19:50,000 Don't look out. 369 00:19:50,000 --> 00:19:52,000 We got a big branch up ahead. 370 00:19:56,000 --> 00:19:57,000 Woo! 371 00:19:58,000 --> 00:19:59,000 Got it! 372 00:20:01,000 --> 00:20:03,000 Stay to the right up here. 373 00:20:06,000 --> 00:20:09,000 I've been on the river for a couple hours now. 374 00:20:09,000 --> 00:20:11,000 Making up good ground. 375 00:20:11,000 --> 00:20:15,000 Still got a ways to go, but we will get there. 376 00:20:17,000 --> 00:20:18,000 There we go. 377 00:20:18,000 --> 00:20:20,000 One, two, three. 378 00:20:20,000 --> 00:20:21,000 Got it. 379 00:20:22,000 --> 00:20:26,000 The team pulls ashore at the spot closest to the ruins of the lost city. 380 00:20:26,000 --> 00:20:32,000 They're now within two miles of where the tech tech was reported to have attacked several villagers. 381 00:20:35,000 --> 00:20:37,000 Are we looking just getting close? 382 00:20:37,000 --> 00:20:41,000 Uh, yes. We're getting almost just about there. 383 00:20:46,000 --> 00:20:47,000 This is what I think it is? 384 00:20:47,000 --> 00:20:48,000 Let me check. 385 00:20:48,000 --> 00:20:50,000 Yeah, GPS says we're here. 386 00:20:50,000 --> 00:20:54,000 Wow. This is the lost city, Mandarparvada. 387 00:20:54,000 --> 00:20:55,000 Wow. 388 00:20:59,000 --> 00:21:06,000 Phil and Jess are in the jungles of Cambodia in search of the giant ape-like creature known as the tech tech. 389 00:21:07,000 --> 00:21:17,000 They are trekking with Greg McCann and his associate, Do Yuck, wildlife experts who have placed remote trail cameras in the vicinity of a ruined ancient capital. 390 00:21:17,000 --> 00:21:19,000 This is what I think it is? 391 00:21:19,000 --> 00:21:20,000 Let me check. 392 00:21:20,000 --> 00:21:22,000 Yeah, GPS says we're here. 393 00:21:22,000 --> 00:21:26,000 Wow. This is the lost city, Mandarparvada. 394 00:21:26,000 --> 00:21:27,000 Wow. 395 00:21:27,000 --> 00:21:28,000 This is it. 396 00:21:28,000 --> 00:21:30,000 This was the old capital. 397 00:21:30,000 --> 00:21:34,000 300 years predating in Khorwat. 398 00:21:35,000 --> 00:21:46,000 The construction of Mahendraparvada in the year 802 marked the beginning of a powerful empire that stretched through what is today Cambodia, Thailand, Laos and Vietnam. 399 00:21:46,000 --> 00:21:49,000 It thrived for more than six centuries. 400 00:21:49,000 --> 00:21:54,000 It wasn't until 2012 that scientists learned of its true size. 401 00:21:54,000 --> 00:22:02,000 And recently, villagers working around these sprawling ruins claimed to have spotted the elusive beast known as the tech tech. 402 00:22:03,000 --> 00:22:06,000 Lidar says all of this was the size of Berlin. 403 00:22:06,000 --> 00:22:08,000 We're just seeing a small, small portion. 404 00:22:08,000 --> 00:22:11,000 So almost all of it is still buried. 405 00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:12,000 Yeah. 406 00:22:12,000 --> 00:22:13,000 So yeah, this thing is huge. 407 00:22:13,000 --> 00:22:19,000 Lidar scanners emit millions of laser pulses and can digitally strip away the jungle canopy. 408 00:22:19,000 --> 00:22:25,000 In this case, to reveal a lost city stretching across 20 square miles. 409 00:22:25,000 --> 00:22:27,000 But at ground level, you'd hardly know it. 410 00:22:27,000 --> 00:22:32,000 Down here, the site is overgrown and crawling with all manner of life. 411 00:22:35,000 --> 00:22:36,000 Is it not stinging? 412 00:22:36,000 --> 00:22:37,000 No. 413 00:22:37,000 --> 00:22:38,000 Test-t. 414 00:22:38,000 --> 00:22:39,000 No way. 415 00:22:43,000 --> 00:22:44,000 Hang on, I gotta get some. 416 00:22:47,000 --> 00:22:48,000 Oh! 417 00:22:48,000 --> 00:22:49,000 They are good. 418 00:22:49,000 --> 00:22:50,000 They are really good. 419 00:22:50,000 --> 00:22:51,000 Like a lime Dorito. 420 00:22:51,000 --> 00:22:52,000 You're such a liar. 421 00:22:52,000 --> 00:22:53,000 I am not. 422 00:22:53,000 --> 00:22:57,000 That is, that tastes better than tarantula and scorpion. 423 00:22:57,000 --> 00:22:58,000 Oh! 424 00:22:58,000 --> 00:23:00,000 It is actually pretty good. 425 00:23:00,000 --> 00:23:01,000 It's good! 426 00:23:01,000 --> 00:23:02,000 Wow. 427 00:23:02,000 --> 00:23:03,000 Delicious. 428 00:23:03,000 --> 00:23:04,000 No wonder he was hungry. 429 00:23:04,000 --> 00:23:05,000 Oh my gosh! 430 00:23:05,000 --> 00:23:06,000 These are really good. 431 00:23:08,000 --> 00:23:11,000 It's like getting the last crumbs out of a bag of chips. 432 00:23:11,000 --> 00:23:12,000 Yeah. 433 00:23:12,000 --> 00:23:21,000 After a light lunch, Phil and Jess turn their attention to the GPS coordinates of the trap cameras that Greg and his team have placed close by. 434 00:23:21,000 --> 00:23:22,000 We're really, really close. 435 00:23:22,000 --> 00:23:24,000 We should have had it right on over that way. 436 00:23:24,000 --> 00:23:25,000 Yeah. 437 00:23:25,000 --> 00:23:26,000 Alright then. 438 00:23:26,000 --> 00:23:27,000 I say we can't go on. 439 00:23:27,000 --> 00:23:28,000 Yeah, yeah. 440 00:23:28,000 --> 00:23:34,000 We move into the suspected tech-tech habitat within a mile of several recently reported encounters and attacks. 441 00:23:35,000 --> 00:23:37,000 There are other dangers here too. 442 00:23:37,000 --> 00:23:41,000 Leopards, tarantulas and even deadly pit-fipers inhabit this region. 443 00:23:42,000 --> 00:23:48,000 And even greater danger are the millions of landmines left over from the Cambodian Civil War. 444 00:23:48,000 --> 00:23:50,000 In other words, we watch every step. 445 00:23:51,000 --> 00:23:52,000 Whoa! 446 00:23:52,000 --> 00:23:54,000 Oh look at this guys, look at this. 447 00:23:56,000 --> 00:23:57,000 Ooh, what do we got here? 448 00:23:57,000 --> 00:24:00,000 That looks like a fair claw mark but it's a little bit thin. 449 00:24:00,000 --> 00:24:02,000 This could totally be the tech-tech. 450 00:24:02,000 --> 00:24:08,000 Yeah and it's very possible we've got photos on the camera trap because if we've got a claw mark here, camera trap's not far away. 451 00:24:08,000 --> 00:24:09,000 Alright, let's go check that out. 452 00:24:18,000 --> 00:24:20,000 Yeah, we got the camera right here. 453 00:24:20,000 --> 00:24:21,000 Let's do it. 454 00:24:21,000 --> 00:24:23,000 Nothing I like more than this. 455 00:24:24,000 --> 00:24:25,000 It should be in. 456 00:24:25,000 --> 00:24:26,000 Here we go. 457 00:24:26,000 --> 00:24:27,000 Yeah. 458 00:24:27,000 --> 00:24:28,000 What do you got? 459 00:24:28,000 --> 00:24:29,000 Yeah, the clouded leopard. 460 00:24:29,000 --> 00:24:30,000 Whoa, wow! 461 00:24:30,000 --> 00:24:32,000 It's actually the smallest of the big cats. 462 00:24:32,000 --> 00:24:34,000 These things are so bizarre. 463 00:24:34,000 --> 00:24:35,000 Wow. 464 00:24:35,000 --> 00:24:36,000 Well. 465 00:24:36,000 --> 00:24:37,000 Alright. 466 00:24:37,000 --> 00:24:39,000 Oh, f*** that. 467 00:24:39,000 --> 00:24:41,000 We got big leg. 468 00:24:42,000 --> 00:24:44,000 And that looks like another leg of some sort. 469 00:24:44,000 --> 00:24:45,000 I can't tell what that is. 470 00:24:45,000 --> 00:24:47,000 Could be the backside of a bear, I'm not sure. 471 00:24:47,000 --> 00:24:48,000 That's too big for a bear. 472 00:24:48,000 --> 00:24:49,000 Look how thick those legs are. 473 00:24:49,000 --> 00:24:50,000 That is a thick leg. 474 00:24:50,000 --> 00:24:51,000 That is really thick. 475 00:24:51,000 --> 00:24:53,000 And I don't think, wait, what's there down at the bottom? 476 00:24:53,000 --> 00:24:55,000 Is that a knee? 477 00:24:55,000 --> 00:24:58,000 It doesn't look like a black bear either. 478 00:24:58,000 --> 00:25:05,000 Greg's camera traps have captured images of bears in this region and they are known to leave claw marks on trees. 479 00:25:05,000 --> 00:25:08,000 But this image could be of something different. 480 00:25:08,000 --> 00:25:15,000 We immediately scour the area for signs of prints or scats before returning the camera to active duty. 481 00:25:15,000 --> 00:25:17,000 And it is armed. 482 00:25:18,000 --> 00:25:19,000 Armed and ready. 483 00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,000 It is ready. 484 00:25:26,000 --> 00:25:30,000 We continue our trek towards the epicenter of the sightings map. 485 00:25:30,000 --> 00:25:34,000 And I finally see another creature I've been hunting for, leeches. 486 00:25:34,000 --> 00:25:36,000 Oh, look at this thing. 487 00:25:36,000 --> 00:25:38,000 Hang on, this is perfect. 488 00:25:38,000 --> 00:25:39,000 Leeches. 489 00:25:39,000 --> 00:25:40,000 I've been looking for these. 490 00:25:40,000 --> 00:25:41,000 I've been looking for these. 491 00:25:41,000 --> 00:25:47,000 I've been looking for this forever because inside of these, whatever they drank the blood of, there's the DNA in there. 492 00:25:47,000 --> 00:25:53,000 So if we collect a bunch of these, we can analyze the DNA and figure out what animals are living out here. 493 00:25:53,000 --> 00:25:56,000 I mean, there's been so much rainfall that I'm seeing puddles everywhere. 494 00:25:56,000 --> 00:25:58,000 I bet you check these puddles, we'll get more leeches. 495 00:25:58,000 --> 00:25:59,000 There's some more right there. 496 00:25:59,000 --> 00:26:00,000 Wow, they're everywhere. 497 00:26:00,000 --> 00:26:02,000 They're so gross. 498 00:26:02,000 --> 00:26:05,000 This is what I call scientific gold right here. 499 00:26:05,000 --> 00:26:07,000 All right, let's get this guy in. 500 00:26:07,000 --> 00:26:13,000 So what you're saying is whatever animal, a la, a tectec, the blood would be in there. 501 00:26:13,000 --> 00:26:15,000 Let's imagine a tectec is hypothetically out here. 502 00:26:15,000 --> 00:26:17,000 And it's intelligent. 503 00:26:17,000 --> 00:26:21,000 I don't care how intelligent you are, you're still going to get leeches on it. 504 00:26:21,000 --> 00:26:25,000 Potential tectec proof and a little jug of slimy leeches. 505 00:26:28,000 --> 00:26:32,000 Leeches preserve DNA evidence of whatever they fed on for about six months. 506 00:26:32,000 --> 00:26:38,000 I'll send the samples to a lab and we'll know what kinds of mammals are inhabiting this area. 507 00:26:55,000 --> 00:26:57,000 What is that? 508 00:26:58,000 --> 00:27:00,000 Listen, what is that? 509 00:27:00,000 --> 00:27:02,000 It's not good. 510 00:27:10,000 --> 00:27:15,000 Phil, Jess and local wildlife experts are in the thick of the Cambodian jungle, 511 00:27:15,000 --> 00:27:19,000 searching for the elusive ape-like creature known as the tectec. 512 00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:24,000 After capturing an intriguing image on a trail camera of an unidentified animal, 513 00:27:24,000 --> 00:27:27,000 the team suddenly hears something in the bush. 514 00:27:28,000 --> 00:27:30,000 What is that? 515 00:27:32,000 --> 00:27:34,000 Oh, that's a person. 516 00:27:34,000 --> 00:27:36,000 There is a person, yeah. 517 00:27:36,000 --> 00:27:39,000 That's probably a poacher and I would say there's a good chance he's armed. 518 00:27:39,000 --> 00:27:43,000 Poachers are one of the biggest dangers in the jungles of Cambodia. 519 00:27:43,000 --> 00:27:50,000 In recent years, the country has emerged as a key region for the multi-billion dollar illegal wildlife trade. 520 00:27:51,000 --> 00:27:57,000 One 250-pound elephant tusk can fetch more than a quarter of a million dollars on the black market. 521 00:27:57,000 --> 00:28:04,000 With so much at stake, poachers have been known to protect their illegal livelihoods with deadly force. 522 00:28:05,000 --> 00:28:09,000 These guys don't really like to be seen in the forest, they don't like to be approached. 523 00:28:09,000 --> 00:28:11,000 Let me handle it, I'll talk to them. 524 00:28:11,000 --> 00:28:14,000 Mende de! Mende de! Mende de! 525 00:28:21,000 --> 00:28:23,000 How was that? 526 00:28:29,000 --> 00:28:34,000 I told him, wow, we're here, we're looking for the tectec and I used the Cambodian word, the Mino Prey, 527 00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:39,000 without a moment's hesitation, he said that he saw the tectec down by the river's edge. 528 00:28:39,000 --> 00:28:40,000 Oh my god. 529 00:28:40,000 --> 00:28:46,000 He says he's actually seen it or something very much like that, down by the river over there, kind of where we're headed. 530 00:28:46,000 --> 00:28:48,000 Alright, we gotta get down there. 531 00:28:51,000 --> 00:28:55,000 Looks like we're about to hit another section of the river. 532 00:28:59,000 --> 00:29:03,000 With the sun going down, we find the area where the poacher claimed to have his sighting, 533 00:29:03,000 --> 00:29:08,000 about halfway between the edge of the ruins of Mahendra Parvada and the nearby river. 534 00:29:09,000 --> 00:29:13,000 That tectec sightings tend to occur near a river makes sense. 535 00:29:13,000 --> 00:29:19,000 Most large predators, whether a bear or even a theoretical 7 foot 8 man, hunt near fresh water. 536 00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:24,000 That's where their prey are at their most vulnerable when they're stopping to drink. 537 00:29:24,000 --> 00:29:27,000 This habitat is absolutely perfect for the tectec. 538 00:29:27,000 --> 00:29:33,000 We have the river, we have a stream of fresh water, we have fruiting trees, and we have an eyewitness. 539 00:29:33,000 --> 00:29:38,000 So I think we need to set a perimeter of the trail camp just to see what's around here. 540 00:29:38,000 --> 00:29:42,000 While Greg and Doiak are setting up camp a safe distance away, 541 00:29:42,000 --> 00:29:48,000 Jessica and I look to position cameras in the likeliest places to capture wildlife activity. 542 00:29:49,000 --> 00:29:51,000 What are we looking for? Like what kind of... 543 00:29:51,000 --> 00:29:56,000 So you see this right here? See how it almost looks like a trail? This is a game trail. 544 00:29:56,000 --> 00:29:59,000 Do you think a tectec would use a game trail as well then? 545 00:29:59,000 --> 00:30:03,000 Every big mammal basically. They're kind of like us. Like if there's a trail, they'll take it. 546 00:30:03,000 --> 00:30:04,000 Yeah, makes it easier. 547 00:30:04,000 --> 00:30:06,000 Yeah, absolutely. 548 00:30:06,000 --> 00:30:09,000 Well I feel exceptionally safe standing in this game trail now. 549 00:30:10,000 --> 00:30:12,000 Got everything? 550 00:30:13,000 --> 00:30:16,000 I like this. 551 00:30:18,000 --> 00:30:21,000 Arms, this guy sets. 552 00:30:21,000 --> 00:30:25,000 Got it? Alright, let's move on to the next one. 553 00:30:25,000 --> 00:30:30,000 Alright, arm camera. We are good to go. 554 00:30:32,000 --> 00:30:37,000 We trek away from the trail cameras, make a rough camp, and settle in around a fire. 555 00:30:37,000 --> 00:30:41,000 That's where Greg shares the story of his own encounter with the tectec. 556 00:30:41,000 --> 00:30:44,000 I was in the park with three Cambodian rangers. 557 00:30:44,000 --> 00:30:47,000 We're all camped out in our hammocks listening to the jungle music like we're hearing now. 558 00:30:48,000 --> 00:30:53,000 Hanging, hanging, hanging, hanging. I'm just enjoying it. Suddenly here, hanging. 559 00:30:54,000 --> 00:30:57,000 It stopped. I'm like, that's weird. 560 00:30:57,000 --> 00:30:58,000 It went completely silent. 561 00:30:58,000 --> 00:31:04,000 It was completely silent. And then this absolutely awful smell drifted in. 562 00:31:04,000 --> 00:31:10,000 It lasted about one minute, and then suddenly the smell lifted, and all the insects came back. 563 00:31:12,000 --> 00:31:16,000 I asked like, what was that? Everyone refused to discuss it. 564 00:31:16,000 --> 00:31:20,000 The next morning they wanted out. They said that was a tectec. 565 00:31:20,000 --> 00:31:24,000 And it's also what they say in North America about Bigfoot. They say it has a terrible smell. 566 00:31:24,000 --> 00:31:28,000 Yeah. I mean, that's next level fear. They're not even want to talk about it. 567 00:31:28,000 --> 00:31:31,000 Not even like say its name until you're back at the base camp. 568 00:31:35,000 --> 00:31:37,000 We got rain coming. 569 00:31:39,000 --> 00:31:41,000 There was no warning. 570 00:31:42,000 --> 00:31:46,000 Oh, that landing is closed. 571 00:31:46,000 --> 00:31:51,000 We're right by a river, and you can already tell the water level is rising. 572 00:31:51,000 --> 00:31:54,000 We have streams forming at our feet. We got to get out of here. 573 00:31:54,000 --> 00:31:57,000 Holy, wow, look at this water. 574 00:32:00,000 --> 00:32:04,000 Oh, whoa. That came up quick. Look at that. 575 00:32:05,000 --> 00:32:10,000 This water is rising fast. I've seen rocks up here. Let's see if we can find some cover. 576 00:32:10,000 --> 00:32:14,000 While Greg and Doi Yuck move our camp away from the flooding river, 577 00:32:14,000 --> 00:32:17,000 we head back towards the game trail and our trail cameras. 578 00:32:17,000 --> 00:32:23,000 I want to get to some high land. I also want to get out from the tree since, you know, lightning strikes. 579 00:32:24,000 --> 00:32:29,000 This is bad. You do not want to be in the rainforest in the middle of a rainstorm. 580 00:32:33,000 --> 00:32:36,000 You hear that? What the f*** was that? 581 00:32:37,000 --> 00:32:39,000 Do you recognize that sound? 582 00:32:39,000 --> 00:32:41,000 I have no idea. 583 00:32:47,000 --> 00:32:48,000 I think it was over here. 584 00:32:48,000 --> 00:32:49,000 This way? 585 00:32:49,000 --> 00:32:50,000 Yeah. 586 00:33:01,000 --> 00:33:03,000 Jess, we got a cave. 587 00:33:04,000 --> 00:33:06,000 Wow. Are you kidding me? 588 00:33:06,000 --> 00:33:08,000 Look at this. 589 00:33:10,000 --> 00:33:12,000 Look at that tree. 590 00:33:17,000 --> 00:33:19,000 This is a den. This is incredible. 591 00:33:24,000 --> 00:33:28,000 Bears could be in here. Big cats could be in here. It's insane. 592 00:33:29,000 --> 00:33:31,000 Check out this vine. 593 00:33:34,000 --> 00:33:39,000 This is definitely a way to get up and out if you need to. 594 00:33:43,000 --> 00:33:47,000 Do you smell that? That's what Greg was describing at the campfire. 595 00:33:50,000 --> 00:33:52,000 There's an entire cave system in here. 596 00:33:55,000 --> 00:33:57,000 Did you see the bed of leaves over here? 597 00:33:58,000 --> 00:34:00,000 Look at all these shells. 598 00:34:00,000 --> 00:34:03,000 So what if the animal comes in here and just smash them over food? 599 00:34:03,000 --> 00:34:04,000 That's cool. 600 00:34:04,000 --> 00:34:07,000 Something is clearly living in here. 601 00:34:08,000 --> 00:34:12,000 Let's look around for tracks, fur, or scat. Anything we can analyze. 602 00:34:17,000 --> 00:34:19,000 So here's what I think we should do. 603 00:34:19,000 --> 00:34:24,000 I want to bust out the audio reporters so that we can see if we can pick up that owl again. 604 00:34:24,000 --> 00:34:28,000 You know what else I brought? The full spectrum camera. 605 00:34:32,000 --> 00:34:34,000 Wow, that's a big splatter. 606 00:34:34,000 --> 00:34:37,000 And I've also got the thermal camera. 607 00:34:38,000 --> 00:34:41,000 The full spectrum camera is rolling right now. 608 00:34:41,000 --> 00:34:44,000 The thermal camera is good to go. 609 00:34:46,000 --> 00:34:48,000 Alright, let's go back over this way. 610 00:34:50,000 --> 00:34:51,000 Okay. 611 00:34:55,000 --> 00:34:57,000 Okay, I think over there. 612 00:35:00,000 --> 00:35:01,000 Did you hear that? 613 00:35:01,000 --> 00:35:02,000 Yeah. 614 00:35:04,000 --> 00:35:05,000 Like, down here? 615 00:35:05,000 --> 00:35:07,000 I don't know. Just down this way. 616 00:35:11,000 --> 00:35:13,000 I'm going to head over there. 617 00:35:13,000 --> 00:35:15,000 Okay, I'm going to go check back the way we got. 618 00:35:16,000 --> 00:35:18,000 Check back here a little bit. 619 00:35:18,000 --> 00:35:20,000 Check back here a little bit. 620 00:35:30,000 --> 00:35:32,000 Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, come here. 621 00:35:32,000 --> 00:35:33,000 Where are you? 622 00:35:33,000 --> 00:35:34,000 You got something? 623 00:35:35,000 --> 00:35:37,000 I just saw something right across. Did you see it? 624 00:35:42,000 --> 00:35:47,000 Phil and Jess's search for the elusive Tech-Tec is taking place almost a hundred years after another attempt 625 00:35:47,000 --> 00:35:51,000 to track down a so-called monster, this one in Indonesia. 626 00:35:51,000 --> 00:35:55,000 That's when a wealthy American explorer named W. Douglas Burden 627 00:35:55,000 --> 00:35:59,000 mounted an expedition and sailed to Komodo Island. 628 00:35:59,000 --> 00:36:04,000 The goal? To find and capture examples of the enormous dragons being reported there 629 00:36:04,000 --> 00:36:07,000 and to bring them back to New York alive. 630 00:36:07,000 --> 00:36:13,000 When Burden finally reached the island and saw one of the creatures for the first time, he was astonished. 631 00:36:13,000 --> 00:36:19,000 He described a harrowing encounter with what looked like a ten-foot-long prehistoric beast. 632 00:36:19,000 --> 00:36:24,000 He and his team captured it, but the ferocious creature bit through its cage and escaped. 633 00:36:24,000 --> 00:36:28,000 They built sturdier enclosures and eventually captured two specimens, 634 00:36:28,000 --> 00:36:31,000 bringing them back to be exhibited at the Bronx Zoo. 635 00:36:31,000 --> 00:36:37,000 Today, we still call them Komodo Dragons, but in fact, they are the world's largest lizard. 636 00:36:38,000 --> 00:36:44,000 In our search for the Tech-Tec, Cambodia's seven-foot-tall ape man, 637 00:36:44,000 --> 00:36:49,000 Phil and I have followed a mysterious animal sound to this giant cave. 638 00:36:49,000 --> 00:36:52,000 This is a den. This is incredible. 639 00:36:52,000 --> 00:36:58,000 We're tracking a noise down this winding passageway when I spot something on my thermal camera. 640 00:36:58,000 --> 00:37:01,000 Phil, Phil, Phil, Phil, come here. 641 00:37:01,000 --> 00:37:03,000 We got something? 642 00:37:03,000 --> 00:37:06,000 I just saw something right across. Did you see it? 643 00:37:06,000 --> 00:37:09,000 Alright, where are they? 644 00:37:09,000 --> 00:37:12,000 I think you're going up over there by the rocks. 645 00:37:15,000 --> 00:37:16,000 What is that? 646 00:37:16,000 --> 00:37:18,000 There's someone right there. 647 00:37:18,000 --> 00:37:19,000 What is that? 648 00:37:19,000 --> 00:37:23,000 I don't know. I'm not getting anything on this. I can't see anything. 649 00:37:26,000 --> 00:37:29,000 Where the heck is this thing? 650 00:37:29,000 --> 00:37:31,000 Anything above? 651 00:37:31,000 --> 00:37:33,000 I don't know. 652 00:37:34,000 --> 00:37:36,000 Anything above? 653 00:37:36,000 --> 00:37:38,000 Oh, we got a lot of rain coming in. 654 00:37:38,000 --> 00:37:39,000 Yeah. 655 00:37:41,000 --> 00:37:44,000 I absolutely saw something standing up. 656 00:37:44,000 --> 00:37:50,000 We continue searching the cave, scouring for any physical evidence of whatever might be living in here, 657 00:37:50,000 --> 00:37:53,000 or whatever made that noise. 658 00:37:53,000 --> 00:37:58,000 Eventually, we hike back out into the jungle where we check our trail cameras. 659 00:37:58,000 --> 00:38:01,000 Cameras will roll long after we leave. 660 00:38:01,000 --> 00:38:06,000 We then relink with Greg and his partner on the main trail and find higher ground to camp. 661 00:38:06,000 --> 00:38:11,000 By the light of a new day, we climb to even higher ground, 662 00:38:11,000 --> 00:38:17,000 a plateau that overlooks the vast jungles that are home to the tech-tech sightings and last night's activity. 663 00:38:17,000 --> 00:38:21,000 In the middle of that crazy rainstorm, we ended up in the cavern, 664 00:38:21,000 --> 00:38:25,000 and we saw something on the flare. We got to show you this. 665 00:38:25,000 --> 00:38:30,000 I mean, it's weird. It does look like it's standing upright, whatever it is. 666 00:38:31,000 --> 00:38:35,000 There was something there, but I'm not quite ready to call it a tech-tech. 667 00:38:35,000 --> 00:38:39,000 I think there's enough things out there that can walk upright like that. 668 00:38:39,000 --> 00:38:40,000 For that long? 669 00:38:40,000 --> 00:38:43,000 And it was a quick view. I mean, it's hard to see on the thermal camera. 670 00:38:43,000 --> 00:38:47,000 It's great evidence, for sure. But I still think it leaves a big mystery. 671 00:38:47,000 --> 00:38:51,000 I mean, the only photo I have of something that would do that is a sun bear. 672 00:38:52,000 --> 00:38:56,000 Also, I've got our audio recording from last night. 673 00:38:56,000 --> 00:38:59,000 Yeah, I mean, you know this rainforest way better than I do, so whatever we heard, 674 00:38:59,000 --> 00:39:01,000 I'm hoping you'll be able to recognize. 675 00:39:01,000 --> 00:39:03,000 We definitely heard something weird. 676 00:39:08,000 --> 00:39:09,000 Did you hear that? 677 00:39:09,000 --> 00:39:10,000 Yeah. 678 00:39:12,000 --> 00:39:14,000 I can't tell what that is. 679 00:39:14,000 --> 00:39:16,000 I don't know. 680 00:39:16,000 --> 00:39:19,000 We found claw marks that we don't recognize. 681 00:39:19,000 --> 00:39:22,000 Whoa! Look at this, guys. Look at this. 682 00:39:22,000 --> 00:39:24,000 What do we got here? 683 00:39:24,000 --> 00:39:27,000 We've got an image on your trap camera that we can't explain. 684 00:39:28,000 --> 00:39:30,000 And we had several eyewitness accounts. 685 00:39:30,000 --> 00:39:33,000 He said that he saw the tectac down by the river's edge. 686 00:39:33,000 --> 00:39:34,000 Oh, my God. 687 00:39:34,000 --> 00:39:38,000 He says he's actually seen it or something very much like that. 688 00:39:38,000 --> 00:39:42,000 Ape-like human form, it was just strange and very unnerving. 689 00:39:42,000 --> 00:39:47,000 To me, that all boils down to the fact that there is a monster living in this forest. 690 00:39:47,000 --> 00:39:52,000 Guaranteed there are thousands of species out here that we still have yet to discover. 691 00:39:52,000 --> 00:39:56,000 Does that mean one of them is a tectac? I just don't know. 692 00:39:56,000 --> 00:40:00,000 All these caves, very few of them have been explored by scientists. 693 00:40:00,000 --> 00:40:06,000 So we could easily find fossil evidence of a hominid like Gigantopithecus 694 00:40:06,000 --> 00:40:08,000 that could have lived here at one point. 695 00:40:08,000 --> 00:40:14,000 Or actual live evidence of a tectac living in one of those caves right now. 696 00:40:17,000 --> 00:40:21,000 For today, our investigators will have to agree to disagree. 697 00:40:21,000 --> 00:40:23,000 But the trail cameras will keep rolling. 698 00:40:23,000 --> 00:40:27,000 And it's anybody's guess what they'll capture next. 699 00:40:27,000 --> 00:40:31,000 As fulfills theory that the leeches could hold the answers to the tectac mystery, 700 00:40:31,000 --> 00:40:36,000 well, the results of the DNA analysis from the leech blood are in. 701 00:40:36,000 --> 00:40:39,000 It indicates that there is primate DNA present. 702 00:40:39,000 --> 00:40:43,000 But scientists are unable to classify the exact species. 703 00:40:43,000 --> 00:40:48,000 So, while intriguing, it's far from conclusive proof of the tectac's existence. 704 00:40:48,000 --> 00:40:54,000 Jessica is convinced that the centuries of tectac legends are based on actual encounters 705 00:40:54,000 --> 00:40:56,000 with an ape-like hominid. 706 00:40:56,000 --> 00:40:59,000 And many locals in Cambodia would agree with her. 707 00:40:59,000 --> 00:41:06,000 Add to that the claw marks, strange image on the trail camera, mysterious audio, 708 00:41:06,000 --> 00:41:09,000 the thermal footage, and the putrid smell. 709 00:41:09,000 --> 00:41:16,000 And you can see why so many people believe there could be a mysterious creature lurking in the back country. 710 00:41:16,000 --> 00:41:21,000 Southeast Asia is, after all, a place of monumental discoveries. 711 00:41:21,000 --> 00:41:24,000 These jungles still have secrets to tell. 712 00:41:24,000 --> 00:41:29,000 And it's only a matter of time before they yield up more incredible wonders.