Caught in the Moment

Tristan and Vanessa are on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica in search of a spectacle known as 'Arribada'. This is the arrival of up to 150,000 turtles on a 1 km stretch of beach - one of the largest collections of turtles anywhere in the world. Timing is everything as Tristan and Vanessa try to pinpoint the critical moment when the turtles will arrive. Once Tristan and Vanessa are on location it's just a case of waiting and hoping that their timing is right! But in this part of the world there's always plenty going on! Walking along deserted beaches, through steaming mangrove swamps, and beautiful coastal forests, the pair discover lizards that can literally run on water, troops of capuchin monkeys that have learnt how to open clams with their bare hands, and crabs that literally ghost across the beach. Vanessa's turtle timing comes good when they see the first of these prehistoric animals hauling themselves out of the surf and up the beach to lay their eggs. For both Tristan and Vanessa it's a huge relief to see these first turtles, in what turns out to be a truly staggering arribada! Now their work really starts; to capture on film these rare and endangered animals in their struggle to survive to the next generation. But what happens next is to really draw on their resolve.

Vanessa and Tristan are hot on the heels of the Pacific Salmon as they complete their extraordinary journey from the sea to their spawning grounds in the rivers of British Colombia. Vanessa and Tristan's mission is to document this epic journey as the salmon run the gauntlet of Killer whales, Black Bear, Grizzly Bears and Bald Eagles all of whom depend on the precious salmon for survival. But as Vanessa and Tristan discover, salmon numbers are dwindling, and the animals that rely on them have an uncertain future. As Vanessa and Tristan follow the salmon to their spawning ground they hear that there is a rare Spirit Bear in the area and are determined to get a glimpse of this enigmatic beast. Their mission is more than accomplished when they see the Spirit Bear catching and feeding on the salmon whose journey they have been filming.

Tristan and Vanessa journey to the remote and magnificent Cocos Island. The world's largest uninhabited island offers dramatic and unparalleled beauty - mountain ranges, lush tropical beaches and hundreds of cascading waterfalls. But it is in the seas surrounding the islands that Vanessa and Tristan have their mission. Diving into these waters is guaranteed to raise your pulse. High-voltage, adrenaline pumping action, is what you get when you drop into the water to film schooling hammerhead sharks. Tristan and Vanessa are here to film this extraordinary event when hundreds of sharks appear out of the vastness of the Pacific Ocean to congregate off this island. Basing themselves on a hi-tech live-aboard boat, armed with expert crew, Vanessa and Tristan will dive amongst hundreds of white tipped sharks, huge manta rays, pods of dolphins, vast schools of jacks, as well as the awesome hammerheads. Tristan gets to grip with a rebreather, a piece of diving equipment which is totally new to him but will allow him to stay underwater for longer periods of time, increasing his chances of witnessing this exciting behavior. But to his frustration, all he sees are sharks swimming down out his reach and scuba can only take them so far. Time for Tristan and Vanessa to switch to a mini sub in order to follow the sharks into the deep. Back on dry land, Tristan and Vanessa unexpectedly run into a Costa Rican fishing boat and get an insight into what it's like trying to actually survive as a fishermen. Sharks, unfortunately, fall victim to indiscriminate fishing practices which has had massive impacts on their numbers. Sadly these animals are now in decline. Tristan and Vanessa are there to capture on film this extraordinary event and to highlight the plight of the Hammerhead sharks.

Vanessa and Tristan are on a mission to capture on film the spectacular mating dances of the Japanese Crane in the remote and freezing Tancho National Park, Hokkaido island. For a few weeks a year in the dead of winter these spectacular birds perform a mesmerising ritual dance in preparation for the breeding season. But the Japanese winter is very harsh - day time temperatures of -15 and regular blizzards make for extreme filming conditions! So Tristan and Vanessa are going to have to be well prepared if they are to capture on film these dramatic displays. Tristan and Vanessa will journey from the super-modern metropolis of Tokyo where they go looking for the infamous Tokyo crows that terrorise citizens, to the outer reaches of the snow covered north where the enigmatic cranes will be preparing to dance. Along the way they will encounter the extraordinary Snow Monkeys - the most northerly living primates in the world who thrive at temperatures regularly reaching -15C. Vanessa and Tristan will watch them rolling snow balls and even share a hot spring bath with them! They'll hitch a ride to the island with Mr Ishii, on his icebreaking boat. On the way they pass giant slabs of floating pack-ice where hundreds of Steller Sea Eagles gather, waiting to be thrown scraps by the passing boats. Arriving on Hokkaido Vanessa gets involved in a traditional festival where a Japanese dance troop is performing a show inspired by the dance of the Japanese cranes. Tristan in the meantime goes ahead to the feeding grounds where the cranes are preparing to dance. Tristan and Vanessa spend weeks trudging through the wilderness waste deep in snow, in order to capture on film this most intricate and spectacular of birds displays, the beauty and grace of which has inspired artists and dancers for centuries.

Tristan & Vanessa travel to the enchanted forests of Madagascar to film the island's famous lemurs. This giant island is home to some of the most bizarre landscapes and animals in the world. Tristan & Vanessa are here to catch a dramatic event in the lives of the island's ring-tailed lemur population - when the young lemurs leave their mothers and make their way in the world for the first time. But filming this will be easier said than done. The young are weaned right in the middle of the rainy season and, in Madagascar, when it rains, it pours! Our intrepid young filmmakers will have to travel in anything, from 4x4 trucks to zebu carts, if they are to make any progress across the rain-drenched landscape to the forest homes of these most endearing of animals.

In the heart of the Mongolian wilderness, Tristan and Vanessa track down the Takhi, the only true wild horses in the world. It was extinct in the wild until an incredible project performed a miracle in conservation and brought them from the zoos of the world, to their ancient homeland in Mongolia. Their guides in this remote eastern heartland are a nomadic family living a way of life that hasn't changed for thousands of years. With their help they find the first wild born Takhi in Mongolia - and he charges into battle with a rival stallion to protect his family.

After in intense year filming 'Caught in the Moment' Tristan and Vanessa take time out to look back over their amazing experiences. The series took them to 8 countries on 3 continents, on a mission to film pivotal moments in the lives of wild animals. Filming these animals encompassed the extremes of wildlife cinematography. In Japan, good light was enough to provide magical images of Steller Sea Eagles at dawn. By contrast, a high tech, ultra high-speed camera was needed to record langur monkeys leaping between roof tops in Jodhpur, India. Now, in the last show in the series, Tristan and Vanessa recall favorite moments like these, and assemble their best footage for one final conservation music video that captures the essence of an eventful and life-changing year. The show relives awe-inspiring moments as the film-making duo encounter shoaling hammerheads in the Atlantic, and moments that change their lives, as they film a baby elephant begging on the streets of Chiang Mai in Thailand. From an uncomfortable shoot in a rat infested temple in India, to a joyful attempt to film marmots on the Mongolian steppe, Caught in the Moment's Best Moments depicts the highs and lows of wildlife filmmaking. The final music video showcases truly unique footage that made all the hard work worthwhile. It serves as a vivid reminder of Tristan and Vanessa's aim to change the world one frame at a time.