1The Gobi bear.
2Fewer than 40 are known to exist.
3They are so rarely seen they were thought to be a myth.
4Life here in the arid heart of Asia...
5has turned them into one of the toughest animals on earth.
6They are clinging to existence.
7In Mongolian, Gobi means waterless place
8and therein lies the bear's greatest challenge.
9Sources of water may be 100 miles apart.
10They face a grueling trek across the desert.
11In the search for water the bears follow well-trodden paths across this vast desert.
12And this is why.
13An oasis.
14A freshwater spring fed from deep underground.
15At last, a drink,
16and a refreshing dip.
17The oases are a lifeline for the bears,
18particularly for those that are extremely precious:
19a Gobi bear cub.
20The future of these bears rests on just a few individuals.
21But this young one is a symbol of hope for the Gobi bear.