1 00:00:12,280 --> 00:00:13,680 In this film, 2 00:00:13,720 --> 00:00:17,320 elephants take us closer to tigers than ever before. 3 00:00:23,320 --> 00:00:28,160 They enter the tigers' world armed only with spy-cams. 4 00:00:32,040 --> 00:00:37,280 Using these new devices, they help tell the story of cubs growing up. 5 00:00:39,360 --> 00:00:42,040 They are our spies in the jungle. 6 00:00:51,920 --> 00:00:57,520 Elephants have been used for centuries to search for tigers. 7 00:00:57,560 --> 00:01:03,160 There is no better way to enter the tigers' dark and mysterious world. 8 00:01:04,640 --> 00:01:08,640 India's few remaining tigers live in dense forest, 9 00:01:08,680 --> 00:01:14,240 and that makes filming their behaviour one of the last great wildlife challenges. 10 00:01:16,840 --> 00:01:20,560 This is Pench Tiger Reserve in central India, 11 00:01:20,600 --> 00:01:23,600 one of the tigers' last strongholds. 12 00:01:23,640 --> 00:01:26,200 Even here, tigers are elusive. 13 00:01:26,240 --> 00:01:29,200 But fortunately, they often leave their mark. 14 00:01:29,240 --> 00:01:33,000 From these footprints, the mahouts, who ride the elephants, 15 00:01:33,040 --> 00:01:37,400 can tell both the sex of a tiger and how recently it passed by. 16 00:01:38,240 --> 00:01:40,160 These are fresh. 17 00:01:40,200 --> 00:01:43,320 Time to deploy a secret weapon. 18 00:01:47,040 --> 00:01:50,880 Trunk-cam is specially designed to film tigers 19 00:01:50,920 --> 00:01:53,280 in high-definition while on the move. 20 00:01:53,320 --> 00:02:00,480 It's carried by what must be the ultimate all-terrain camera vehicle, an elephant. 21 00:02:00,520 --> 00:02:06,360 These eco-friendly 4x4s can take trunk-cam wherever a tiger goes, 22 00:02:06,400 --> 00:02:10,520 and it can start filming the moment the alarm calls of prey animals 23 00:02:10,560 --> 00:02:12,640 give away the tiger's location. 24 00:02:19,120 --> 00:02:22,760 The human camera crew film from another elephant 25 00:02:22,800 --> 00:02:26,760 and adjust trunk-cam using remote control. 26 00:02:28,920 --> 00:02:32,680 The elephants give us extraordinary access to the tigers. 27 00:02:32,720 --> 00:02:36,000 They are, after all, natural inhabitants of the forest, 28 00:02:36,040 --> 00:02:38,760 so the tigers aren't at all phased by them. 29 00:02:41,480 --> 00:02:44,920 These innovative filming techniques have made it possible, 30 00:02:44,960 --> 00:02:46,840 over a period of three years, 31 00:02:46,880 --> 00:02:52,040 to capture the most intimate portrait of tigers ever seen. 32 00:02:52,080 --> 00:02:56,040 They gave us astounding insights into the tigers' private world 33 00:02:56,080 --> 00:02:59,040 and captured behaviour never witnessed before. 34 00:03:03,200 --> 00:03:07,960 Our story begins with a tantalising glimpse of something very special, 35 00:03:08,000 --> 00:03:10,400 a cub, just 10 days old. 36 00:03:17,440 --> 00:03:21,480 Wild cubs as young as this have never been filmed before. 37 00:03:31,280 --> 00:03:33,000 For their first six weeks, 38 00:03:33,040 --> 00:03:35,840 most cubs usually hide away in their dens, 39 00:03:35,880 --> 00:03:38,600 hardly glimpsing daylight. 40 00:03:38,640 --> 00:03:40,960 These are unusually adventurous. 41 00:03:43,320 --> 00:03:45,920 They seem totally unaware of the dangers. 42 00:03:45,960 --> 00:03:47,880 Although their eyes are just opening, 43 00:03:47,920 --> 00:03:52,120 they won't see clearly for another six weeks. 44 00:03:52,160 --> 00:03:54,040 They're the mother's first litter, 45 00:03:54,080 --> 00:03:56,760 and they're going to be quite a test for her. 46 00:04:12,360 --> 00:04:15,680 The tigress must pick them up by the scruff of the neck. 47 00:04:15,720 --> 00:04:17,680 It's a delicate operation. 48 00:04:17,720 --> 00:04:21,000 A little too much pressure and she'll hurt her cub. 49 00:04:29,640 --> 00:04:33,760 She can bite with the force of nearly 500 kilos, 50 00:04:33,800 --> 00:04:37,000 but this requires the gentlest touch. 51 00:04:40,640 --> 00:04:43,480 Tigers usually have two or three cubs. 52 00:04:43,520 --> 00:04:45,200 Four are quite a handful, 53 00:04:45,240 --> 00:04:47,560 and these already seem more challenging than most. 54 00:04:57,000 --> 00:05:01,280 The ratio between the sexes among newborns is usually equal. 55 00:05:01,320 --> 00:05:04,760 True to form, two of these cubs are male and two are female. 56 00:05:08,720 --> 00:05:12,680 It will be rare indeed for all four of them to reach maturity. 57 00:05:12,720 --> 00:05:15,880 Many dangers lie ahead. 58 00:05:15,920 --> 00:05:20,040 At this size, they make a snack for even the smallest predator. 59 00:05:20,080 --> 00:05:23,360 Their mother must make sure that everyone is accounted for. 60 00:05:26,040 --> 00:05:28,960 With two back in the den and one on its way, 61 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:32,640 there's only one straggler left to worry about. 62 00:05:37,440 --> 00:05:41,680 The cub's contact cry makes sure he's not forgotten. 63 00:05:45,560 --> 00:05:48,600 As long as the cubs call, their mother is compelled to keep retrieving them, 64 00:05:48,640 --> 00:05:51,600 but this would try any mother's patience. 65 00:05:57,760 --> 00:06:01,000 A young cub's life is very precarious. 66 00:06:01,040 --> 00:06:03,680 Had the mother been away hunting at a moment like this, 67 00:06:03,720 --> 00:06:06,560 the outcome could have been very different. 68 00:06:12,240 --> 00:06:15,480 She's clearly going to be a devoted mother. 69 00:06:15,520 --> 00:06:17,640 But she still has a lot to learn. 70 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:20,400 This is not the way to do it. 71 00:06:36,360 --> 00:06:39,680 Filming such behaviour is unprecedented. 72 00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:42,200 It gives us an extraordinary opportunity 73 00:06:42,240 --> 00:06:44,680 to follow these cubs as they grow. 74 00:06:44,720 --> 00:06:49,280 To do that, the elephant crew will need more spy-cams. 75 00:07:00,400 --> 00:07:05,320 As its name suggests, tusk-cam is mounted on the elephant's tusk. 76 00:07:05,360 --> 00:07:10,080 It's smaller than trunk-cam, so it can be carried at all times, 77 00:07:10,120 --> 00:07:12,280 perfect for shots on the move. 78 00:07:30,240 --> 00:07:33,760 It's usually the first camera to film a tiger, 79 00:07:33,800 --> 00:07:37,280 and it now has a local celebrity in its sights. 80 00:07:41,400 --> 00:07:45,120 This is Charger, the father of the cubs. 81 00:07:45,160 --> 00:07:48,760 Worryingly, he got his name from his readiness to charge. 82 00:07:48,800 --> 00:07:54,320 It's clearly a job for trunk-cam, a spy-cam with hidden talents. 83 00:07:58,000 --> 00:08:00,640 Charger will attack without provocation, 84 00:08:00,680 --> 00:08:04,680 but trunk-cam is specifically designed to look harmless. 85 00:08:13,240 --> 00:08:18,640 Charger reacts surprisingly calmly to this motorised tree trunk. 86 00:08:18,680 --> 00:08:21,560 He's less a tiger, more like a pussycat. 87 00:08:27,920 --> 00:08:32,080 Even the camera's pans and zooms provoke little reaction. 88 00:08:32,120 --> 00:08:36,040 But then something strange catches Charger's eye. 89 00:08:39,720 --> 00:08:43,320 He sees what he thinks is another tiger. 90 00:08:43,360 --> 00:08:46,040 It could be an expensive time for a piece of kit 91 00:08:46,080 --> 00:08:48,320 that costs as much as a small house. 92 00:09:05,560 --> 00:09:08,640 But Charger isn't easily intimidated, 93 00:09:08,680 --> 00:09:11,040 which is good news for his cubs. 94 00:09:11,080 --> 00:09:15,240 More cubs are killed by rival males than anything else. 95 00:09:15,280 --> 00:09:19,200 But while Charger is around, his cubs are safe. 96 00:09:22,480 --> 00:09:24,960 The mother and cubs rarely meet the father 97 00:09:25,000 --> 00:09:26,840 and he never joins her on the hunt. 98 00:09:28,080 --> 00:09:30,400 Not that she needs much help. 99 00:09:30,440 --> 00:09:34,000 Pench has some of the highest concentrations of game in all India, 100 00:09:34,040 --> 00:09:37,880 so this tigress never has to travel far for a meal. 101 00:09:46,880 --> 00:09:50,760 Even so, bringing up four cubs is not going to be easy, 102 00:09:50,800 --> 00:09:54,160 especially ones as adventurous as these. 103 00:10:02,840 --> 00:10:07,560 Some tiger territories may cover as much as 300 square kilometres, 104 00:10:07,600 --> 00:10:09,840 but in prime hunting country like this, 105 00:10:09,880 --> 00:10:13,880 as little as 15 square kilometres can be enough. 106 00:10:13,920 --> 00:10:17,560 Within this, she knows all the hotspots for game. 107 00:10:22,400 --> 00:10:25,880 Parts of the forest positively teem with life. 108 00:10:25,920 --> 00:10:30,040 But more prey means more eyes on the lookout. 109 00:10:33,280 --> 00:10:36,000 Frustration is all too frequent. 110 00:10:48,400 --> 00:10:50,840 Fortunately, in this neck of the woods, 111 00:10:50,880 --> 00:10:52,880 there are plenty of alternatives. 112 00:10:52,920 --> 00:10:55,040 She just has to keep walking. 113 00:10:57,160 --> 00:11:01,560 Her aim is to stalk within 30 metres without being seen. 114 00:11:28,600 --> 00:11:33,560 If there's a choice, she'll select larger deer, like sambar. 115 00:12:04,840 --> 00:12:08,760 A sambar stag is the best prize of all. 116 00:12:27,200 --> 00:12:30,880 Most hunts, like this one, end in disappointment. 117 00:12:43,880 --> 00:12:49,040 While she's on the prowl, her cubs should be safely tucked up in their den, 118 00:12:49,080 --> 00:12:51,880 but these are no ordinary cubs. 119 00:12:55,680 --> 00:12:57,760 Now's he's in great danger. 120 00:12:57,800 --> 00:12:59,600 With his mother away, 121 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:02,640 any passing predator would jump at the chance of such an easy meal. 122 00:13:05,440 --> 00:13:09,440 Leopards kill tiger cubs without hesitation. 123 00:13:09,480 --> 00:13:12,000 Perhaps they see them as future competitors. 124 00:13:20,400 --> 00:13:23,560 Pench Park has a thriving population of leopards. 125 00:13:23,600 --> 00:13:28,960 They far outnumber tigers, so a lost cub is in real danger. 126 00:13:42,560 --> 00:13:45,880 His best defence is to remain still. 127 00:13:45,920 --> 00:13:49,840 Hiding under a leaf is a somewhat novel alternative. 128 00:13:51,880 --> 00:13:55,920 Fortunately, mother tigers never leave their young cubs for long. 129 00:13:55,960 --> 00:13:59,720 But they don't usually have such a problem recognising them. 130 00:14:23,640 --> 00:14:26,720 Her cubs seem to have a death wish. 131 00:14:26,760 --> 00:14:29,600 If they're to survive, they have a lot to learn. 132 00:14:29,640 --> 00:14:33,200 We will do our best to watch them for the next two years 133 00:14:33,240 --> 00:14:37,200 as they acquire the skills they will need to survive. 134 00:14:37,240 --> 00:14:40,240 But now the monsoon brings filming to a halt. 135 00:14:40,280 --> 00:14:42,000 -The park is closed, 136 00:14:42,040 --> 00:14:46,400 and the camera elephants are redeployed on anti-poaching patrols. 137 00:14:50,560 --> 00:14:53,320 The monsoon refreshes the land 138 00:14:53,360 --> 00:14:58,200 and refills the reservoirs that will be so valuable during the drier months. 139 00:15:02,840 --> 00:15:07,720 The park is transformed into a lush, green oasis. 140 00:15:20,240 --> 00:15:22,120 But despite the tranquillity, 141 00:15:22,160 --> 00:15:26,320 the heavy rains make this a hazardous time for small cubs. 142 00:15:30,560 --> 00:15:36,040 Ten weeks pass and the camera elephants return to filming duties. 143 00:15:48,120 --> 00:15:51,520 After a long search, they find the tigress. 144 00:15:51,560 --> 00:15:55,200 But worryingly, her cubs are nowhere to be seen. 145 00:16:00,000 --> 00:16:03,800 The elephants follow her towards one of her favourite den sites. 146 00:16:07,320 --> 00:16:08,480 It's good news. 147 00:16:08,520 --> 00:16:11,160 At least three cubs have survived. 148 00:16:18,600 --> 00:16:21,320 And then a fourth. 149 00:16:23,760 --> 00:16:26,440 The cubs are now three months old. 150 00:16:26,480 --> 00:16:30,200 They have stopped hiding in their dens and venture out every day, 151 00:16:30,240 --> 00:16:32,440 but only when their mother is around. 152 00:16:36,920 --> 00:16:40,080 They sometimes accompany her on hunting trips, 153 00:16:40,120 --> 00:16:42,920 and they move from one den site to another 154 00:16:42,960 --> 00:16:45,240 as she travels around her territory. 155 00:17:06,320 --> 00:17:09,640 Play, it seems, is never far from their mind. 156 00:17:09,680 --> 00:17:12,600 It's good for practising hunting skills, 157 00:17:12,640 --> 00:17:15,200 and it's also a lot of fun. 158 00:17:20,040 --> 00:17:22,320 While they get rid of their surplus energy, 159 00:17:22,360 --> 00:17:25,080 the mother has some time for herself. 160 00:17:25,120 --> 00:17:28,760 Even at this age, her cubs can be quite a handful. 161 00:17:32,840 --> 00:17:36,400 All this play develops their strength and co-ordination, 162 00:17:36,440 --> 00:17:38,960 and it occupies a lot of their time. 163 00:17:48,600 --> 00:17:50,120 They're growing fast, 164 00:17:50,160 --> 00:17:53,600 putting on around three quarters of a kilo each week. 165 00:18:01,720 --> 00:18:03,920 Although they look small next to their mother, 166 00:18:03,960 --> 00:18:07,800 they are already twice the weight of a domestic cat. 167 00:18:19,280 --> 00:18:21,360 They've just started to take meat, 168 00:18:21,400 --> 00:18:25,200 but their mother's milk still provides most of their nourishment. 169 00:18:26,760 --> 00:18:28,440 With the cubs out and about, 170 00:18:28,480 --> 00:18:30,680 keeping up with them is a considerable challenge 171 00:18:30,720 --> 00:18:33,800 for the camera team, but help is on its way. 172 00:18:37,920 --> 00:18:41,080 Meet log-cam, a small remote camera 173 00:18:41,120 --> 00:18:45,240 that can be deployed quickly by the elephants themselves. 174 00:18:54,320 --> 00:18:59,480 It can be placed around waterholes or on animal paths and tracks. 175 00:19:02,720 --> 00:19:05,960 The camera is triggered by any movement of a nearby animal. 176 00:19:06,000 --> 00:19:09,320 Left alone, it can lie in wait for days. 177 00:19:21,080 --> 00:19:26,280 This langur monkey is transfixed by her reflection in the lens. 178 00:19:34,040 --> 00:19:37,000 These spy-cams are now deployed 24/7, 179 00:19:37,040 --> 00:19:39,760 recording everything that happens in front of them. 180 00:19:45,640 --> 00:19:48,000 Even though some see through their disguise, 181 00:19:48,040 --> 00:19:51,920 the cameras between them capture a wealth of extraordinary behaviour. 182 00:19:56,080 --> 00:20:02,120 Spotted deer and langurs find safety in numbers and often travel around together. 183 00:20:02,160 --> 00:20:06,440 Log-cam reveals just how unruly the deer's neighbours can be. 184 00:20:14,360 --> 00:20:16,080 Despite the rough and tumble, 185 00:20:16,120 --> 00:20:20,360 sharing sentry duties makes sense when a tiger's on the prowl. 186 00:20:26,240 --> 00:20:27,880 Time to get baby on board. 187 00:20:32,880 --> 00:20:36,720 With eyes everywhere, there is literally nowhere to hide. 188 00:20:49,800 --> 00:20:52,800 They have a special alarm call for a tiger, 189 00:20:52,840 --> 00:20:55,520 and it's never too young to learn its meaning. 190 00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:04,360 These incessant calls follow the tigress wherever she goes, 191 00:21:04,400 --> 00:21:08,280 making it difficult for her to launch a surprise attack. 192 00:21:12,120 --> 00:21:17,040 With a tiger in their midst, monkeys have at least one way to show their disgust. 193 00:21:33,880 --> 00:21:38,120 As soon as the tigers relax, the excitement begins to die down. 194 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:47,680 The tigers are used to playing a waiting game. 195 00:21:50,960 --> 00:21:53,600 The forest gradually quietens. 196 00:21:53,640 --> 00:21:56,920 Its inhabitants live under constant threat from tigers, 197 00:21:56,960 --> 00:22:00,080 so they must make the most of any periods of calm. 198 00:22:10,520 --> 00:22:14,160 This is the moment the tigress has been waiting for. 199 00:22:28,560 --> 00:22:31,280 Any film of tigers hunting is rare, 200 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:33,240 and forests are very difficult locations 201 00:22:33,280 --> 00:22:36,120 because the vegetation obscures the view. 202 00:22:36,160 --> 00:22:40,600 But the elephant cams can film even in the deepest forest. 203 00:22:42,760 --> 00:22:46,880 Water holes make the perfect spot for an ambush. 204 00:22:52,600 --> 00:22:55,160 Tigers seize any hunting opportunity, 205 00:22:55,200 --> 00:22:58,440 but if they are undisturbed, they prefer to hunt in the day. 206 00:23:01,040 --> 00:23:04,880 The jungle early-warning system is back in operation. 207 00:23:06,960 --> 00:23:09,240 The calls put the whole forest on edge 208 00:23:09,280 --> 00:23:11,960 and make the tigress' job more difficult. 209 00:23:16,640 --> 00:23:20,640 Faced with a choice, she favours the larger sambar deer, 210 00:23:20,680 --> 00:23:23,400 but the monkey alarms are making them nervous. 211 00:23:28,560 --> 00:23:30,760 As deer have poor colour vision, 212 00:23:30,800 --> 00:23:33,480 a tiger can be within sniffing distance, 213 00:23:33,520 --> 00:23:36,160 but still be unseen in the grass. 214 00:23:45,600 --> 00:23:49,560 She relies on her camouflage, which breaks up her outline, 215 00:23:49,600 --> 00:23:53,440 but in the midst of the herd, many eyes are watching. 216 00:24:03,480 --> 00:24:06,640 The sambar signals her unease to her companions, 217 00:24:06,680 --> 00:24:09,120 but she's still unsure of what she sees. 218 00:24:17,240 --> 00:24:18,840 All seems lost. 219 00:24:23,240 --> 00:24:28,720 But in thick forest, the tigress still has everything to play for. 220 00:24:28,760 --> 00:24:33,240 She uses the river valleys as cover to cut off the deer's escape. 221 00:24:54,280 --> 00:24:57,640 For the deer, out of sight is out of mind. 222 00:25:04,640 --> 00:25:07,960 She's regained the advantage of surprise. 223 00:25:40,400 --> 00:25:44,360 When running, she can cover nine metres in each leap. 224 00:25:44,400 --> 00:25:48,160 But even so, the closer she can get, the better. 225 00:26:10,680 --> 00:26:12,280 She gets it. 226 00:26:15,960 --> 00:26:18,960 She kills by throttling. 227 00:26:27,680 --> 00:26:30,920 She is already having to double the number of kills she makes, 228 00:26:30,960 --> 00:26:33,800 for the cubs have developed quite an appetite. 229 00:26:37,240 --> 00:26:39,640 The cubs are now 14 weeks old 230 00:26:39,680 --> 00:26:42,080 and need all the meat they can get. 231 00:26:42,120 --> 00:26:44,680 They can eat over a kilo of meat each day, 232 00:26:44,720 --> 00:26:47,920 the equivalent of 20 large steaks between them. 233 00:26:47,960 --> 00:26:51,560 It's just as well Pench Reserve has such a thriving population 234 00:26:51,600 --> 00:26:52,800 of prey animals. 235 00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,360 Because of its value as a sanctuary for tigers, 236 00:26:57,400 --> 00:27:01,960 this old teak forestry plantation was made a reserve in 1992, 237 00:27:02,000 --> 00:27:06,680 and now it has many other secretive inhabitants, as the spy-cams discover. 238 00:27:09,960 --> 00:27:11,960 A family of wild boar. 239 00:27:13,880 --> 00:27:17,360 As well as capturing unusual behaviour of other animals, 240 00:27:17,400 --> 00:27:22,120 the spy cams are able to film the tigers when the elephants are off duty. 241 00:27:33,920 --> 00:27:37,640 Indian rock pythons will eat small cubs. 242 00:27:37,680 --> 00:27:42,440 They also frequent the kind of rocky outcrops where tigers make their dens. 243 00:27:49,320 --> 00:27:54,840 At this age, the cubs are still an easy meal for every predator around. 244 00:27:54,880 --> 00:27:58,800 It will be nearly two years before they become as formidable as their mother. 245 00:28:05,200 --> 00:28:09,400 Very few people have seen how an adult tiger deals with a python. 246 00:28:09,440 --> 00:28:11,280 What will be the outcome? 247 00:28:17,640 --> 00:28:22,760 Although the python isn't protected by venom, it does have a nasty bite. 248 00:28:28,600 --> 00:28:31,680 They say curiosity killed the cat. 249 00:28:37,640 --> 00:28:41,040 Tigers aren't used to animals that bite back. 250 00:29:01,920 --> 00:29:06,120 Filming so much extraordinary tiger behaviour in such a short time 251 00:29:06,160 --> 00:29:07,760 has been a triumph. 252 00:29:07,800 --> 00:29:11,160 But it's time for the elephants to take another break. 253 00:29:11,200 --> 00:29:14,120 They will be away for another two months. 254 00:29:29,960 --> 00:29:31,600 It's now December. 255 00:29:31,640 --> 00:29:34,680 The elephants have been back on duty for five days, 256 00:29:34,720 --> 00:29:37,640 but so far, they haven't found the mother and cubs. 257 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:47,360 Then tusk-cam spots the family. 258 00:29:52,160 --> 00:29:54,160 The cubs are now five months old 259 00:29:54,200 --> 00:29:56,640 and all seem in perfect health. 260 00:29:58,520 --> 00:30:02,080 Tusk-cam has a stabilised camera system, 261 00:30:02,120 --> 00:30:05,280 but when the elephant stops, he often adds his own support, 262 00:30:05,320 --> 00:30:07,640 turning his trunk into a monopod, 263 00:30:07,680 --> 00:30:10,240 which steadies the camera's image. 264 00:30:23,960 --> 00:30:28,360 Then trunk-cam spots something that could disturb the peace. 265 00:30:31,520 --> 00:30:35,200 A pangolin has blundered into the tiger's lair. 266 00:30:35,240 --> 00:30:37,720 Despite his reptilian-like scales, 267 00:30:37,760 --> 00:30:40,480 this rare creature is actually a mammal. 268 00:30:42,920 --> 00:30:47,240 But his armoured plates provide little protection against tigers. 269 00:30:51,200 --> 00:30:55,680 The pangolin senses danger and rolls into a protective ball. 270 00:31:01,520 --> 00:31:04,240 It's easy to be brave when Mum's around, 271 00:31:04,280 --> 00:31:09,440 especially as part of their education is to investigate everything that moves. 272 00:31:13,240 --> 00:31:16,360 But even with some hefty reinforcements available, 273 00:31:16,400 --> 00:31:19,520 bravery is best tempered with caution. 274 00:31:26,800 --> 00:31:31,320 The pangolin's strange appearance has proved more effective than his armour. 275 00:31:33,600 --> 00:31:37,680 The Indian jungle hides other rarely-seen creatures, too. 276 00:31:45,280 --> 00:31:49,640 The sloth bear is the only bear to carry her young on her back. 277 00:31:49,680 --> 00:31:51,440 Hitching a ride makes sense. 278 00:31:51,480 --> 00:31:54,800 The cubs' mother may travel 15 kilometres a day 279 00:31:54,840 --> 00:31:58,080 looking for the nests of bees and termites. 280 00:32:04,080 --> 00:32:06,080 As well as eating insects, 281 00:32:06,120 --> 00:32:08,040 the bears are mainly vegetarians, 282 00:32:08,080 --> 00:32:11,320 so this palm squirrel has little to fear. 283 00:32:11,360 --> 00:32:15,360 The cubs scavenge for easier pickings amongst the rocks. 284 00:32:18,600 --> 00:32:21,800 Film of wild sloth bears is rare, 285 00:32:21,840 --> 00:32:25,640 but getting as close as this is very rare indeed. 286 00:32:28,040 --> 00:32:30,360 These bears are seldom seen in the day, 287 00:32:30,400 --> 00:32:33,160 so they're often described as nocturnal. 288 00:32:33,200 --> 00:32:39,320 Only in undisturbed places like this does their true nature become apparent. 289 00:32:39,360 --> 00:32:43,640 Her shaggy coat not only gives her young hitchhikers something to cling onto, 290 00:32:43,680 --> 00:32:47,360 it also protects her against attacks by the stinging insects 291 00:32:47,400 --> 00:32:50,400 whose nests she raids for food. 292 00:32:52,480 --> 00:32:56,800 As they get bigger, the cubs have to take turns hitching a ride. 293 00:33:10,520 --> 00:33:12,880 It must be difficult scratching an itch 294 00:33:12,920 --> 00:33:15,560 when you're wearing a full-length fur coat. 295 00:33:21,160 --> 00:33:23,360 Her cubs are six months old, 296 00:33:23,400 --> 00:33:25,840 and she'll carry them for another three months. 297 00:33:25,880 --> 00:33:28,320 They're already big enough to be a nuisance. 298 00:33:45,440 --> 00:33:48,160 Even the best mothers need to take time out, 299 00:33:48,200 --> 00:33:51,880 and this one's youngsters are double trouble. 300 00:33:54,920 --> 00:33:58,560 The tigress has her own boisterous cubs to cope with. 301 00:33:58,600 --> 00:34:04,280 They're now confirmed carnivores and eagerly feed on every kill. 302 00:34:04,320 --> 00:34:08,120 A lone tiger will kill around once every eight days, 303 00:34:08,160 --> 00:34:10,080 but with hungry mouths to feed, 304 00:34:10,120 --> 00:34:12,720 she has to increase her hit rate. 305 00:34:12,760 --> 00:34:15,840 Four cubs present a special challenge. 306 00:34:18,360 --> 00:34:23,920 An adult tiger on its own can eat 30 kilos of meat in a single meal, 307 00:34:23,960 --> 00:34:27,440 so even a large carcass can leave little to go round. 308 00:34:31,320 --> 00:34:35,120 The cubs take what they can in a single sitting. 309 00:34:35,160 --> 00:34:38,440 They can never be sure when the next meal might arrive. 310 00:34:38,480 --> 00:34:41,280 Even if their mother can keep up with their demand now, 311 00:34:41,320 --> 00:34:44,440 things are only going to get more difficult. 312 00:34:49,480 --> 00:34:51,080 They need their strength. 313 00:34:51,120 --> 00:34:54,920 At this age, they still face many unexpected dangers. 314 00:35:05,920 --> 00:35:10,680 The sloth bear has a reputation for using attack as its first line of defence. 315 00:35:11,960 --> 00:35:15,080 The outcome of this encounter is uncertain. 316 00:35:19,120 --> 00:35:20,920 The tiger's advance is cautious. 317 00:35:20,960 --> 00:35:24,200 Any animal that holds its ground is something to be wary of. 318 00:35:30,640 --> 00:35:32,280 It's a stand-off. 319 00:35:32,320 --> 00:35:34,880 Neither seems quite sure what to do. 320 00:35:43,920 --> 00:35:46,280 The bear's nerve breaks first. 321 00:35:48,440 --> 00:35:51,360 To capture such behaviour is a great stroke of luck, 322 00:35:51,400 --> 00:35:54,440 but with so many cameras deployed at any one time, 323 00:35:54,480 --> 00:35:56,280 there are always plenty of surprises. 324 00:36:01,320 --> 00:36:05,840 Another leopard with cubs spots her reflection in the lens of the spy-cam. 325 00:36:14,880 --> 00:36:17,960 She quickly realises there's nothing to worry about, 326 00:36:18,000 --> 00:36:21,880 and her five-week-old cubs are reassured by her confidence. 327 00:36:33,560 --> 00:36:36,880 Few leopard cubs as young as this have ever been filmed before, 328 00:36:36,920 --> 00:36:40,320 let alone so close and so at ease. 329 00:36:50,880 --> 00:36:54,160 Her cubs will stay with her for just over a year 330 00:36:54,200 --> 00:36:57,080 before they're old enough to find territories of their own. 331 00:37:00,960 --> 00:37:04,640 Tiger cubs stay with their mother for far longer. 332 00:37:04,680 --> 00:37:08,760 The earliest a male cub might leave is at 20 months old, 333 00:37:08,800 --> 00:37:12,840 but the female cubs may stay around for as much as two years. 334 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:17,280 All in all, they have a lot of learning ahead of them. 335 00:37:17,320 --> 00:37:19,640 They have to hone their hunting skills 336 00:37:19,680 --> 00:37:24,480 and the spotted deer fawn provides them with good practice. 337 00:37:24,520 --> 00:37:27,680 Learning to drag a carcass is not just a game. 338 00:37:27,720 --> 00:37:32,720 Adult tigers like to eat their kills in cover, away from scavenging birds. 339 00:37:34,240 --> 00:37:37,200 Meat is now the major part of their diet, 340 00:37:37,240 --> 00:37:40,200 although they will still suckle if given a chance. 341 00:37:54,760 --> 00:37:56,240 But at this age, 342 00:37:56,280 --> 00:37:59,080 their mother can find their sharp teeth quite painful. 343 00:38:03,160 --> 00:38:06,520 It's not only the cubs that are unsettling the tigress. 344 00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:10,600 The day is warming up fast and it's making her restless. 345 00:38:27,200 --> 00:38:29,920 The midday heat affects everyone. 346 00:38:29,960 --> 00:38:34,080 It even draws one of India's rarest animals to the water hole, 347 00:38:34,120 --> 00:38:36,600 the red dog, or dhole. 348 00:38:41,520 --> 00:38:45,880 Red dogs once formed large hunting packs over 100 strong. 349 00:38:45,920 --> 00:38:49,960 Today, even these small family groups are a rare sight. 350 00:38:52,560 --> 00:38:55,400 A large pack can even kill a tiger. 351 00:38:59,120 --> 00:39:01,200 One of them finds the camera. 352 00:39:05,160 --> 00:39:07,560 The elephant crew face some serious competition. 353 00:39:24,360 --> 00:39:28,120 Leopards take pride of place at the watering hole. 354 00:39:31,040 --> 00:39:34,280 But even they defer to a tiger. 355 00:39:46,960 --> 00:39:51,920 The tiger is twice her size, but the leopard's agility gives her the edge. 356 00:39:53,720 --> 00:39:56,400 A tree provides a quick escape route, 357 00:39:56,440 --> 00:39:59,240 but the tiger isn't easily defeated. 358 00:40:08,480 --> 00:40:11,880 Now the tiger's size is actually her handicap. 359 00:40:14,280 --> 00:40:17,000 The leopard just has to sit it out. 360 00:40:28,720 --> 00:40:30,840 She doesn't have to wait for long. 361 00:40:30,880 --> 00:40:34,840 In the heat of the day, a tiger has better things to do. 362 00:40:39,120 --> 00:40:41,280 At the hottest time of the day, 363 00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:44,280 she has just one thing on her mind. 364 00:40:48,800 --> 00:40:52,680 Tigers are the only big cats that like water. 365 00:40:52,720 --> 00:40:57,640 In the summer months, a jungle pool really is cool for these cats. 366 00:40:57,680 --> 00:41:02,960 They often spend the middle of the day just chilling out in favourite spots like this. 367 00:41:15,760 --> 00:41:18,960 Chasing leopards is thirsty work. 368 00:41:19,000 --> 00:41:22,640 But her rival is now far from the tiger's mind. 369 00:41:22,680 --> 00:41:25,480 The leopard will not forget so easily. 370 00:41:28,600 --> 00:41:31,360 She's received a powerful warning. 371 00:41:31,400 --> 00:41:34,160 Her cubs are too close for comfort. 372 00:41:36,880 --> 00:41:41,560 As she leaves, she catches one last glimpse of her reflection. 373 00:42:01,800 --> 00:42:04,920 Tigers can be very uncomfortable in the heat, 374 00:42:04,960 --> 00:42:09,160 a trait that suggests that they originated in much colder regions. 375 00:42:09,200 --> 00:42:12,480 They can still be found as far north as Siberia. 376 00:42:17,480 --> 00:42:19,280 Despite the heat, 377 00:42:19,320 --> 00:42:23,120 the tigers in Pench seem to have found their own bit of paradise. 378 00:42:26,080 --> 00:42:28,040 In the open forest, 379 00:42:28,080 --> 00:42:32,040 the deer's constant grazing creates areas of park-like grassland. 380 00:42:32,080 --> 00:42:35,320 These pastures make the best hunting grounds. 381 00:42:44,400 --> 00:42:48,760 At this age, the cubs sometimes follow their mother when she hunts. 382 00:42:48,800 --> 00:42:52,480 By watching and copying, they learn her techniques. 383 00:42:57,760 --> 00:43:02,840 As she selects a target, they try out some moves of their own. 384 00:43:08,000 --> 00:43:12,000 But they must also learn that this is a time for patience. 385 00:43:19,880 --> 00:43:23,400 They instinctively adopt the stalking posture, 386 00:43:23,440 --> 00:43:26,640 but they refine their technique by copying their mother. 387 00:43:28,560 --> 00:43:32,760 A tiger can cover nearly a metre and a half in a single stride. 388 00:43:32,800 --> 00:43:34,600 Even when she's walking slowly, 389 00:43:34,640 --> 00:43:36,680 the cubs have trouble keeping up. 390 00:43:59,200 --> 00:44:02,520 With the deer so close, the stakes are high. 391 00:44:11,160 --> 00:44:15,160 The cubs seem to be making all the right moves. 392 00:44:32,880 --> 00:44:36,200 The tigress is now within striking distance, 393 00:44:36,240 --> 00:44:38,320 but the deer knows something is up. 394 00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:46,160 This is not the time to lose your nerve. 395 00:45:15,640 --> 00:45:18,520 Lessons are being learned the hard way, 396 00:45:18,560 --> 00:45:22,240 but the cubs now know when to leave it to the expert. 397 00:45:38,840 --> 00:45:42,880 This time, the tigress leaves her students behind. 398 00:45:46,200 --> 00:45:50,000 The deep cover allows her to move faster than usual. 399 00:45:51,400 --> 00:45:53,480 She changes tack. 400 00:45:53,520 --> 00:45:55,600 Her best weapon is surprise. 401 00:45:57,080 --> 00:45:59,600 She could be anywhere. 402 00:45:59,640 --> 00:46:03,240 She kills just two metres from the camera elephant. 403 00:46:13,040 --> 00:46:14,800 It's a sambar. 404 00:46:14,840 --> 00:46:16,960 Plenty of food to go round. 405 00:46:24,640 --> 00:46:27,760 Tigers often pluck their prey before eating it, 406 00:46:27,800 --> 00:46:30,160 a habit they share with leopards. 407 00:46:47,360 --> 00:46:51,840 Taking the carcass into cover will conceal it from scavengers. 408 00:46:56,120 --> 00:47:00,760 The cubs immediately show how quickly they learn from their mother. 409 00:47:00,800 --> 00:47:03,960 He's already making quite a good job of removing the hair. 410 00:47:19,240 --> 00:47:24,360 But it's a big carcass, and there are other hunting moves to practice. 411 00:47:24,400 --> 00:47:27,520 And this is a game in which others can join. 412 00:47:46,680 --> 00:47:49,800 The cubs' play is becoming more aggressive. 413 00:47:49,840 --> 00:47:51,680 They are already showing the qualities 414 00:47:51,720 --> 00:47:54,760 that will make them one of the world's top predators. 415 00:47:56,160 --> 00:47:58,440 Having watched them progress so far, 416 00:47:58,480 --> 00:48:01,760 it seems a good time to take a filming break. 417 00:48:29,600 --> 00:48:31,840 Shooting resumes in May. 418 00:48:31,880 --> 00:48:35,600 Neither the cubs nor their mother have been seen for days. 419 00:48:36,560 --> 00:48:38,720 The camera team investigate. 420 00:48:57,240 --> 00:49:01,120 Spy-cams are placed near all their favourite den sites. 421 00:49:01,160 --> 00:49:03,240 Just a slight adjustment is needed. 422 00:49:06,480 --> 00:49:08,440 This was a good choice. 423 00:49:08,480 --> 00:49:10,760 The cubs use the shade and wet sand 424 00:49:10,800 --> 00:49:13,880 besides the boulder to shelter from the heat. 425 00:49:13,920 --> 00:49:16,960 But worryingly, there is no sign of the mother. 426 00:49:22,520 --> 00:49:27,520 A second camera in a nearby pond finds only the other cubs. 427 00:49:29,280 --> 00:49:32,920 This spy-cam is camouflaged to resemble one of the boulders, 428 00:49:32,960 --> 00:49:35,920 but the cubs see through its disguise. 429 00:49:37,240 --> 00:49:39,120 Despite occasionally being spotted, 430 00:49:39,160 --> 00:49:41,480 the spy-cams have already proved their worth. 431 00:49:43,000 --> 00:49:46,200 Even this cub quickly loses its curiosity. 432 00:49:51,040 --> 00:49:54,640 A third hidden camera shows that play between the cubs 433 00:49:54,680 --> 00:49:57,760 is increasingly geared to fighting and hunting. 434 00:50:02,440 --> 00:50:06,360 Even a stick is used as a substitute for prey. 435 00:50:10,760 --> 00:50:12,840 -The spy-cam also shows 436 00:50:12,880 --> 00:50:16,360 just how alert the cubs are to danger when they're alone. 437 00:50:18,440 --> 00:50:21,160 They've picked up the alarm calls of monkeys. 438 00:50:21,200 --> 00:50:23,040 A predator must be approaching, 439 00:50:23,080 --> 00:50:26,040 and they seem to know it's not their mother. 440 00:50:38,920 --> 00:50:41,480 Their nearby den provides them with cover, 441 00:50:41,520 --> 00:50:46,040 but with their mother nowhere to be seen, this is a worrying situation. 442 00:50:48,320 --> 00:50:50,600 The spy-cam reveals the threat. 443 00:50:50,640 --> 00:50:54,520 It's their arch rival, a leopard, at their water hole. 444 00:51:03,960 --> 00:51:08,440 These home-alone cubs are now in grave danger, 445 00:51:09,600 --> 00:51:12,320 and the leopard is in no rush to leave. 446 00:51:15,160 --> 00:51:18,960 In the next Spy In The Jungle, we will see how the cubs fared 447 00:51:19,000 --> 00:51:22,000 in this latest challenge to their young lives. 448 00:51:27,320 --> 00:51:30,120 Our elephant camera crew will also reveal 449 00:51:30,160 --> 00:51:33,800 many other remarkable moments in a tiger's life.