1
00:00:32,760 --> 00:00:36,037
Tigers are the largest, most powerful,

2
00:00:36,400 --> 00:00:39,392
and perhaps the most loved
of all the big cats.

3
00:00:40,320 --> 00:00:41,833
Yet, over the past century,

4
00:00:42,240 --> 00:00:45,790
their numbers have declined by 95%.

5
00:00:46,320 --> 00:00:50,029
Our team has spent two years
following one tigress

6
00:00:50,200 --> 00:00:53,397
with her cubs
as she attempts to rear them.

7
00:00:54,080 --> 00:00:57,391
Her problems come
not just from the natural world,

8
00:00:58,160 --> 00:01:01,949
but from having to do so
at close quarters with us.

9
00:01:10,600 --> 00:01:14,912
Bandhavgarh Tiger Reserve
in the heart of India.

10
00:01:18,640 --> 00:01:20,711
A rich, tropical jungle.

11
00:01:49,360 --> 00:01:51,237
At the base of this cliff,

12
00:01:53,240 --> 00:01:54,469
a secret cave

13
00:01:59,400 --> 00:02:04,520
hiding within is a tigress
known as Raj Bera

14
00:02:06,960 --> 00:02:09,349
Two weeks ago, she chose this cave

15
00:02:09,440 --> 00:02:12,000
in which to give birth
to her new family.

16
00:02:21,600 --> 00:02:23,910
This is her daughter, Biba.

17
00:02:36,200 --> 00:02:40,398
And these are her first,
rather unsteady steps.

18
00:02:42,960 --> 00:02:45,600
Biba has three brothers.

19
00:02:45,960 --> 00:02:48,918
The four of them together
are the next generation

20
00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:50,872
of this tiger dynasty.

21
00:02:54,360 --> 00:02:58,069
Raj Bera is one of the most formidable
predators on earth.

22
00:02:59,920 --> 00:03:03,072
But her cubs are vulnerable
and will remain so

23
00:03:03,240 --> 00:03:05,072
for the next two years.

24
00:03:09,000 --> 00:03:11,913
It will take all her strength and skill
as a mother

25
00:03:12,960 --> 00:03:14,871
to protect and provide for them,

26
00:03:15,760 --> 00:03:17,717
if she is to raise them to adulthood.

27
00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,350
This forest has everything
a tiger family needs.

28
00:03:42,280 --> 00:03:43,793
Plenty of fresh water,

29
00:03:53,120 --> 00:03:55,316
dense thickets for concealment,

30
00:03:59,400 --> 00:04:02,791
and open grasslands full of prey.

31
00:04:23,680 --> 00:04:27,878
After two hungry weeks
confined to the den with her cubs,

32
00:04:27,960 --> 00:04:29,917
Raj Bera needs food.

33
00:04:39,560 --> 00:04:41,836
She is an experienced hunter.

34
00:04:45,680 --> 00:04:48,593
But her prey are always on high alert.

35
00:05:02,960 --> 00:05:07,158
Fortunately, she knows how to disappear.

36
00:06:14,080 --> 00:06:16,196
Even with her experience,

37
00:06:16,400 --> 00:06:18,391
most hunts end this way.

38
00:06:29,440 --> 00:06:32,080
But now she faces a dilemma.

39
00:06:35,200 --> 00:06:36,793
As evening draws in,

40
00:06:36,880 --> 00:06:39,474
leaving the cubs
unprotected in their den

41
00:06:39,720 --> 00:06:41,040
could put them in danger.

42
00:06:45,840 --> 00:06:48,434
The night shift
are already on the prowl.

43
00:06:51,760 --> 00:06:53,159
A sloth bear.

44
00:07:24,560 --> 00:07:27,393
It will kill cubs if it can find them.

45
00:08:10,520 --> 00:08:14,150
Once a den has been discovered,
it's no longer safe.

46
00:08:20,160 --> 00:08:23,232
She needs to move her family.

47
00:08:58,680 --> 00:09:01,399
The family are safe at a new den.

48
00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,279
An experienced tigress like Raj Bera

49
00:09:11,640 --> 00:09:14,154
may know
half a dozen hideaways like this.

50
00:09:26,760 --> 00:09:28,717
Even though she failed in her hunt,

51
00:09:29,000 --> 00:09:31,879
the cubs are as hungry for milk as ever.

52
00:09:46,000 --> 00:09:48,276
For a tigress to feed and protect,

53
00:09:48,440 --> 00:09:52,434
as many as four young
is a relentless challenge.

54
00:10:04,200 --> 00:10:07,192
It's unlikely
that she will be able to raise them all.

55
00:10:23,360 --> 00:10:24,919
And in India today,

56
00:10:25,040 --> 00:10:28,112
there are new pressures,
making it harder than ever

57
00:10:28,240 --> 00:10:30,311
to rear a family to adulthood.

58
00:10:33,680 --> 00:10:38,038
Raj Bera's territory
is just big enough to support her cubs,

59
00:10:38,680 --> 00:10:42,639
but she's surrounded by territories
held by other tigers.

60
00:10:44,360 --> 00:10:47,637
And all are encircled
by human settlement.

61
00:11:00,520 --> 00:11:04,195
There are about 80 tigers
in Bandhavgarh.

62
00:11:07,160 --> 00:11:09,595
This is an unusually high density.

63
00:11:21,800 --> 00:11:24,633
Competition for space is intense.

64
00:11:35,160 --> 00:11:38,949
Scarred faces are evidence of battles
between rivals.

65
00:11:46,760 --> 00:11:48,512
To keep her territory secure,

66
00:11:48,600 --> 00:11:52,673
Raj Bera regularly patrols
its 12-mile-long boundary.

67
00:12:02,920 --> 00:12:06,151
Each time she sprays,
she's marking a line

68
00:12:06,280 --> 00:12:09,079
that other tigers know
they cross at their peril.

69
00:12:15,320 --> 00:12:19,075
Territory marking in the midday heat
is hard work.

70
00:12:42,920 --> 00:12:45,389
She needs to cool off.

71
00:13:08,160 --> 00:13:10,754
An amorous male peacock.

72
00:14:39,200 --> 00:14:43,478
Every day, she has to strike
an almost impossible balance,

73
00:14:46,160 --> 00:14:48,800
dividing her time between hunting,

74
00:14:49,240 --> 00:14:51,197
scent marking her boundaries,

75
00:14:52,840 --> 00:14:54,319
and nursing her cubs.

76
00:15:03,000 --> 00:15:07,153
For now the demands of her young family
must take precedence.

77
00:15:19,560 --> 00:15:23,440
Her cubs have reached the stage
when they start exploring.

78
00:15:29,960 --> 00:15:34,397
Although even walking
hasn't been completely mastered.

79
00:15:41,520 --> 00:15:45,195
Differences between the cubs
are beginning to appear.

80
00:15:47,920 --> 00:15:50,799
The three brothers are caught up
in a rough and tumble.

81
00:15:54,040 --> 00:15:57,032
But their sister, Biba, holds back.

82
00:16:07,840 --> 00:16:11,310
She is smaller
and not as strong as her brothers.

83
00:16:13,160 --> 00:16:16,516
And these differences
will only become more apparent,

84
00:16:16,800 --> 00:16:18,029
as they grow older.

85
00:16:48,800 --> 00:16:53,874
Two months later and the family
has left the den for good.

86
00:16:57,320 --> 00:17:00,472
The cubs are now strong enough
to follow their mother.

87
00:17:12,400 --> 00:17:15,518
She must now start on their education.

88
00:17:18,000 --> 00:17:19,957
She shows them around her territory.

89
00:17:21,680 --> 00:17:25,753
And most importantly,
introduces them to a new diet.

90
00:17:28,720 --> 00:17:30,074
Meat.

91
00:17:35,040 --> 00:17:36,951
The cubs have doubled in size,

92
00:17:37,280 --> 00:17:39,840
so that she has to hunt
even more frequently

93
00:17:39,920 --> 00:17:42,150
to provide for their growing appetites.

94
00:18:07,040 --> 00:18:08,838
Since the birth of her cubs,

95
00:18:09,040 --> 00:18:12,351
Raj Bera has not been
able to patrol her territory

96
00:18:12,440 --> 00:18:14,158
as regularly as she did.

97
00:18:18,560 --> 00:18:21,632
And that has given a rival
an opportunity.

98
00:18:25,200 --> 00:18:26,998
This is Solo,

99
00:18:27,440 --> 00:18:29,750
Raj Bera's adult daughter.

100
00:18:34,080 --> 00:18:37,357
And she is trespassing
on her mother's lands,

101
00:18:39,360 --> 00:18:42,751
some of the richest
in the whole of Bandhavgarh.

102
00:18:45,880 --> 00:18:49,032
She may be unaware that Raj Bera
is hunting here.

103
00:18:58,720 --> 00:19:01,314
Normally adult tigers avoid each other.

104
00:19:06,520 --> 00:19:10,991
Because fights even between mother
and daughter can be fatal.

105
00:19:18,880 --> 00:19:22,669
But now,
5010 appears to be testing her mother.

106
00:20:00,680 --> 00:20:03,399
Faced with Raj Bera's confident advance,

107
00:20:03,480 --> 00:20:07,599
Solo immediately defers,
rolling on her back like a cub.

108
00:20:12,080 --> 00:20:14,276
She's not old enough or strong enough

109
00:20:14,880 --> 00:20:17,190
to challenge for the territory...

110
00:20:17,960 --> 00:20:19,155
Yet.

111
00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:28,239
Raj Here is still the ruler here.

112
00:20:33,680 --> 00:20:36,479
But Solo has issued a warning.

113
00:20:54,240 --> 00:20:55,913
With their territory secure,

114
00:20:56,880 --> 00:20:59,474
the family can relax together.

115
00:21:08,040 --> 00:21:10,714
The cubs are now spending
more and more time

116
00:21:10,880 --> 00:21:13,759
developing their coordination
and agility.

117
00:21:19,440 --> 00:21:21,670
And they do that through play.

118
00:21:46,400 --> 00:21:47,879
A Wild boar.

119
00:21:56,280 --> 00:21:59,079
It could be on the menu
of an adult tiger.

120
00:22:04,560 --> 00:22:08,235
But one of the male cubs
is being a little ambitious.

121
00:22:14,680 --> 00:22:16,318
Perhaps not yet.

122
00:22:33,040 --> 00:22:35,793
Winter arrives in Bandhavgarh.

123
00:23:06,640 --> 00:23:08,995
The cubs are nine months old.

124
00:23:13,440 --> 00:23:15,033
In their adolescence.

125
00:23:16,720 --> 00:23:20,395
And the neighbours are beginning
to take them more seriously.

126
00:23:36,600 --> 00:23:40,559
Raj Bera has done well
to keep all her cubs alive so far.

127
00:23:42,760 --> 00:23:47,391
Typically only 50% of tiger cubs
survive to adulthood.

128
00:23:54,960 --> 00:23:58,271
But now,
the family relationships are changing.

129
00:24:19,920 --> 00:24:22,560
She no longer lets the cubs eat first.

130
00:24:25,640 --> 00:24:28,234
She has to teach them that one day

131
00:24:28,400 --> 00:24:30,914
they will have to provide
for themselves.

132
00:24:39,640 --> 00:24:44,271
Once she has had her fill,
her sons dominate the carcass.

133
00:24:56,320 --> 00:24:59,790
It's only when they have finished
that their smaller sister, Biba,

134
00:24:59,960 --> 00:25:02,759
gets her chance to feed undisturbed.

135
00:25:25,040 --> 00:25:27,919
Alarm calls warn of an intruder.

136
00:25:35,480 --> 00:25:38,518
This time it's an adult male tiger.

137
00:25:41,600 --> 00:25:45,434
He's a third bigger than Raj Bera
and much more power-flit.

138
00:25:53,240 --> 00:25:55,754
This is the cubs' favourite water hole.

139
00:26:10,880 --> 00:26:12,518
Mother and sons

140
00:26:15,040 --> 00:26:16,235
sleep off their meal.

141
00:26:21,320 --> 00:26:23,789
But Biba heads off alone.

142
00:27:16,320 --> 00:27:19,472
Adult male tigers sometimes kill cubs,

143
00:27:19,880 --> 00:27:22,554
so, to approach one is a huge risk.

144
00:27:27,640 --> 00:27:30,598
Unless of course he's your father,

145
00:27:33,680 --> 00:27:36,991
the only male in the forest
who would never harm her.

146
00:27:42,840 --> 00:27:45,878
Tiger fathers
rarely meet their offspring.

147
00:27:49,120 --> 00:27:51,760
And he doesn't seem keen
to get acquainted.

148
00:27:57,920 --> 00:28:02,312
But while he is patrolling the forest,
other males will keep away.

149
00:28:02,840 --> 00:28:04,751
And the cubs will be safe.

150
00:28:20,960 --> 00:28:25,318
For everything else,
the cubs depend on Raj Bera.

151
00:28:32,240 --> 00:28:34,800
She still has to provide
for the whole family.

152
00:29:05,920 --> 00:29:07,240
It's summer.

153
00:29:10,840 --> 00:29:14,470
Over the next few weeks
the searing heat will suck

154
00:29:14,560 --> 00:29:16,233
the moisture from the land.

155
00:29:32,040 --> 00:29:35,749
Temperatures soar to over 45 degrees.

156
00:29:42,200 --> 00:29:46,831
And Bandhavgarh has to survive
the worst drought in a decade.

157
00:29:55,320 --> 00:29:58,597
It's a good time to be a vulture.

158
00:30:04,760 --> 00:30:09,357
The water holes in Raj Bera's territory
become magnets for the park's

159
00:30:09,440 --> 00:30:11,033
thirsty inhabitants.

160
00:30:22,280 --> 00:30:24,317
Normally, langurs spend

161
00:30:24,400 --> 00:30:26,835
most of their time
out of reach in the trees.

162
00:30:30,760 --> 00:30:31,955
But during the drought,

163
00:30:32,200 --> 00:30:35,636
they must risk crossing
open ground to get water.

164
00:30:57,880 --> 00:31:02,636
Once the braver adults make their move,
the rest of the troop follow.

165
00:31:14,400 --> 00:31:17,358
Out of their comfort zone,
they're nervous.

166
00:31:24,840 --> 00:31:26,319
No danger here,

167
00:31:30,000 --> 00:31:31,638
as far as she can see.

168
00:31:59,760 --> 00:32:03,719
But you can't drink and watch
all at the same time.

169
00:32:50,840 --> 00:32:53,719
Here in the heart
of Raj Here's territory,

170
00:32:54,160 --> 00:32:58,119
these water holes become the focus
of the family's life

171
00:32:58,440 --> 00:33:00,750
throughout these driest months.

172
00:33:18,200 --> 00:33:22,319
It's not just prey
that are drawn here to the water holes.

173
00:33:26,600 --> 00:33:27,920
A new trespasser.

174
00:34:06,560 --> 00:34:11,509
It seems this tigress
is way of pressing her claim today.

175
00:34:13,680 --> 00:34:18,516
But it's clear there are now more rivals
for Raj Here's hunting territory.

176
00:34:38,560 --> 00:34:42,997
And now distant roars
signal further trouble.

177
00:34:51,760 --> 00:34:56,960
Solo, Raj Bera's adult daughter,
is mating for the first time.

178
00:35:24,920 --> 00:35:29,153
She will soon have her own family
with new mouths to feed.

179
00:35:39,680 --> 00:35:42,559
And its not long before she's back,

180
00:35:42,640 --> 00:35:45,280
hunting deep in her mother's territory.

181
00:35:59,960 --> 00:36:01,758
She is poaching.

182
00:36:17,120 --> 00:36:21,193
The year-old cubs
are practising their hunting skills

183
00:36:21,280 --> 00:36:22,679
on each other.

184
00:36:26,720 --> 00:36:30,156
Capturing prey
requires power and agility.

185
00:36:37,840 --> 00:36:41,231
As well as the skills
of ambush and attack.

186
00:36:48,160 --> 00:36:53,189
Their survival will depend
on mastering the ability to kill.

187
00:37:01,640 --> 00:37:03,551
But for another eight months,

188
00:37:03,640 --> 00:37:06,314
their mother must continue to provide.

189
00:37:07,920 --> 00:37:10,480
And she's having to work
much harder now.

190
00:37:15,240 --> 00:37:17,038
Even a kill as big as this

191
00:37:17,120 --> 00:37:20,272
won't last the family
more than a couple of days.

192
00:37:22,560 --> 00:37:25,393
Her sons are the first to every meal

193
00:37:28,160 --> 00:37:30,754
and jealously guard their share.

194
00:37:32,120 --> 00:37:34,680
Biba is forced to wait.

195
00:37:54,040 --> 00:37:57,271
She will be lucky
if she gets anything more than scraps.

196
00:38:22,440 --> 00:38:24,829
Leaving her well-fed brothers behind,

197
00:38:28,440 --> 00:38:31,114
Biba tries to hunt for herself.

198
00:38:38,320 --> 00:38:41,153
She's watched
her mother do this many times.

199
00:38:46,160 --> 00:38:47,355
Stalk

200
00:38:50,000 --> 00:38:51,070
and drop.

201
00:39:09,600 --> 00:39:12,911
She has mastered the technique
of becoming invisible.

202
00:39:17,520 --> 00:39:21,957
But she doesn't yet have the size
or strength to strike.

203
00:39:36,680 --> 00:39:40,469
Strong winds signal
the arrival of the monsoon.

204
00:40:25,440 --> 00:40:29,991
The abundance of water means that,
for most of the forest's inhabitants,

205
00:40:30,120 --> 00:40:32,111
the good times have returned.

206
00:40:38,440 --> 00:40:42,911
But the monsoon is the worst time
for Raj Bera and her family.

207
00:40:45,440 --> 00:40:48,558
Her prey are no longer dependent
on the water holes.

208
00:40:52,400 --> 00:40:55,711
They are now free
to disperse throughout her territory.

209
00:41:03,160 --> 00:41:05,993
They will be much harder
for her to ambush.

210
00:41:19,320 --> 00:41:22,995
A few weeks later
near the western boundary of her lands,

211
00:41:23,200 --> 00:41:24,554
there has been a fight.

212
00:41:28,240 --> 00:41:30,390
And Raj Bera is injured.

213
00:41:48,400 --> 00:41:50,710
A serious injury to a mother tiger

214
00:41:50,800 --> 00:41:53,553
can mean starvation for her cubs.

215
00:42:22,040 --> 00:42:24,509
Biba is invariably the last

216
00:42:24,840 --> 00:42:26,638
to benefit from her mother's hunting.

217
00:42:29,240 --> 00:42:31,231
She needs to fend for herself.

218
00:42:31,520 --> 00:42:34,558
And to do that,
she must find her own territory,

219
00:42:34,640 --> 00:42:36,233
away from her brothers.

220
00:43:01,360 --> 00:43:02,998
But where can she go?

221
00:43:09,600 --> 00:43:12,353
Every other territory
is already occupied.

222
00:43:17,960 --> 00:43:22,352
She's forced to search outside
Bandhavgarh altogether.

223
00:43:33,280 --> 00:43:35,954
Her mother will never see her again.

224
00:43:51,120 --> 00:43:53,714
The male cubs are also going hungry.

225
00:44:15,560 --> 00:44:18,996
They, too, are trying to fend
for themselves.

226
00:44:32,520 --> 00:44:35,592
The deer are too alert for novices.

227
00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:53,717
With the demands
of three adolescent male cubs

228
00:44:53,800 --> 00:44:56,394
and increasing hostility
from her rivals,

229
00:44:57,000 --> 00:45:00,994
Raj Bera is facing
the greatest ever threat to her dynasty.

230
00:45:03,960 --> 00:45:06,076
She takes a drastic step

231
00:45:06,360 --> 00:45:10,399
and leaves the safety of the park
in the hope of easier prey.

232
00:45:16,480 --> 00:45:18,835
Cattle in the neighbouring villages.

233
00:45:30,360 --> 00:45:33,910
For tigress and people,
there is real danger here.

234
00:45:34,560 --> 00:45:38,190
It's a conflict that Raj Bera
cannot win.

235
00:46:49,240 --> 00:46:51,311
Dawn, the next day.

236
00:47:14,400 --> 00:47:15,993
Raj Bera.

237
00:47:32,960 --> 00:47:35,839
She was rescued by the park authorities

238
00:47:35,960 --> 00:47:38,600
and released back into her territory,

239
00:47:38,720 --> 00:47:40,279
to rejoin her family.

240
00:48:04,160 --> 00:48:05,753
Over the last two years,

241
00:48:05,960 --> 00:48:09,191
she's struggled to raise her cubs
safely to this point.

242
00:48:09,840 --> 00:48:11,751
And although she's lost her daughter,

243
00:48:11,960 --> 00:48:14,520
her sons are on the brink of adulthood.

244
00:48:18,120 --> 00:48:19,235
Against the odds,

245
00:48:19,600 --> 00:48:22,718
she still has the chance
to secure the future

246
00:48:23,000 --> 00:48:24,320
of her tiger dynasty.

247
00:48:45,520 --> 00:48:49,798
A century ago,
there were more than 100,000 tigers.

248
00:48:50,080 --> 00:48:52,833
Today, there are only 4,000,

249
00:48:53,040 --> 00:48:55,919
with 7096 of them found in India,

250
00:48:58,400 --> 00:49:00,630
mostly in protected areas

251
00:49:00,720 --> 00:49:02,279
such as Bandhavgarh.

252
00:49:07,080 --> 00:49:10,630
Indian conservationists
like Krithi Karanth

253
00:49:11,000 --> 00:49:14,277
are concerned about the challenges
facing these reserves.

254
00:49:18,000 --> 00:49:20,594
Unlike parks in Africa and the Americas,

255
00:49:20,960 --> 00:49:22,917
parks in India are extremely small.

256
00:49:23,360 --> 00:49:27,069
So tiger populations in these tiny parks
are under huge pressure.

257
00:49:28,360 --> 00:49:29,953
There is a real danger

258
00:49:30,240 --> 00:49:33,073
that we could see
this amazing cat go extinct.

259
00:49:34,040 --> 00:49:37,556
Bandhavgarh
is home to over 80 tigers.

260
00:49:37,800 --> 00:49:40,269
But, as director Theo Webb discovers,

261
00:49:40,440 --> 00:49:41,999
they're not easy to find.

262
00:49:48,800 --> 00:49:51,553
I just saw a tiger
which turned out to be red sand.

263
00:49:52,960 --> 00:49:54,598
I'm the stupid one today.

264
00:49:56,480 --> 00:49:59,313
Even the real thing
is almost invisible.

265
00:50:00,520 --> 00:50:03,512
So, right here is one of the problems
why we can't find tigers,

266
00:50:03,600 --> 00:50:05,557
because they are so well hidden.

267
00:50:05,960 --> 00:50:07,280
If you look in here,

268
00:50:08,400 --> 00:50:09,913
they are so well camouflaged,

269
00:50:10,560 --> 00:50:12,358
especially in this dense undergrowth.

270
00:50:13,600 --> 00:50:17,355
Her stripes blend in exactly
with the bamboo.

271
00:50:19,640 --> 00:50:21,278
It's almost impossible to see them.

272
00:50:24,800 --> 00:50:26,677
Local guides
have told the crew

273
00:50:26,760 --> 00:50:30,116
of a tigress they call Raj Bera
who is expecting cubs.

274
00:50:30,840 --> 00:50:34,151
If they can find her,
she will be the perfect tiger to follow.

275
00:50:41,000 --> 00:50:43,958
The guides listen
for other animals' warning calls.

276
00:50:45,280 --> 00:50:46,350
Monkey leaping along.

277
00:50:47,240 --> 00:50:49,231
That's a sign
that the tiger's, like, right there.

278
00:50:49,320 --> 00:50:50,390
Okay.

279
00:50:52,040 --> 00:50:54,554
The team can then
home in on the tiger.

280
00:50:58,120 --> 00:51:00,680
So we've just come across
this tigress.

281
00:51:01,200 --> 00:51:04,238
We heard alarm calls,
followed her here,

282
00:51:04,880 --> 00:51:07,156
and it could be our female
that we've been looking for.

283
00:51:10,320 --> 00:51:12,880
We've done a comparison
between two photos,

284
00:51:12,960 --> 00:51:14,394
one we know is her,

285
00:51:14,480 --> 00:51:16,835
and one of her, I think, just now.
They're looking similar.

286
00:51:16,920 --> 00:51:18,479
- It's pretty much her.
- Yeah.

287
00:51:19,600 --> 00:51:20,749
It's Raj Bera.

288
00:51:25,880 --> 00:51:28,759
But where is her den?

289
00:51:34,840 --> 00:51:35,955
A tigress will choose

290
00:51:36,040 --> 00:51:38,350
the most inaccessible place
to give birth.

291
00:51:39,720 --> 00:51:41,677
Impossible to follow in a vehicle.

292
00:51:45,720 --> 00:51:48,360
But the forest department have elephants

293
00:51:48,440 --> 00:51:51,114
to help protect the animals
against poachers.

294
00:51:52,200 --> 00:51:56,433
And While patrolling the forest,
they also search for dens.

295
00:52:08,680 --> 00:52:12,469
Two weeks later, Raj Bera's den
has been discovered.

296
00:52:13,080 --> 00:52:16,869
She's chosen one of the most
inaccessible spots in the whole park,

297
00:52:16,960 --> 00:52:19,315
to make her den, which is
kinda sensible if you're a tiger.

298
00:52:24,600 --> 00:52:28,070
Now they need to film
the family without disturbing them.

299
00:52:30,360 --> 00:52:34,274
Cameraman, John Brown,
positions a remote-controlled camera

300
00:52:34,360 --> 00:52:35,998
away from the den.

301
00:52:38,640 --> 00:52:42,998
The specially designed tripod
allows John to retreat even further

302
00:52:43,200 --> 00:52:44,998
to minimise disturbance.

303
00:52:46,680 --> 00:52:50,435
He's finally rewarded
with an extremely rare view.

304
00:52:50,840 --> 00:52:53,150
Cubs just a few weeks old.

305
00:52:54,000 --> 00:52:55,957
Today's been absolutely incredible.

306
00:52:56,040 --> 00:53:00,637
We've had a completely unique view
into the life of tigers.

307
00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:05,155
It's been one of the most amazing
moments of my career.

308
00:53:05,240 --> 00:53:06,719
I never thought we'd get it actually,

309
00:53:06,800 --> 00:53:09,440
but, you know...
I didn't tell anyone else that.

310
00:53:18,760 --> 00:53:20,512
Once the cubs leave the den,

311
00:53:20,600 --> 00:53:22,796
the family disappears into the forest.

312
00:53:25,360 --> 00:53:27,954
Now the crew have to switch
to a new technique.

313
00:53:32,160 --> 00:53:33,480
Camera traps,

314
00:53:33,560 --> 00:53:37,155
used regularly by the park authorities.

315
00:53:37,240 --> 00:53:41,518
They stake out likely locations
including water holes.

316
00:53:53,680 --> 00:53:56,320
Inhabitants tum up.

317
00:53:59,080 --> 00:54:00,559
But no tigers.

318
00:54:02,680 --> 00:54:05,672
A few weeks later, Theo discovers

319
00:54:05,760 --> 00:54:08,400
that one of the camera traps
has somehow become flooded.

320
00:54:10,760 --> 00:54:11,830
Wow.

321
00:54:19,320 --> 00:54:21,789
Oh, my God.

322
00:54:26,120 --> 00:54:27,349
Mystery solved.

323
00:54:30,520 --> 00:54:33,353
And, at last,
intimate shots of the cubs.

324
00:54:35,600 --> 00:54:38,069
And eventually even of their father.

325
00:54:44,880 --> 00:54:46,871
For another nine months,

326
00:54:47,000 --> 00:54:49,310
the crew are able to follow
the life of the family

327
00:54:49,400 --> 00:54:50,993
as the cubs grow up.

328
00:54:57,240 --> 00:55:01,279
But then, suddenly, they witness
a very different side to the story.

329
00:55:04,160 --> 00:55:07,676
So, somewhere over here is our tigress.

330
00:55:09,160 --> 00:55:10,594
In order to find food,

331
00:55:10,800 --> 00:55:13,314
she's coming
to these really risky areas,

332
00:55:13,440 --> 00:55:16,558
to hunt cattle, clogs,
whatever she can find.

333
00:55:17,400 --> 00:55:19,960
So, this is really scary for her.

334
00:55:20,040 --> 00:55:22,714
And to be honest, for us as well.

335
00:55:23,880 --> 00:55:27,316
There is no other tiger reserve within 50 miles.

336
00:55:27,520 --> 00:55:29,750
So, whenever a tiger leaves the park,

337
00:55:29,920 --> 00:55:32,639
it's inevitable
that it will encounter people.

338
00:55:38,480 --> 00:55:40,630
The forest department take control.

339
00:55:42,760 --> 00:55:47,357
Raj Bera is tranquillised,
and taken to safety.

340
00:55:50,800 --> 00:55:53,838
And, next day, is returned
to her territory.

341
00:55:55,000 --> 00:55:57,196
We've been filming
this female for two years

342
00:55:57,320 --> 00:55:58,993
and we've got attached to her.

343
00:55:59,880 --> 00:56:02,520
We've seen her
with these two-week-old cubs,

344
00:56:03,480 --> 00:56:04,959
we've seen her lose one cub,

345
00:56:05,440 --> 00:56:07,954
and now we've seen her outside the park.

346
00:56:08,920 --> 00:56:10,957
This is the life of a modern tiger.

347
00:56:11,160 --> 00:56:13,993
It's not easy.
It's not how it used to be for them.

348
00:56:20,320 --> 00:56:24,029
We need to create more space for tigers
to move, breed, and disperse.

349
00:56:24,320 --> 00:56:26,755
It is our responsibility to make sure

350
00:56:26,840 --> 00:56:29,753
that future generations of children,
including my own,

351
00:56:30,400 --> 00:56:31,834
get to see tigers in the wild.

352
00:56:37,400 --> 00:56:39,391
All the animals
we've seen in this series

353
00:56:39,880 --> 00:56:41,598
need space in which to live.

354
00:56:42,560 --> 00:56:45,712
And loss of space is a great threat

355
00:56:45,800 --> 00:56:48,792
to their survival
as it is to virtually all other species.

356
00:56:49,960 --> 00:56:55,194
We ourselves, one single species,
have ta ken over vast tracts

357
00:56:55,280 --> 00:56:58,113
of the habitable surface of the planet.

358
00:56:59,640 --> 00:57:02,792
Surely, we should allow
those other creatures,

359
00:57:03,360 --> 00:57:04,714
we share the planet with,

360
00:57:05,840 --> 00:57:10,277
to retain some part
of their ancient heritage.