Original subtitles

Man: TIGERS ARE ABSOLUTELY ON THE EDGE.

I KNOW IT'S A CLICHE,

BUT IF TIGERS EVER DO DISAPPEAR, THAT'S IT.

THEY'LL NEVER COME BACK.

THESE, WITHOUT DOUBT, COULD BE THE LAST OF THEIR KIND.

I WAS SENT HERE AS

A BUDDING WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN

AND THIS WAS MY FIRST REAL BREAK.

GO OUT THERE, FIND THE TIGER, AND GET YOUR STORY.

BROKEN TAIL WAS JUST SPECIAL.

HE WAS ADVENTUROUS, EXUBERANT, KIND OF FULL OF LIFE,

CHARISMATIC, ARROGANT, TOTALLY FEARLESS.

BROKEN TAIL WAS ALWAYS THE RINGLEADER.

YOU FELT LIKE ONE DAY HE WAS GOING TO DOMINATE THAT AREA.

SADLY IT WASN'T TO BE THE CASE.

SOMETHING HAPPENED AFTER THAT -- WE DON'T KNOW WHAT.

BROKEN TAIL WAS GONE... AND I NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN.

I REMEMBER DISTINCTLY THE LAST TIME I SAW HIM.

WE STARTED HEARING THE ALARM CALLS --

"OH, HE'S COMING, HE'S COMING, HE'S COMING."

BROKEN TAIL CAME AROUND THE CORNER,

AND HE CAME WALKING DIRECTLY TOWARDS ME...

AND I JUST KEPT ROLLING AND ROLLING AND ROLLING,

AND HE LOOKED AS GOOD AS HE HAD EVER LOOKED.

BIG, POWERFUL, RELAXED AND ARROGANT AND CON CONFIDENT.

HE WALKED UP TOWARDS ME, TOWARDS ME, TOWARDS ME,

CLOSER AND CLOSER, AND I WAS JUST SO EXCITED,

AND I TURNED TO SALIM

AND HE WAS JUST SHAKING l-his HEAD some, "YES!"

HE KNEW -- HE KNEW I'D NAILED THE SHOT.

AND THEN I TURNED TO LOOK BACK.

BROKEN TAIL WAS GONE...

AND I NEVER SAW HIM AGAIN.

RANTHAMBHORE ... IT'S A MAGICAL PLACE.

THERE'S A FORT ON TOP OF A HILL,

WHICH LOOKS OUT ONTO THESE LAKES AND VERY ANCIENT HILLS.

AND IT'S AN EXTRAORDINARY LANDSCAPE.

THERE'S NO PLACE QUITE LIKE IT IN THE WORLD,

BECAUSE YOU HAVE ALL THESE RUINS OF WHERE PEOPLE USED TO LIVE.

THEY'VE ALL BEEN ABANDONED OVER THE YEARS.

AND NOW, THE TIGERS WANDER THROUGH THESE PLACES.

IT'S THEIR PATCH,

AND THEY'RE THE KING OF THE JUNGLE NOW.

THESE, WITHOUT DOUBT, COULD BE THE LAST OF THEIR KIND.

WHEN YOU THINK OF HOW MANY THERE WERE ONCE HERE,

THEY SEEM ED LIMITLESS.

THEY'RE HAVING TO REALLY BATTLE TO STAY ALIVE,

AND THEY SHOULDN'T HAVE TO.

I KNOW IT'S A CLICHE,

BUT, You KNOW, IF TIGERS EVER no DISAPPEAR,

THAT'S IT -- THEY'LL NEVER COME BACK.

I WAS SENT HERE

AS A BUDDING WILDLIFE CAMERAMAN,

AND THIS WAS MY FIRST REAL BREAK,

THIS WAS MY FIRST BIG OPPORTUNITY.

GO OUT THERE, FIND A TIGER, AND GET ME A STORY.

[ MONKEYS CHATTERING ]

I FOUND MYSELF DRIVING INTO RANTHAMBHORE ONE MORNING

WITH SALIM, WHO I'D JUST MET -- NEITHER OF US TIGER EXPERTS.

SALIM USED TO BRING TOURISTS INTO THIS AREA,

BUT SALIM DIDN'T HAVE MUCH OF A CLUE, REALLY,

AND I CERTAINLY DIDN'T HAVE A CLUE ABOUT TIGERS.

Salim: NOW IT'S WORKING.

Johnson: RANTHAMBHORE HAD TO TEACH US ABOUT TIGERS.

HOW FRESH DO YOU RECKON THESE PUG MARKS ARE?

Salim: THEY'RE FROM THE MORNING.

Yeah, coming...

[ EXCITED WHISPERING ]

[ STARTS VEHICLE ]

ONCE YOU SEE YOUR FIRST WILD TIGER,

IT'S AN EXPERIENCE THAT STAYS WITH YOU.

YOU SHOULDN'T HAVE AN APEX IN EVOLUTION,

BUT IF THERE WAS ONE, IT'S GOT TO BE THE TIGER.

WE HAD TO EXPLORE THE AREA,

GET TO SEE WHERE THE TIGERS WERE MOVING

AND THEN CHOOSE A TIGER.

SO WE STARTED FOLLOWING THIS TIGRESS

THAT WE CALLED "MACHLI."

AND BECAUSE WE SPENT EVERY DAY ON HER TRAIL

SHE BECAME VERY TAME.

Let's go, come on, come on, let's keep moving.

Keep it close.

I REMEMBER, COMING UP TO CHRISTMAS,

AND MACH LI STARTED ACTING STRANGELY.

AND WE THOUGHT, SALIM AND I, SHE MUST BE LOOKING FOR A MAN.

ON A CHRISTMAS MORNING,

THE SUN WAS JUST COMING UP BEAUTIFULLY OVER THE HILL.

MACHLI CAME WALKING UP WITH HER SUITOR.

HE WAS A GREAT BIG MALE CALLED "BOMBURAM."

THEY SPENT THE NEXT FEW DAYS TOGETHER, MATING CONTINUOUSLY.

SURE ENOUGH, OUT CAME THESE TWO LITTLE BUNDLES.

THE BUNDLES THAT WE WERE GOING TO CALL

"BROKEN TAIL" AND "SLANT EAR."

BROKEN TAIL WAS JUST SPECIAL.

HE WAS ADVENTUROUS, EXUBERANT, KIND OF FULL OF LIFE,

CHARISMATIC, ARROGANT, FEARLESS --

TOTALLY FEARLESS -- HE WOULD CHASE OUR CAR SOME DAYS.

WE THOUGHT HE WAS GOING TO COME INTO THE CAR SOMETIMES.

NEVER SEEN THAT IN A TIGER BEFORE.

FOR A MALE TIGER, THEY ARE NORMALLY MORE RESERVED.

SALIM AND I HAD THE UNIQUE -- LITERALLY UNIQUE EXPERIENCE.

I DON'T THINK ANYONE HAD EVER DONE WHAT WE HAD DONE BEFORE.

WE SPENT 600 DAYS IN RANTHAMBHORE,

FROM DAWN TILL DUSK, EVERY DAY, FOLLOWING THE ONE TIGER FAMILY.

I REMEMBER MY FATHER USED TO CALL ME "THE BEE,"

AND THAT'S BECAUSE 1 WAS ALWAYS AS BUSY AS A BEE,

PRETTY MUCH GETTING UP TO NO GOOD,

THINGS I SHOULDN'T BE DOING.

AND IN THAT WAY, I GUESS,

BROKEN TAIL MIRRORED ME AS A CHILD.

BROKEN TAIL WAS ALWAYS THE RINGLEADER --

MISCHIEVOUS, PLAYFUL, SO CONFIDENT.

I FOLLOWED THEM STEADILY TILL HE WAS ABOUT TWO-AND-A-HALF.

I THINK I KNEW BROKEN TAIL AS WELL AS I KNEW MY OWN DAUGHTERS.

HE WAS GOING TO BECOME A REALLY IMPORTANT TIGER IN RANTHAMBHORE.

YOU FELT LIKE ONE DAY HE WAS GOING TO DOMINATE THAT AREA,

HE WAS GOING TO BE "THE MAN."

SADLY, IT WASN'T TO BE THE CASE.

SOMETHING HAPPENED AFTER THAT -- WE DON'T KNOW WHAT.

WE WEREN'T FINDING BROKEN TAIL'S PUG MARKS AT ALL.

BROKEN TAIL WAS GONE.

WHERE, BROKEN TAIL?

WHERE IS HE?

I'D LOVE TO SEE HIM AGAIN.

I HOPE WE DO.

[TRAIN BLOWING HORN 1

I COULDN'T BELIEVE IT.

TO SEE THIS AMAZING ANIMAL I'D SPENT SO MUCH TIME WITH,

THAT THIS IS HOW IT ENDED UP.

IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT,

IN THIS GOD-FORSAKEN BARREN PLACE

WHERE NO TIGER HAS A RIGHT TO BE.

I WENT TO BED THAT NIGHT...

TALKING TO SALIM THE NEXT DAY, AND HE SAID COULDN'T SLEEP,

HE JUST KEPT THINKING ABOUT HOW TRAGIC THAT THIS HAPPENED.

PROBABLY ONLY A COUPLE OF MILES FROM --

WHAT WAS HE DOING THERE?

THAT'S THE THING I COULDN'T UNDERSTAND.

HOW ON EARTH DID HE GET

FROM RANTHAMBHORE --

THIS WONDERFUL SORT OF TIGER PARADISE, AS IT WERE --

TO THIS PLACE CALLED "DARRA," THAT I'D NEVER HEARD OF?

HOW DID HE --

EVERYONE USED TO SAY TO ME, ABSOLUTELY IMPOSSIBLE.

AND BROKEN TAIL HAD DONE IT.

SO, IMMEDIATELY, THERE WAS A MYSTERY.

ALTHOUGH HIS DEATH WAS SAD,

IT OPENED UP LOTS OF QUESTIONS THAT I FELT I HAD TO ANSWER.

WE FELT WE OWED IT TO BROKEN TAIL IN SOME WAY

TO RETRACE HIS JOURNEY.

THAT'S THE ONLY THING WE COULD DO FOR HIM,

WAS TO SOMEHOW BENEFIT HIS KIND BY UNDERTAKING THIS JOURNEY.

WE HOPED TO FILL IN WHAT HAPPENED ON THOSE LAST DAYS.

WE DIDN'T KNOW HOW LONG THAT JOURNEY HAD TAKEN HIM.

HAD ANYONE WITNESSED ESSED ANY PART OF THAT JOURNEY?

WHERE DID THEY SEE HIM?

WE FELT BY DOING IT

WE WERE GOING TO LEARN SOMETHING IMPORTANT

THAT COULD ULTIMATELY HELP IN TIGER CONSERVATION.

THE STORY OF BROKEN TAIL

IS REALLY THE STORY OF THE MODERN INDIAN TIGER.

ALL TIGERS IN INDIA ARE BORN INTO THESE ISLAND RESERVES,

BUT THEY'RE ISOLATED ALL OVER THE COUNTRY.

THEY WERE ONCE PART OF THIS GREAT POPULATION

THAT STRETCH ED RIGHT ACROSS INDIA

AND THROUGHOUT THE SUBCONTINENT.

HUMAN PRESSURE AROUND RANTHAMBHORE IS MASSIVE --

A QUARTER OF A MILLION PEOPLE LIVING RIGHT ON ITS BORDERS,

ALMOST LIKE AN INVADING ARMY WAITING TO COME IN.

EVERY LITTLE INCH OF THAT LAND IS IN USE.

WATCH WHERE YOU PUT YOUR FEET.

AS SOON AS YOU COME OUT, THAT'S WHAT YOU SEE.

[ BLEATING ]

ALL YOU CAN HEAR IS GOATS -- AND ALL THOSE GOATS,

THEY'RE EATING RANTHAMBHORE NATIONAL PARK.

[ EXPLOSIONS 1

WE'VE ONLY BEEN ON THE ROAD ABOUT TEN MINUTES, I'D SAY,

AND ALREADY WE'VE HIT THIS DEVASTATED LANDSCAPE.

[ GOATS BLEATING, EXPLOSIONS IN BACKGROUND ]

THEY'RE BLASTING THESE MOUNTAINS QUITE OPENLY.

NOT A FOREST GUARD IN SIGHT.

NO EFFORT, OBVIOUSLY, TO CONTROL THIS AT ALL.

THIS IS THE PROBLEM WHEN YOU HAVE ISLAND RESERVES.

AS SOON AS YOU DRAW A LINE ON A MAP,

PEOPLE START FRAYING AWAY AT THE EDGES.

YOU HAVE TO ASSERT YOUR INFLUENCE,

OTHERWISE YEAR AND YEAR, PEOPLE ARE JUST GOING TO MOVE

FURTHER AND FURTHER INTO THE PARK.

HOW ON EARTH DID BROKEN TAIL

MANAGE TO HANDLE THIS SORT OF STUFF?

HE DIDN'T KNOW HE WASN'T IN RANTHAMBHORE ANYMORE.

HE NEVER MADE A DECISION TO LEAVE.

HE JUST WANDERED.

THE NIGHT, HE JUST CROSSED.

NO PROBLEM.

NO PROBLEM AT ALL TO CROSS.

AS WE SET OFF ON OUR JOURNEY WE WERE THINKING,

WHY DID HE LEAVE?

WAS HE KICKED OUT OF THE RESERVE?

WAS HE GETTING INTERFERENCE FROM PEOPLE?

POACHING?

MOGHIYAS SHOOT QUITE A FEW TIGERS IN THIS WAY.

WE'RE JUST PAYING A SURPRISE VISIT

TO A GUY CALLED LACKAN.

HE BELONGS TO A GROUP, A TRIBAL CASTE OF MOGHIYAS,

TRADITIONAL HUNTERS AND POACHERS,

AND WE RECKON HE HAS KILLED TIGERS IN THE RECENT PAST.

Salim: LACKAN? OH, LACKAN?

[ SPEAKING MOGHIYA LANGUAGE ]

I SUPPOSE THE STRAIGHT QUESTION, HAS HE BEEN

DIRECTLY OR IN DIRECTLY INVOLVED IN KILLING TIGERS?

[ SPEAKING MOGHIYA LANGUAGE ]

Salim: HE USED TO BE A HUNTER.

HE HAS DONE A LOT OF HUNTING,

HE KILLED A LOT OF ANIMALS FOR HUNGER.

BUT HUNGER IS STILL THERE.

I STOPPED THAT WORK BUT HUNGER IS STILL THERE.

AND, DID YOU MAKE A LOT OF MONEY FROM KILLING TIGERS?

HE SAYS IF I HAD MADE GOOD MONEY,

I'D HAVE NICE BUILDINGS HERE.

ONLY I FILL MY STOMACH WITH THAT MONEY.

OTHERWISE, I DON'T MAKE MUCH MONEY.

HOW MUCH MONEY WOULD HE GET PERSONALLY FOR ONE ANIMAL?

SOMETIMES 6,000, SOMETIMES 5,000 RUPEES.

5,000 RU PEES?

HOW MUCH, THEN? $100?

YEAH, NOT MORE THAN THAT.

YOU SEE, THESE GUYS,

THEY'RE NOT THE GUYS MAKING THE BIG MONEY, OBVIOUSLY.

SOMEHOW PUTS THINGS IN PERSPECTIVE A LI'l'l'LE BIT,

WHEN YOU MEET THE GUY.

YOU HAVE THIS PRECONCEIVED IDEA, YOU KNOW,

THEY'RE GOING TO BE REAL NASTY KIND OF PEOPLE,

BUT OF COURSE HE'S JUST A BLOKE WHO DOESN'T HAVE ANY MONEY.

YOU DO LOOK AT THE KIDS AND ONCE YOU'RE A FATHER YOURSELF

YOU KIND OF THINK, "I'D DO ANYTHING FOR MY KIDS."

I WOULDN'T LET THEM GO HUNGRY NO MATTER WHAT.

SOMETHING ABOUT HAVING KIDS YOURSELF,

IT JUST MAKES YOU LOOK AT OTHER PEOPLE'S

IN A DIFFERENT LIGHT SOMEHOW.

LOVELY LITTLe KIDS.

EVEN MOGHIYA KIDS PLAY "RING-A-RING-A-ROSIE."

IT'S NOT JUST LACKAN HERE AND THIS LITTLE GROUP --

EVERY VILLAGE IN THIS ENTIRE BELT

HAS GOT MOGHIYAS LIVING THERE.

SO EVERY VILLAGE IN THIS ENTIRE AREA

HAS PEOPLE WHO HAVE THE KNOWLEDGE, THE CAPABILITY,

AND SOMETIMES THE OPPORTUNITY

TO KILL TIGERS.

SO BROKEN TAIL WAS REALLY THREADING A FINE LINE

WALKING TH ROUGH HERE.

PEOPLE HAVE REFERRED TO THIS AREA IN THE PAST

AS BEING A KILLING ZONE FOR TIGERS.

TIGERS DON'T GET THROUGH HERE.

IF EVER THEY LEAVE THE PARK, THIS IS WHERE THEY GET HAMMERED.

SO BROKEN TAIL WAS AN EXCEPTION TO THE RULE.

I THINK PEOPLE SOMETIMES MAKE THE MISTAKE OF SAYING,

"IT'S TIGERS OR PEOPLE."

AND SOMETIMES YOU THINK,

WELL, ARE THERE SO MANY HUMAN PROBLEMS IN INDIA,

THAT WHY SHOULD THEY BOTHER ABOUT TIGERS?

BUT THE TIGER IS A HUMAN PROBLEM.

THE BOTTOM LINE IS THAT,

WITHOUT TIGERS, THE FORESTS OF INDIA

WILL DISAPPEAR.

THE ONLY WELL-PROTECTED FORESTS ARE THOSE THAT HAVE TIGERS.

AS SOON AS TIGERS DISAPPEAR,

THE POLITICAL EYE IS REMOVED FROM THAT FOREST

AND IT QUICKLY STARTS TO DEGRADE.

IF YOU LOSE THOSE WATERSHEDS,

EVERYONE LIVINg ALONG THIS MOUNTAIN RANGE

IS GOING TO HAVE A SERIOUS PROBLEM.

IT'S NOT JUST ABOUT SAVING FLUFFY ANIMALS --

EVERY PERSON WHO LIVES ALONG THESE MOUNTAIN RANGES

ACTUALLY DEPENDS ON TIGERS, TOO.

THEY JUST DON'T ALL REALIZE IT YET.

Salim: HE GO TO GRAZE HIS GOATS, HE'S A SHEPHERD,

AND HE SAW TIGER.

BIG, BIG H HEAD.

QUITE BIG? QUITE BIG HEAD?

AND WHERE EXACTLY DID YOU SEE HIM?

[ SALIM INTERPRETING ]

Salim: ON THE HILL.

IN THE DAYTIME HE SAW.

IN THE DAYTIME?

IF EVER A TIGER IS GOING TO WALK IN THE MIDDLE OF THE DAY

IN THE MIDDLE OF, YOU KNOW, PEOPLE AROUND AND GOAT HERDERS,

THAT'D BE BROKEN TAIL, HUH?

Salim: THIS COULD BE BROKEN TAIL

BECAUSE THE TIME HE'S SAYING,

THE TIME BROKEN TAIL LEFT RANTHAMBHORE.

THIS IS EXCITING, YEAH?

BECAUSE WE WEREN'T EVEN TOTALLY SURE IF HE'D COME THIS WAY.

WE WERE GUESSING HE WAS COMING AS FAR AS HERE.

WE GUESSED RIGHT.

NOW WE HAVE EVIDENCE.

I'VE ACTUALLY GOT SOME PHOTOGRAPHS OF BROKEN TAIL

THAT WE TOOK IN RANTHAMBHORE.

THIS IS WHEN HE WAS A LITTLE CUB.

MORE AND MORE I'VE COME TO REALIZE

THAT THE PEOPLE YOU REALLY HAVE TO CONVERT,

IF YOU WANT TO SAVE TIGERS,

ARE THE PEOPLE WHO ARE LIVING WITH THEM.

PEOPLE WHO LIVE IN RAJASTHAN NEVER SEEN THE TIGER,

THEY DON'T HAVE ANY BOOKS TO LOOK AT THEM,

THEY DON'T HAVE TVS TO SEE THEM ON TV.

THEY'RE ACTUALLY JUST NOT A PART OF THEIR LIVES IN ANY WAY.

WE GOT TO KNOW HIM EXTREMELY WELL AS THE MONTHS WENT BY.

YOU'D THINK YOU COULD GO UP AND STROKE HIM,

BUT YOU'D BE DEAD IF YOU DID.

HE'D GET UP TO ALL SORTS OF MISCHIEF.

HE'D BE THE ONE To BREAK COVER, You KNOW,

WHEN THE TIGRESS GOES HUNTING.

IT'S VERY IMPORTANT THAT THE CUBS STAY ABSOLUTELY QUIET.

AS SHE WOULD LEAVE SHE'D MAKE A LITTLe NOISE

THAT WOULD MEAN,

"STAY THERE, SHUT UP, BE QUIET UNTIL I COME BACK."

GIVE IT HALF AN HOUR, AN HOUR,

BROKEN TAIL WOULD START MOVING AROUND,

AND HE KIND OF DRAGGED SLANT EAR INTO PROBLEMS.

OF COURSE, THEY HAD NO CHANCE OF ACTUALLY CATCHING ANYTHING.

THE EXUBERANCE OF YOUTH.

GREAT TIMES...

G GREAT TIM ES.

[COUGHS]]

GOOD MORNING.

I SOMETIMES WONDER WHY HE NEVER TURNED BACK.

YOU'D THINK HE'D SOMEHOW HAVE THAT SORT OF HOMING INSTINCT,

BUT THERE MUST HAVE BEEN SOMETHING --

SOMETHING WAS driving HIM FORWARD,

MAYBE SOMETHING HE DIDN'T UNDERSTAND.

SOMETHING COMPELLED HIM EVERY DAY TO KEEP MOVING.

THAT WAS THE SMELL OF A TIGRESS.

HE WAS AT AN AGE WHERE, ESSENTIALLY,

ALL HE WAS THINKING ABOUT WAS GIRLS.

MEETING GIRLS AND MAKING BABIES.

THE SCENT OF TIGERS BEHIND HIM IS SORT OF GONE,

AND SO HE JUST SORT OF KEPT MOVING, KEPT MOVING,

KIND OF GETTING INTO DEEPER AND DEEPER WATER,

BUT MAYBE STILL HOPING THAT HE'D COME TO A PLACE

WHERE HE COULD SETTLE DOWN.

BROKEN TAIL NEVER GOT THAT MOMENT...

BECAUSE THERE WAS NO ONE ELSE OUT THERE.

THERE WERE NO OTHER MEMBERS OF HIS KIND

ANYWHERE ON THAT ROUTE.

DO ANYTHING LIKE NILGAI OR WILD BOAR

COME IN THE MUSTARD CROPS?

Salim: THEY DO.

THEY DO? THEY CAN EAT THEM TOO?

YEP.

SO THAT'S WHERE THE MOGHIYAS ARE GOING TO BE?

THEY GUARD THIS FIELD.

GOOD GIRL, GOOD GIRL.

HOW FAR DO YOU RECKON WE'VE COME TODAY?

20 KS OR SO?

ABOUT 20 K, YEAH.

DIDN'T YOU DO WELL?

I'M NOT GOING TO GET ON YOU AGAIN TODAY, OKAY?

THAT'S SOME SPOT.

Salim: WOW! LOOK AT THIS.

THAT WAS WORTH THE WALK, HUH?

THIS IS THE PLACE! THIS IS THE PLACE.

LOOK AT THAT...

PERFECT FOR TONIGHT.

Salim: YOU LIKE TO HAVE SOME TEA FIRST?

I'D LOVE IT!

NO POINT TWO PEOPLE MAKING TEA, I ALWAYS SAY.

Salim: LOOK AT TIGER HERE.

IT IS A TIGER.

PEOPLE WITH BOWS AND ARROWS, THEY'RE CHASING AWAY THE TIGER.

LOOK AT THAT --

HE'S GOT A CUTLASS, MACHETE, OR SOMETHING, THAT ONE.

HOW OLD DO YOU RECKON THESE PAINTINGS ARE, SALIM?

THESE DEFINITELY THOUSANDS YEARS OLD.

THIS PLACE MUST HAVE BEEN FULL OF TIGERS

WHEN THESE WERE DRAWN.

TIGERS ARE ABSOLUTELY ON THE EDGE.

THEY HAVE REACHED CRITICALLY LOW NUMBERS.

AND FOR THE MOST POPULAR ANIMAL IN THE WORLD,

IF WE LOSE THEM,

WHAT A SAD IN INDICTMENT ENT THAT IS FOR THE HUMAN RACE.

AND WE HAVE KNOWLEDGE NOW, KNOWLEDGE,

EASY WAYS OF ACCESSING KNOWLEDGE AROUND THE WORLD.

WE KNOW THIS.

AND TO ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN ON OUR WATCH WITH THAT KNOWLEDGE,

HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY EXPLAIN THAT TO PEOPLE IN THE FUTURE?

HOW COULD YOU SIT DOWN A CLASSROOM FULL OF KIDS

IN 50 YEARS' TIME AND EXPLAIN TO THEM,

"OH, YES, WE KNEW THAT TIGERS WERE ON THE EDGE.

OH, BUT WE LET THEM GO."

HOW COULD YOU POSSIBLY RATIONALLY EXPLAIN THAT

TO ANYONE IN 50 YEARS' TIME?

YOU JUST COULDN'T.

BROKEN TAIL AND SLANT EAR WERE GROWING UP.

WE WERE CONSTANTLY WORRIED

THAT A MALE WAS GOING TO TURN UP AND DO DAMAGE TO THE CUBS.

THEIR FATHER WAS HARDLY TO BE SEEN,

AND NEW MALES WERE MOVING IN AS A RESULT.

NOW, THAT'S A DANGEROUS THING,

BECAUSE IF A NEW MALE MOVES INTO AN AREA,

HE CAN KILL THE CUBS,

THE FEMALE WILL COME BACK INTO CYCLE,

AND HE WILL FATHER HIS OWN CUBS.

SO THERE WAS ALWAYS THIS TENSION.

AND THEN THERE WAS A DAY

WHEN WE MET MACHLI.

SHE WAS ACTING STRANGE AGAIN -- SHE WAS ACTING NERVOUS.

AND WE HAD SEEN MALE PRINTS IN THE AREA

AND WE REALIZED THE MALE PRINTS HADN'T LEFT THE AREA.

SO HE WAS STILL THERE.

THIS DAY, OBVIOUSLY,

SHE DECIDED HE MEANT BUSINESS AND THEY FOUGHT.

IT DIDN'T LAST VERY LONG, 'CAUSE THEY CAN'T LAST VERY LONG

BECAUSE IT'S VERY DANGEROUS FOR BOTH ANIMALS.

THE CUBS WERE SAFE... SHE WAS A GREAT MOTHER,

GREAT MOTHER.

BROKEN TAIL MUST HAVE HAD A REAL SEARCH FOR WATER,

PARTICULARLY SUMMERTIM E.

IT'S A MYSTERY HOW HE EVEN MANAGED TO FIND THE WATER.

WOULDN'T MIND JUMPING IN THERE, MYSELF.

[ MAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

I'M PICKING UP SOME OF IT, BUT I CAN'T GET IT ALL.

HE'S SAYING THERE ABOUT THREE OR FOUR KILOMETERS

FROM THAT VILLAGE MANAK CHOWK,

THERE'S SMALL BRIDGE OVER THE SMALL NALA,

AND THERE IS A WATER HOLE.

HE WAS COMING BACK FROM THE BUNDI

AND HE SAW A TIGER CROSSING A ROAD,

AND HE GETS SHOCKED, YOU KNOW.

IT WAS VERY CLOSE TO HIS MOTOR BIKE, AND --

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

THIS BIG TIGER IS WALKING IN THE ROYAL STYLE.

Johnson: LIKE HE OWNS THE PLACE.

BROKEN TAIL PUTS THE ROYAL IN ROYAL BENGAL TIGER.

DO YOU THINK HE STOPPED AT THE WATER HOLE?

[ CONVERSING, INTERPRETING ]

HE DON'T SEE THAT.

HE TURNED AROUND AND GOT OUT OF THERE!

RUN AWAY!

[ CONTINUES IN NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

AND FOR TEN KILOMETER

HE'S FEELING LIKE HE'S HAVING A LOOSE MOTION.

[ALL LAUGHING ]

I'M NOT SURPRISED!

[ EXCHANGING GOODBYES ]

THAT'S THE THING ABOUT INDIA,

PEOPLE DO HAVE A GREAT RESPECT FOR LIVING THINGS.

CAN YOU IMAGINE IN EUROPE ALLOWING A GREAT PREDATOR

TO WANDER FREELY AROUND THE COUNTRY?

IT WOULDN'T HAPPEN!

IT'S BEEN GREAT TO SEE WHAT IT'S LIKE,

THE INDIA OUTSIDE THE RESERVES, OUTSIDE THE PROTECTED AREAS.

WHOOPS-A-DAISY. YOU GOING THAT WAY?

OKAY, GOOD IDEA.

GOOD IDEA.

THIS IS AN OLD MAHARAJAH'S PLACE.

IT MUST'VE BEEN A HUNTING LODGE OR SOMETHING.

LOOKS LIKE. SEE THE HOLES EVERYWHERE.

IT'S FOR THE GUNSHOTS.

IF BROKEN TAIL HAD GOTTEN HERE AND THERE WAS A FEMALE HERE,

HE'D STILL BE ALIVE TODAY -- HE'D NEVER HAVE LEFT.

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO LEAVE?

HE COULD'VE BEEN THE...

HE COULD BE LIVING HAPPILY HERE NOW.

EMPTY PLACE.

[ BIRDS CALLING ]

JUST LISTEN TO THE SOUNDS. THIS IS THE QUIETEST PLACE I'VE EVER BEEN TO IN INDIA.

AND WHEN YOU HAVE AN AREA THAT'S REMARKABLY QUIET,

IT MEANS THERE ARE FEW PEOPLE LIVING THERE --

AND WHEN YOU HAVE FEW PEOPLE LIVING IN A PLACE

IT MEANS YOU HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY

TO PROTECT THAT AREA FOR WILDLIFE.

AND WE HAVE TO FIND ALL THE BITS OF INDIA THAT STILL EXIST

THAT ARE LIKE THIS, GRAB THEM NOW,

GRAB THEM QUICKLY, AND PUT THE FOCUS ON THESE PLACES.

HAVING A LITTLE ISLAND LIKE RANTHAMBHORE,

IT HAS NO LONG-TERM FUTURE.

YOU HAVE TO CONNECT IT TO ANOTHER AREA --

AND BROKEN TAIL IS SHOWING US THE WAY.

Reporter: TIGER HUNTING IN INDIA

TAKES ON ADDED POMP AND CEREMONY...

THIS PLACE WAS OWNED BY THE MAHARAJAH OF BUNDI,

AND HE ENTERTAINED

ALL SORTS OF PEOPLE FROM,

YOU KNOW, ERROL FLYNN TO LORD MOUNTBA'lTEN,

THE QUEEN OF ENGLAND AND PRINCE PHILIP.

ALL THE HOLLYWOOD SET USED TO COME HERE.

THAT'S WHAT PEOPLE USED TO DO FOR FUN IN THOSE DAYS.

THESE GUYS SHOT SO MANY OF THEM.

I MEAN, THEY WIPED OUT TENS OF THOUSANDS OF TIGERS

ALL OVER INDIA.

GOOD WORK! ONE SHOT DID IT!

HE WAS A BIG FELLA, BUT ALL FIGHT WAS GONE OUT OF HIM NOW.

THEY WOULD SHOOT AS MANY TIGERS

AS THEY COULD LAY THEIR HANDS ON.

THEY WOULD BLAST AS MANY AS THEY COULD AND TH EY'D BOAST ABOUT IT.

IN SOME AREAS THEY DROVE TIGERS INTO LOCAL EXTINCTION.

[ CALLING ]

I REMEMBER THE LAST TIME THAT THE FAMILY WERE TOGETHER.

[ CALLING ]

MACHLI HAD LEFT THE CUBS AND SHE HAD GONE HUNTING.

[ CALLS 1

A COUPLE OF HOURS LATER SHE CAME BACK AND SHE STARTED ROARING.

SHE WAS CALLING THE CUBS.

THEN WE HEARD A RUSTLE

IN THE BUSHES BEHIND US,

AND SHE LAY DOWN ON THE ROAD.

AND BROKEN TAIL AND SLANT EAR BOTH CAME OUT OF THE BUSH

AND THEN STARTED SUCKLING FROM HER.

OF COURSE SHE HADN'T HAD MILK FOR WELL OVER A YEAR.

THIS WAS SOME SORT OF AMAZING BONDING BEHAVIOR

THAT NO ONE HAD EVER SEEN BEFORE.

EXTRAORDINARY TO SEE TH ESE TWO MALE TIGERS

BIGGER THAN HER, SUCKLING FROM HER.

THAT WAS THE LAST TIME WE SAW THE FAMILY UNIT TOGETHER.

WAS THERE AN INCIDENT, A NATURAL INCIDENT,

WITH A MALE TIGER?

WAS THERE AN INCIDENT WITH A POACHER?

MAYBE SLANT EAR WAS SHOT

AND THAT'S WHY THE FAMILY SPLIT UP.

WE'LL JUST NEVER KNOW.

HOW THE HECK DID HE GET ACROSS HERE?

HOW LONG DOES THIS GORGE RUN FOR, DO YOU KNOW?

Salim: THIS GORGE IS FOUR KILOMETERS.

I'D SAY HE GOT HERE,

WENT DOWN SOME SORT OF RIVER BED,

TRACKED ALONG IT AND CAME TO

SOME SHALLOW AREA.

THERE MUST BE SOME SHALLOW AREAS.

WE SHOULD GO AND SEE THAT. POOR OLD HORSES, THOUGH.

THEY HAVEN'T ENJOYED THIS ROCKY GROUND.

WOULDN'T WANT TO PUSH THEM TOO MUCH MORE.

EITHER WE CAN WALK AND...

YOU CAN WALK?

I'VE ONLY EVER SEEN YOU WALK TO YOUR CAR!

AND DOES HE REMEMBER THE TIGER BEING KILLED BY THE TRAIN HERE?

[ SALIM INTERPRETING ]

SAID THERE IS OLD LADY IN THE VILLAGE, DARRA VILLAGE.

THEY MIGHT HAVE SEEN TIGERS WHEN THEY COME TO COLLECT WOOD.

IS SHE STILL AROUND OR CAN WE FIND OUT --

[ SALIM INTERPRETING ]

[ WOMAN SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

I THINK I CAN UNDERSTAND.

SHE WAS OUT WOOD-CUTTING,

PICKING STICKS OFF THE GROUND AND WHEN SHE CRACKED ONE --

SHE CRACK ONE OF THE STICKS AND TIGER HEAR THAT,

BECAUSE TIGER WAS NOT EXPECTING THIS LADY,

SO SUDDENLY HE HEARD SOUND AND HE'S SHOCKED TO SEE THEM,

SO HE RUN AWAY AND SHE RUN AWAY.

[ALL CHUCKLING, WOMAN CONTINUES ]

THEY SAY,

"WE REALLY FELT VERY BAD

WHEN WE GET TO KNOW ABOUT THE TIGER BEING KILLED

BECAUSE HE NEVER MAKE ANY HARM AND IS SUCH A BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL."

SHE SAYS, "WE TRUST THE TIGER

LIKE WE CAN TRUST A HUMAN IN THE HOUSE."

CAN THESE LADIES PUT A DATE ON WHEN THEY LAST SAW HIM?

[ SPEAKING NATIVE LANGUAGE ]

Salim: SHE KNOWS WHEN THE TIGER KILLED BY THE TRAIN HERE.

IN THE DAYTIME SHE SAW HIM,

AND THE NEXT MORNING, THEY FOUND HIM DEAD.

SO YOU WERE THE LAST PERSON TO SEE BROKEN TAIL ALIVE, PROBABLY.

THIS IS THE SAME CHAIN OF HILLS

THAT STRETCH ES ALL THE WAY TO RANTHAMBHORE.

ZOO MILES LONG.

AND THIS IS WHERE BROKEN TAIL ENDED UP.

EVERY SO OFTEN, YOU CAN HEAR A TRAIN.

IT'S QUITE A BUSY TRAIN TRACK.

HE WAS BORN TO THE SOUNDS OF TRAIN.

EVEN IN THE MIDDLE OF RANTHAMBHORE, YOU CAN HEAR

TRAIN HORNS IN THE DISTANCE.

KIND OF POIGNANT.

HE KNEW THAT SOUND SO WELL,

BUT HE DIDN'T KNOW TO AVOID THEM.

HE HADN'T LEARNED THAT LESSON.

TRAVELED SO FAR, HE MUST'VE LEARNED SO MUCH,

AND EVEN FOR ME, IT WAS QUITE A JOURNEY.

BUT HE SORT OF DID IT ALL BY HIMSELF.

HE HAD NO MATE.

THAT'S KIND OF SAD.

BUT TO HAVE MADE IT THIS FAR,

HE WAS SOME TIGER.

REALLY WAS SOME TIGER.

WHAT NUMBER DID THAT GUY SAY?

HE SAID THIS WAS BETWEEN 870 AND 871.

THIS COULD HAVE BEEN THE VERY SPOT WHERE HE CAME DOWN.

THIS WAS THE PLACE, COLIN.

HE JUMP OUT FROM HERE AND FALL DOWN HERE.

WHY DIDN'T HE JUST JUMP UP THERE?

HE TRIED TO SAVE HIMSELF.

MAYBE HE DON'T HAVE ENOUGH TIME OR...

I'VE SEEN TIGERS JUMP WALLS THAT HIGH,

MANY TIMES.

THEY DO THAT.

JUST THINK, AFTER ALL HE WENT THROUGH,

AFTER HIS JOURNEY,

AFTER ALL THE HARDSHIPS

HE MUST HAVE FACED GENERALLY IN LIFE...

PITY THAT IT ALL ENDED HERE.

I SHALL DO SOME PUJA AT MEMORY OF...

IT'S SATISFYING TO SOLVE THE MYSTERY.

IT'S MORE THAN THAT.

WE FEEL LIKE HIS LIFE HAS...

WE'VE KIND OF PUT A FULL STOP ON IT.

DIDN'T WANT TO JUST LEAVE IT HANGING.

I'D HATE TO HAVE HEARD OF THIS, YOU KNOW, EMACIATED TIGER

BEING FOUND ZOO MILES AWAY,

THAT KIND OF WANDERED INTO A VILLAGE

BECAUSE HE, YOU KNOW, HADN'T FOUND WATER.

AND THAT WOULD'VE BEEN AN AWFUL THING

TO KIND OF HEAR ABOUT.

BUT THAT'S NOT WHAT I HEARD ABOUT.

I HEARD ABOUT A TIGER THAT HAD BEEN KILLED BY A TRAIN.

AND WHEN HE DIED, HE WAS THE WEIGHT HE SHOULD'VE BEEN,

HIS COAT WAS IN PERFECT CONDITION,

HE WAS A PERFECT, CONFIDENT, ARROGANT MALE TIGER.

AND THAT GIVES ME A LOT OF COMFORT, I SUPPOSE.

AND, ALTHOUGH BROKEN TAIL DIDN'T MAKE IT,

HIS MOTHER LIVES ON IN RANTHAMBHORE TO THIS DAY.

MACH LI, AFTER ALL TH ESE YEARS,

IS STILL HAVING CUBS.

AND FOR ME,

SHE SYMBOLIZES THE RESILIENCE OF HER KIND.

IF WE COULD JUST GIVE TIGERS LIMITED AMOUNTS OF PROTECTION,

TH EY'LL TAKE FULL ADVANTAGE OF THAT, AND THEY WILL THRIVE.

I THINK BROKEN TAIL'S DEATH, IN THE END,

WILL BE ONE OF THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS HE EVER DID,

THE WAY HE DIED AND WHERE HE DIED.

BROKEN TAIL HAS SHOWN US THE WAY.

THIS IS WHAT TIGERS DO.

THIS IS WHAT THEY NEED. THIS IS WHERE THEY MOVE TO.

THEY NEED ZONES, WHOLE AREAS THAT THEY CAN WANDER THROUGH.

WE NEED PREY IN THOSE ZONES.

AND I THINK BROKEN TAIL MIGHT END UP BEING

AN EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TIGER

THAT WE LOOK BACK ON IN YEARS TO COME

AND SAY, "THAT'S THE ONE WHO STARTED ALL THIS.

THAT'S THE ONE WHO CHANGED OUR MIND

ABOUT HOW WE SHOULD PROTECT TIGERS."

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHAT YOU'VE SEEN ON THIS "NATURE" PROGRAM,

VISIT pbs.org.