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."
