Nature (1982–…): Season 29, Episode 10 - Broken Tail: A Tiger's Last Journey - full transcript

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 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
HIS HEAD GOING, "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 SEEMED 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 DO 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.

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...

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 MACHLI 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 I 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.

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
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 STRETCHED
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.

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

THEY'RE EATING
RANTHAMBHORE NATIONAL PARK.

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

AND ALREADY WE'VE HIT
THIS DEVASTATED LANDSCAPE.

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?

I SUPPOSE THE STRAIGHT
QUESTION, HAS HE BEEN

DIRECTLY OR INDIRECTLY
INVOLVED IN KILLING TIGERS?

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 RUPEES?

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 LITTLE 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 THROUGH 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 HEAD.

QUITE BIG? QUITE BIG HEAD?

AND WHERE EXACTLY
DID YOU SEE HIM?

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...

GREAT TIMES.

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 INDICTMENT
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 SUMMERTIME.

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

WOULDN'T MIND JUMPING
IN THERE, MYSELF.

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...

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?

HE DON'T SEE THAT.

HE TURNED AROUND
AND GOT OUT OF THERE!

RUN AWAY!

AND FOR TEN KILOMETER

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

I'M NOT SURPRISED!

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.

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 MOUNTBATTEN,

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 THEY'D BOAST ABOUT IT.

IN SOME AREAS THEY DROVE
TIGERS INTO LOCAL EXTINCTION.

I REMEMBER THE LAST TIME
THAT THE FAMILY WERE TOGETHER.

MACHLI HAD LEFT THE CUBS
AND SHE HAD GONE HUNTING.

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
THESE 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.

POOR OLD HORSES,
THOUGH. SEE THAT.

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?

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...

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.

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?

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 STRETCHES ALL THE
WAY TO RANTHAMBHORE.

200 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 200 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.

MACHLI, AFTER ALL THESE 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,

THEY'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,