Nature (1982–…): Season 31, Episode 1 - Siberian Tiger Quest - full transcript

Narrator: IN AN ANCIENT
RUSSIAN FOREST,

WHERE LITTLE LIFE SEEMS TO STIR,

ONE MAN FILMED ITS MOST FABLED
RESIDENT FOR THE FIRST TIME...

THE WILD SIBERIAN TIGER.

IT'S AN ACHIEVEMENT THAT TOOK
YEARS OF WATCHING AND WAITING

WHILE LIVING IN A HOLE IN THE
GROUND FOR MONTHS AT A TIME.

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN TIMES

WHEN HE WAS ON THE
EDGE OF INSANITY, I'M SURE.

HIS STORY IS ONE OF
ENDURANCE AND ISOLATION.

BUT THE RETURN ON THIS HARDSHIP
IS HIS UNPARALLELED FOOTAGE OF

THREE GENERATIONS
OF A TIGER FAMILY.



NOW I'M EMBARKING ON
MY OWN TIGER ODYSSEY

WITH THIS REMARKABLE
MAN AS MY MENTOR.

THE JOURNEY ISN'T
WITHOUT RISKS...

GUNSHOT.

BUT DISCOVERY IS
ITS OWN REWARD...

YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO BELIEVE THIS.

AT THE FAR EDGE OF
RUSSIA'S WILDERNESS.

Narrator: IN 2005,

KOREAN FILMMAKER SOOYONG PARK

EMERGED FROM
RUSSIA'S FROZEN FORESTS,

THE FIRST MAN TO FILM FAMILIES
OF SIBERIAN TIGERS IN THE WILD.

HE WENT THROUGH YEARS
OF LONELINESS AND DANGER,

STALKING A PREDATOR,

ONE OF THE RAREST CATS ON EARTH.



PARK WAS PREPARED TO
INVEST MORE OF HIS LIFE

THAN ANYONE BEFORE HIM.

HE CAPTURED FOOTAGE
OF THE ANIMALS

THAT HAUNTED THE
SEEMINGLY EMPTY FOREST.

PARK LEARNED TO
UNCOVER THE TIGERS,

NOT FABLED WHITE,
BUT CAMOUFLAGED BY

COATS THE COLOR OF FLAMES.

HIS LEGACY IS A UNIQUE RECORD
OF OVER 1,000 HOURS OF TIGER LIFE.

A LAND OF BEARS AND POACHERS...

A LAWLESS FRONTIER

AND TIGER COUNTRY.

THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST...

IT FEELS LIKE THE
EDGE OF THE WORLD.

I'M CHRIS MORGAN, AN ECOLOGIST.

I'VE COME TO A UNIQUE PART

OF THIS VAST WILDERNESS.

I'M HERE TO UNCOVER
AN AMAZING STORY

OF ENDURANCE AND ISOLATION

IN A HIDDEN CORNER OF RUSSIA.

I LIVE AND WORK IN THE USA.

THERE WE HAVE MANY OF
THE ANIMALS IN THESE FORESTS,

LIKE BEARS AND WOLVES.

ONLY HERE, IN THIS
PART OF RUSSIA,

THEY ROAM THE SAME WOODS
AS TIGERS AND LEOPARDS.

THE TIGERS HERE ARE
REALLY HARD TO SEE.

THEY ROAM GREAT DISTANCES...

UP TO TEN TIMES FURTHER
THAN THEIR TROPICAL COUSINS,

BECAUSE PREY,

LIKE DEER AND WILD BOAR,

ARE FEW AND FAR BETWEEN.

EVERYTHING IS NERVOUS,
FROM BIRDS TO PEOPLE...

ALL POTENTIAL TIGER PREY.

THIS FOREST FEELS MAGICAL,

FULL OF EXTRAORDINARY SIGHTS

LIKE THESE GIANT NESTS
OF BROKEN BRANCHES.

I'VE SEEN A FEW OF
THESE IN THE FOREST,

AND WHEN YOU
INITIALLY LOOK AT THEM

YOU THINK THAT
THEY'RE BIRDS' NESTS,

BUT THESE ARE
ACTUALLY BEAR NESTS.

BACK IN THE U.S.,

THE BLACK BEARS I STUDY ARE
THE TOP OF THE FOOD CHAIN.

WHEN THERE ARE
TIGERS IN THE WOODS,

BEARS ARE ON THE MENU.

I'M ONLY SPENDING
A FEW WEEKS HERE...

PARK STAYED FOR
MONTHS AT A TIME.

I HAVE BEEN WARNED I
MAY NEVER SEE A TIGER.

I NEED SOMEWHERE
TO SET UP A HIDE.

WE'VE BUILT THIS TREE STAND,

AND I'M GOING TO TRY AND
SPEND SOME TIME UP HERE

AND REALLY GET A SENSE
OF WHAT PARK WENT THROUGH

WHEN HE SPENT ALL THOSE
CONSECUTIVE MONTHS

LOOKING AND WAITING
FOR TIGERS TO APPEAR.

I THINK IT'S QUITE A BIT BIGGER
THAN THE ONE THAT HE USED,

BUT WE'VE PICKED A NICE SPOT

OVERLOOKING THIS
FROZEN RIVERBED.

IT'S BIG.

THE PLATFORM DOESN'T
OFFER MUCH PROTECTION,

BUT MIGHT KEEP ME
OUT OF HARM'S WAY.

THE NIGHT BELONGS TO OTHERS...

WOLVES,

BEARS, AND TIGERS.

MY WHOLE MOTIVATION
FOR BEING HERE

IS I LOVE LARGE CARNIVORES.

AND I LOVE THINKING
ABOUT THEIR WILD LIVES

AND WHAT THEY NEED.

AND IN A FOREST LIKE THIS,
THERE IS NOTHING MORE EXTREME.

MOST OF MY TIME I
SPEND STUDYING BEARS,

BUT ALSO A LITTLE BIT OF WOLVES
AND A LITTLE BIT OF COUGARS.

SO I KNOW MY NORTH
AMERICAN CARNIVORES,

BUT THAT'S WHERE
THE SIMILARITIES END...

THIS FOREST HAS ALL KINDS OF
INCREDIBLY EXOTIC SPECIES IN IT,

INCLUDING THE TIGER.

AND THAT'S WHERE
I'M OUT OF MY ELEMENT

A LITTLE BIT, BUT I LOVE THAT.

TO SUCCEED WHERE
ALL OTHERS FAILED,

SOOYONG PARK WENT
TO NEW EXTREMES.

THE EVIDENCE IS IN HIS FOOTAGE.

HE LEFT HIS WIFE AND
CHILDREN IN KOREA

AND DUG A FOUR-FOOT
HOLE IN THE GROUND.

OVER FIVE YEARS, HE
WAITED AND WATCHED,

STAYING INSIDE FOR
MONTHS... HE NEVER LEFT

EVEN TO GO TO THE BATHROOM.

THE TIGERS WOULD REVEAL
THEMSELVES BRIEFLY,

THEN DISAPPEAR.

AGAIN HE WOULD WAIT, AND WAIT.

EVENTUALLY, HE CAUGHT THE UNSEEN
LIFE IN THESE BARREN FORESTS...

HE FILMED LYNX...

SABLES...

WOODPECKERS...

AND RACCOON DOGS.

BUT IT IS HIS INTIMATE IMAGES
OF TIGERS THAT ARE UNIQUE.

HE DIDN'T JUST GRAB ODD SHOTS.

HE GOT TO KNOW INDIVIDUALS
AND THEIR FAMILIES.

HE GAVE THEM NAMES
FROM FAIRYTALES...

SNOW WHITE, HANSEL AND GRETEL.

HIS CAMERAS WERE PRIMITIVE.

BUT HIS FOOTAGE OF A MOTHER
AND CUBS JUST INCHES AWAY

IS UNPARALLELED.

I UNDERSTAND WHY ANYONE MIGHT
DEDICATE THEIR LIFE TO ANIMALS,

BUT PARK TOOK IT TO
ASTONISHING LIMITS.

ONE OF THE MOST
IMPRESSIVE THINGS ABOUT PARK

IS NOT JUST THE FACT

THAT HE WOULD SIT FOR
MONTHS IN A HIDE ON HIS OWN

WAITING FOR TIGERS TO COME BY,

BUT THAT HE WOULD SIT
SOMETIMES FOR MONTHS

BEFORE THE FIRST
TIGER EVEN SHOWED UP.

THERE MUST HAVE BEEN TIMES

WHEN HE WAS ON THE
EDGE OF INSANITY, I'M SURE.

ANY HUMAN WOULD BE.

I THOUGHT I HAD SEEN TIGERS

IN THE SNOW ON FILM BEFORE,

BUT THE TRUTH IS

THEY WERE ALMOST
CERTAINLY FILMED IN CAPTIVITY.

THERE ARE MORE TIGERS IN CAGES

THAN THERE ARE LEFT IN THE WILD.

THE TIGERS IN THE YARD
OF THIS RUSSIAN HOME,

HAVE BEEN FILMED
COUNTLESS TIMES...

TIGERS FOR HIRE FOR A
FEW HUNDRED DOLLARS A DAY.

THESE ARE SHADOWS
OF THEIR WILD BROTHERS,

BUT TIGERS ARE STILL
AWESOME PREDATORS.

SOME OF THESE CATS
EAT BEARS FOR A LIVING...

PRETTY DARNED
IMPRESSIVE CARNIVORES.

I'VE COME TO FIND OUT

WHY IT'S SO HARD TO SEE
THEM IN THEIR NATURAL HABITAT.

YOU'D THINK THAT AN
ORANGE CAT LIKE THAT

WOULD STAND OUT LIKE A SORE
THUMB ON THIS WHITE BACKDROP,

BUT THEN YOU SEE
THESE ORANGE LEAVES

THAT ARE ALL PARTLY ON THE
TREES AND MOSTLY ON THE GROUND,

AND IT JUST BLENDS IN PERFECTLY.

INCREDIBLE.

UNEXPECTED, ACTUALLY.

PARK NEVER CAME TO
THIS ODD ENCLOSURE

AT THE EDGE OF THE WOODS.

HE FILMED IN THE WILD.

MAKES ME APPRECIATE
HIS WORK EVEN MORE.

SIBERIAN TIGERS'
TERRITORIES ARE VAST.

THEY CAN COVER OVER 1,000 MILES.

THE TERRAIN IS TOUGH.

WHERE WOULD I BEGIN TO LOOK?

LUCKILY I HAVE THE
PERFECT GUIDE...

SO, PARK.

AH!

Morgan: PARK HIMSELF.

CHRIS MORGAN. PARK.

NICE TO MEET YOU.

Morgan: GOOD TO
MEET YOU TOO, YEAH.

HE WILL BE MY MENTOR
FOR A SHORT TIME.

WHEN HE LEAVES, I'LL
LOOK FOR TIGERS BY MYSELF.

WE'RE HEADING BACK TO THE
FORESTS WHERE PARK WORKED,

TO THE WOODS HE CALLED
HOME FOR OVER FIVE YEARS.

PARK'S PREPARATION FOR A LIFE
IN THE WILD IS UNCONVENTIONAL...

UNTIL 17 YEARS AGO,
HE STUDIED LITERATURE.

THEN KOREAN EDUCATIONAL TV
SENT HIM TO THE RUSSIAN FAR EAST.

PARK IS COMING BACK
TO SHARE HIS STORY.

WHAT DO YOU THINK? OH, MY GOD.

BIG? IS IT?

BIGGER THAN YOURS?

I KNOW, I KNOW. BUT I
THINK IT WILL BE GOOD,

IT'S QUITE CAMOUFLAGED.

WHEN YOU WERE IN YOUR HIDE,

WHAT DID YOU EAT?

300 BAGS OF RICE?

AND THAT WAS IT,
THIS IS ALL YOU ATE?

A TOILET? OKAY, THAT
WAS MY NEXT QUESTION.

WHAT DO YOU DO FOR A TOILET?

I'M SO INTRIGUED.

YEAH, PAPER.

YES, PLASTIC BAGS.

YEAH, HOPEFULLY NOT
THE ONE WITH THE NUTS IN IT.

WHAT WAS THE TEMPERATURE,
WHAT WAS IT LIKE?

MINUS 30? WOW.

THAT'S BEYOND WHAT I CAN
COMPREHEND, ACTUALLY...

EVERYTHING, THE BASIC
FOOD, THE TEMPERATURE,

THE PATIENCE, THE ENDLESS WEEKS.

IT'S ALMOST UNBELIEVABLE.

AT THESE TEMPERATURES,

YOUR EYELIDS CAN
FREEZE SHUT IN YOUR SLEEP.

PARK ENDURED THESE
DEBILITATING TEMPERATURES

FOR MONTHS, WITHOUT
LEAVING HIS FOUR-FOOT WORLD.

WHEN HE EMERGED, HIS
MUSCLES HAD WASTED...

HE COULD BARELY WALK.

PARK DOESN'T JUST THINK
MY PLATFORM IS TOO BIG...

HE'S NOT SURE IT'S IN
THE RIGHT PLACE, EITHER.

LIKE PARK, BEFORE HE
PICKED HIS HIDING SPOTS,

I HAVE TO BE CERTAIN
TIGERS ARE IN THE AREA...

AH, YES!

Morgan: I KNOW HOW
TO TRACK PREDATORS.

BACK IN THE U.S., I AM REGULARLY

ON THE TRAIL OF
BEARS AND WOLVES.

FINDING SIGNS OF TIGERS

IS DIFFERENT, THE
FACTS ARE STARK...

ONLY 400 SIBERIAN
TIGERS IN AN AREA

THE SIZE OF MY HOME
STATE OF WASHINGTON.

20 TO 30 OF THEM
POACHED EVERY YEAR,

WORTH $50,000 DEAD...
IF YOU CAN FIND ONE.

PARK IS GOING TO SHOW ME HOW.

CAN YOU SMELL IT?

OH DEFINITELY,
DEFINITELY CAT SMELL!

OH LOOK HERE, IS THAT A HAIR?

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

YOU THINK IT'S TIGER?

HAIRS.

TO FIND THE TIGERS, PARK
HAD TO THINK LIKE ONE...

A SKILL I WILL NEED.

THERE'S A LOT TO LEARN.

HE STARTS TO SHARE HIS SECRETS.

BUT THOSE ARE NOT MOUSE HAIRS.

PARK TAUGHT HIMSELF
TO BE AN EXPERT

ON THE ELUSIVE CATS AND
TO SHARE THEIR WORLD.

GUNSHOT.

SHOTGUN... SOMEBODY KILL...

Morgan: WE ARE NOT ALONE.

WE NEED TO STAY OUT OF SIGHT.

RUNNING INTO ARMED POACHERS
OUT HERE COULD BE FATAL.

PARK NEEDED TO STAY
HIDDEN FROM TIGERS

A ND THE MEN HUNTING THEM.

THEY SELL THEM ON THE BLACK
MARKET IN NEIGHBORING CHINA

AS TRADITIONAL MEDICINE.

TIGERS HAVE BEEN HUNTED
TO THE BRINK OF EXTINCTION.

THE FEW CATS THAT REMAIN

STAY AS FAR FROM
PEOPLE AS THEY CAN.

OH, OH!

TIGER TRACKS!

OH!

THAT IS UNBELIEVABLE.

I CAN'T BELIEVE WE FOUND THEM.

I HAVE DREAMT OF SEEING EVEN
A TRACK SINCE I WAS A CHILD.

AND THIS IS...

SO IT'S QUITE AN
EMOTIONAL MOMENT.

IT'S, UH...

THESE ARE OLD TRACKS,
BUT LOOK AT THESE,

SEE THE TOES HERE?

I'M DYING TO PLACE MY HAND

INTO THE TRACK OF A TIGER.

WHAT DO YOU THINK,
HOW MANY DAYS?

THREE OR FOUR DAYS OLD?

THAT SEEMS FRESH ENOUGH TO ME.

IT'S SUCH A SPIRIT BOOSTER.

THAT'S INCREDIBLE FOR ME
THAT YOU KNOW THE HISTORY OF

POTENTIALLY WHO
THIS INDIVIDUAL CAT IS.

LET'S LOOK FURTHER UP HERE,
I WANT TO SEE IF THERE'S MORE.

THE TRACKS MIGHT BE FROM
A TIGER PARK FILMED AS A CUB.

HE NAMED HER GRETEL.

I WOULD LOVE TO FIND HER.

THIS FROZEN RIVERBED,
COVERED WITH DEER TRACKS,

IS A PERFECT SPOT

FOR A REMOTE CAMERA.

DO YOU USUALLY PUT A GPS
LOCATION ON YOUR CAMERAS?

OH, YOU JUST REMEMBERED.

PARK'S EQUIPMENT WAS BASIC,

BUT IN SOME WAYS HE
WAS AHEAD OF HIS TIME.

HE BUILT MOTION SENSORS TO
TRIGGER HIS HIDDEN CAMERAS.

I USE THESE MODERN VERSIONS

TO STUDY BEARS.

THIS PART OF SIBERIA IS HOME TO

WEIRD AND WONDERFUL SPECIES
THAT I WOULD LOVE TO SEE.

I AM GOING TO LEAVE
THE CAMERAS OUT

AND CHECK THEM IN A FEW WEEKS.

WHEN PARK HID HIS CAMERAS,
EACH POSITION HAD BEEN

CAREFULLY PLANNED.

HE FOUND THE VALLEYS
WITH THE MOST PREY;

HE FOLLOWED THE
CALL OF THE CROWS,

AND TRACKS IN SNOW;

LOCAL HUNTERS SAY HE
LEARNED TO READ THE WHITE BOOK.

EVENTUALLY, IT LED
HIM TO THE TIGERS.

THE FIRST TIGER PARK ENCOUNTERED
WAS AN ADULT MALE IN HIS PRIME.

PARK FOLLOWED
CROWS TO A TIGER KILL.

HE HID CAMERAS AROUND IT,

WHILE HE WATCHED
AND FILMED FROM A HIDE.

EVEN THOUGH HE WAS ALONE,

HE CAPTURED THE SCENE
FROM SEVERAL ANGLES.

TEN FOOT, NOSE TO TAIL,

AND WEIGHING UP TO
A QUARTER OF A TON,

FATHERING ALL THE
CUBS IN THE AREA,

THIS TIGER WAS
THE DOMINANT MALE.

PARK CALLED HIM "KING BIG."

YET EVEN KING
BIG WAS CAUTIOUS...

SENSING THE CAMERAS
WAS ENOUGH TO PUT HIM OFF.

PARK KNEW THE TIGER'S
TERRITORY WAS SO LARGE

HE MIGHT NOT RETURN FOR MONTHS.

KING BIG HAD GOOD
REASON TO BE WARY.

POACHING IS RIFE... WE'VE
FOUND MORE TRACKS.

WE ARE NOT THE ONLY
ONES ON THE TRAIL.

DO YOU THINK THE
TIGER CAME FIRST

AND THE MAN IS FOLLOWING HIM?

AND THEN THE MAN AFTERWARDS.

EASIEST WAY FROM A
TO B FOR THE TIGERS.

YEAH, PERFECT.

I AM BEGINNING TO PICK UP
THE TECHNIQUES PARK USED

TO HOME IN ON HIS TIGERS.

NOW IS MY CHANCE TO VISIT

THE TINY SPACE IN
WHICH HE WAITED.

WOW, LOOK AT THAT...
HOME SWEET HOME, PARK.

OH, MY GOODNESS, THAT'S
SO INTERESTING TO SEE IT!

OH, MY GOODNESS!

IT'S SMALL! SO SMALL!

HOW LONG DID YOU STAY IN HERE?

SEVEN MONTHS.

RACCOON DOG?

TO FILM AT NIGHT,

PARK ADAPTED INFRARED
SECURITY CAMERAS.

HE HAD NEVER SEEN THE TIGER

HE KNEW AS "BLOODY MARY,"

NAMED AFTER HER
GRUESOME KILL SITES.

HE HAD TO WAIT 60 DAYS

BEFORE HE FINALLY MET HER.

SHE WAS FOLLOWED BY THREE CUBS.

HAVING LEFT HIS WIFE
AND CHILDREN IN KOREA,

THIS IS WHERE PARK
MET HIS SECOND FAMILY.

Martin: SKY WHITE? OKAY.

HIS SECOND ENCOUNTER

WITH THIS FAMILY WAS CHILLING.

PARK COWERED INSIDE

AS BLOODY MARY AND
HER CUBS ATTACKED.

THE PLANKS BROKE WITH
THREE TIGERS ON THE ROOF.

ITS LEG IS DOWN HERE,
AND YOU'RE SITTING...

MY GOD.

AND YOUR HEART IS GOING...

THEY COULD HAVE KILLED HIM,

BUT FOR SOME REASON BLOODY
MARY LED HER TIGERS AWAY...

SHE LET PARK LIVE.

DID YOU SEE BLOODY
MARY FROM THE...

THE LAST TIME YOU
SAW BLOODY MARY?

Morgan: LIKE SOMETHING
FROM A WAR ZONE,

POACHERS HIDE GUNS
IN THE UNDERGROWTH.

BLOODY MARY WAS KILLED
WHEN SHE STEPPED ON A TRIP WIRE

TRIGGERING A RIFLE.

SO, YOU SEE HER
HERE WITH HER FAMILY,

AND THEN THE LAST TIME

YOU SEE HER IS
WHEN SHE'S BEEN SHOT

BY A POACHER'S RIFLE TRAP.

PARK SEEMS TO
RE-LIVE HER TRAGEDY.

I REALLY WANT TO SEE A TIGER.

ONLY THREE MONTHS?

ONLY THREE MONTHS.

PARK'S DREAM WAS TO TELL
THE STORY OF A WHOLE FAMILY.

NOW BLOODY MARY WAS DEAD, HIS
HOPES RESTED ON HER THREE CUBS.

THEY WERE ALMOST FULLY GROWN,

SO HE HOPED THEY WOULD
SURVIVE ON THEIR OWN.

PARK FOLLOWED THEIR TRACKS,

THROUGH THE RIVER VALLEYS
AND FORESTS, OVER THE MOUNTAINS,

ALL THE WAY TO THE COAST.

WE'RE GOING TO RETRACE
SOME OF HIS ROUTE

SO I CAN VISIT THE
OTHER PLACES HE FILMED.

AND SLEEP IN THE
MOUNTAINS AND GO, GO.

Morgan: FROM THE
MOUNTAINS TO THE COAST?

PARK LEADS ME TO THE FARTHEST
BORDER OF THE TIGERS' DOMAIN...

THE PACIFIC OCEAN.

WOW. THIS IS IT.

IT'S A DIFFERENT WORLD,

AND EVEN LESS LIKE A PLACE I
WOULD EXPECT TIGERS TO LIVE.

WE DON'T SEE MANY ANIMALS,

BUT I AM FINDING
EVIDENCE OF THEM NOW.

SIKA DEER CANNOT FIND VERY WELL.

NO, NO, NO. WOOD CHIPS HERE.

DEER.

SMALL DEER, ARE THESE ROE DEER?

EVEN THE OCCASIONAL GLIMPSE...

OTTER! OTTER!

THEY WANT THE
NUTRIENTS AND SALT.

SO, THE TIGERS KNOW IT?

CHRIS!

AH, THAT'S TIGER IS IT?

OH, WOW, LOOK! YES!

ON CUE... PROOF OF
TIGERS ON THE SHORE.

OLD, HUH?

OH, THAT'S AMAZING TO
SEE THEM ON THE BEACH!

LOOK AT THE SIZE,
VERY BIG DISTANCE,

IT MUST BE A BIG TIGER, YEAH.

MAYBE A BIG MALE.

IT'S EXCITING, EVEN IF
THESE TRACKS ARE OLDER

THAN THE LAST ONES WE FOUND.

PARK'S SEARCH ALONG THE COAST
FOR THE THREE CUBS PAID OFF.

HE FOUND TWO OF THEM LIVING
TOGETHER, SHARING A KILL.

HE WAS CONCERNED THAT

THE FEMALE CUB HE
CALLED SNOW WHITE

HAD DISAPPEARED.

WITH LUCK SHE HAD SIMPLY GONE
IN SEARCH OF HER OWN TERRITORY,

SOMEWHERE SAFER, PERHAPS.

THE REMAINING TWO TIGERS

STAYED ON THE COASTAL EDGE
OF THEIR MOTHER'S TERRITORY.

IT WAS UNUSUAL TO SEE

SUCH LARGE CATS
TOGETHER, BUT PARK INSISTS

TIGERS ARE MUCH MORE SOCIAL
THAN SOME SCIENTISTS SAY.

BEFORE LONG,

THINGS CHANGED.

THE MALE REFUSED

TO SHARE HIS KILLS
WITH HIS SISTER.

THE FAMILY WAS SPLITTING UP.

NOW, EACH TIGER WOULD
NEED ITS OWN TERRITORY.

PARK CAREFULLY
PLANNED NEW HIDES,

EACH WITH A NETWORK
OF REMOTE CAMERAS.

WOW!

YEAH, SO YOU COULD SEE FROM
YOUR HIDE LOOKING THAT WAY

TOWARDS WHERE THE
CAMERA TRAPS WERE.

IT LOOKS LIKE GOOD
TIGER HABITAT THERE, HEY?

YEP, THAT'S WHERE I
WOULD BE IF I WAS A TIGER.

AFTER THEIR MOTHER'S DEATH,

THE TWO TIGERS SPLIT HER
COASTAL TERRITORY BETWEEN THEM.

THE EDGE OF THEIR
RANGE WAS THE OCEAN.

PARK KNEW IF HE
FOLLOWED THE COAST,

HE WOULD FIND THE TIGERS
PATROLLING THEIR PERIMETER.

HE CAPTURED THEM STALKING
THE CLIFF TOP RIDGES,

A POSTCARD IMAGE,
FRAMED BY WILD AZALEAS.

PARK FILMED THE
MALE TIGER, SKY WHITE,

SURVEYING HIS TERRITORY

FROM CLIFF TOP BLUFFS.

WE'VE COME TO THE SAME SPOT.

IT'S A MAGNIFICENT
LOOKOUT POINT.

SHOTS OF A TIGER

SCANNING THE PACIFIC COAST
HAD NEVER BEEN SEEN BEFORE.

THIS IS INCREDIBLE, PARK.

THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE
PARTS OF YOUR FILM,

WHERE THE TIGER COMES OUT

AND LOOKS LEFT AND RIGHT

AND ASSESSES HIS TERRITORY.

AND WHEN YOU WERE IN THE HIDE,

HOW MANY DAYS WAS IT
BEFORE THE TIGER ARRIVED?

AND BEFORE 80 DAYS, DID
YOU THINK, "FORGET IT"?

DID YOU SOMETIMES THINK,
"FORGET IT, I CAN'T WAIT."

PARK KNEW HE WOULD FACE
YEARS OF ISOLATION AND HARDSHIP.

BUT HE WAS UNPREPARED
FOR HIS TIGERS'

TRAGIC STRUGGLE FOR SURVIVAL.

PARK HOPED THE CUB, SKY WHITE,

WOULD REPLACE HIS FATHER,
KING BIG, AS THE DOMINANT MALE.

BUT LIKE HIS MOTHER BEFORE
HIM, THE YOUNG MALE DIED

BEFORE HIS TIME,
MURDERED BY POACHERS.

THAT MUST BE VERY SAD FOR
YOU TO THINK ABOUT THAT?

THE REMAINING
TIGER ON THE COAST,

THE SISTER, MOON WHITE,

SURVIVED THROUGH
TO THE NEXT YEAR.

HE PICKED UP HER TRAIL ON
THE SAME COASTAL RIDGES.

SHE WAS MARKING HER TERRITORY

AND PARK WAS DELIGHTED TO
DISCOVER SHE WAS PREGNANT.

SHE LOOKED UNDERWEIGHT.

PARK KNEW HOW HARD IT IS

FOR A FIRST-TIME
MOTHER AND HER CUBS

TO SURVIVE.

MONTHS LATER, HE WAS ABLE
TO FILM HER WITH HER CUB.

THE WINTER HAD BEEN
ESPECIALLY HARSH,

AND PREY HAD PLUMMETED.

HE TRACKED THE MOTHER
AND CUB TO A VILLAGE.

IN HER DESPERATION
TO FEED THE CUB,

SHE HAD TAKEN A DOG.

WHEN HE NEXT FOUND THE
PAIR, THE CUB WAS IN TROUBLE.

HIS PAW WAS INJURED
AND BADLY INFECTED.

MOON WHITE WAS EAGER TO
MOVE ON IN SEARCH OF FOOD.

PARK WATCHED THE CUB FALLING
FURTHER AND FURTHER BEHIND.

HE NEVER SAW
EITHER OF THEM AGAIN.

YEARS IN THE WILD GAVE
PARK AN UNDERSTANDING

OF THE FRAGILE
RELATIONSHIPS IN NATURE.

IN THIS PART OF SIBERIA,

ONE SPECIES OF TREE
SUSTAINS ALL LIFE.

IF THE PINE TREES FAIL TO FRUIT,

DEER AND BOAR...
THE TIGERS' PREY...

MUST MOVE ON.

PARK REALIZED THE TIGERS ARE
INTIMATELY LINKED TO THE PINES.

THIS IS MY FIRST

EVIDENCE OF KOREAN
PINE TREE FEEDING,

LOOK AT THE SIZE OF THAT CONE!

SEE THAT, THIS IS WHERE
THE NUTS SIT IN HERE.

THE PINE NUTS...

AND JUST ABOUT EVERYTHING
IN THIS FOREST RELIES ON THESE.

HARD TO BELIEVE THAT THIS

IS WHAT ALL THE FUSS IS ABOUT.

INNOCUOUS AS IT LOOKS,

THIS TINY THING IS RESPONSIBLE

FOR PROPPING UP THIS
WHOLE ECOSYSTEM HERE

AND EVERYTHING THAT
THE TIGER DEPENDS UPON.

AS WE HIKE, I AM PUTTING
OUT MORE CAMERA TRAPS,

BUT I'M NOT JUST AFTER
SHOTS OF ANIMALS.

I WANT TO SEE HOW THIS
COMPLEX ECOSYSTEM WORKS.

ONLY BY DISCOVERING
WHAT'S REALLY GOING ON

CAN WE HOPE TO SAVE
TIGERS AND BEARS.

PARK WAS DEVASTATED

THAT THE NEW GENERATION
OF TIGERS ON THE COAST

FAILED TO SURVIVE.

HE HEADED INLAND IN SEARCH
OF THE LAST REMAINING TIGER,

THE FEMALE, SNOW WHITE.

HIS GROWING INSTINCT

LED HIM TO A SPECIAL PLACE,

A SHANGRI-LA, RICH
IN KOREAN PINE...

AND THE TIGERS' PREY
THAT DEPEND ON IT.

THIS IS GREAT! IT'S SO NICE,

BECAUSE I CAN PICTURE
THE FILM IN MY MIND.

THIS IS IT.

THE GROUND WAS FROZEN SO
SOLID, PARK COULDN'T DIG A HOLE.

INSTEAD HE HID
15 FEET UP A TREE,

PERCHED ON A TINY PLATFORM.

OH, YES, YEAH, THE WEDGES.

CUT OUT OF THE SIDE
OF THE TREE THERE.

MIND BLOWING.

MY RESPECT FOR YOU IS VERY HIGH.

PARK WAITED HERE FOR SO
LONG WITHOUT SEEING ANY TIGERS,

HE EVEN BEGAN TO FILM SNOWFALLS.

PARK HOPED THEIR
MOTHER WAS HUNTING...

THEY WOULDN'T SURVIVE
LONG WITHOUT HER.

HE CHOSE THIS SPOT
BECAUSE OF A HOT SPRING...

CONFIDENT TIGERS WOULD
DRINK AT A SMALL HOLE IN THE ICE,

KEPT OPEN BY THE WARM WATER.

BROTHER AND SISTER,

LOST IN FAIRYTALE WOODS,

HANSEL AND GRETEL
HAD THE PERFECT NAMES.

THE YOUNG MALE CAT IS CURIOUS.

HE INVESTIGATES THE CAMERAS.

HIS SISTER HANGS BACK NERVOUSLY.

IT TOOK PARK SUCH
FAITH TO WAIT HERE...

THESE SCENES ARE HIS REWARD.

AMAZING, I WOULD FALL OFF.

I WOULD FALL OFF THE PLATFORM.

DID YOU, LIKE...

HE CAN STILL RECOGNIZE
EACH TRUNK AND BRANCH.

PARK WAS HAPPY ENOUGH
FILMING HANSEL AND GRETEL,

BUT WHEN THEY RETURNED
WITH THEIR MOTHER,

HE KNEW HE HAD FOUND SNOW WHITE.

SHE HAD SURVIVED.

PARK HAD ANOTHER
FAMILY TO WATCH AND FILM.

HE REMAINED UP
HIS TREE, UNHARMED.

PERHAPS, AFTER ALL THIS TIME,

SNOW WHITE TOLERATED
HIS PRESENCE.

HE HADN'T JUST ENTERED
THE TIGER'S WORLD,

HE WAS NOW PART OF IT.

THESE SHOTS OF TIGERS

WOULD BE HARD TO FILM ANYWHERE.

FOR WILD SIBERIAN TIGERS,

THEY WERE MEANT
TO BE IMPOSSIBLE.

OVER THE YEARS, WALKING
HUNDREDS OF MILES,

SLEEPING ALONE IN THE
FOREST FOR MONTHS ON END,

PARK HAD FOLLOWED THREE
GENERATIONS OF HIS TIGER FAMILY.

WHEN YOU GO, WHEN YOU LEAVE,

AND I TRY A TREE STAND

OR A HIDE, WHAT'S
THE BEST ADVICE?

DO YOU UNDERSTAND?

PARK ISN'T A RECLUSE...

HE DIDN'T LIKE BEING ALONE,
AND HE MISSED HIS FAMILY.

HIS ENDURANCE IS WHAT MAKES
HIM DIFFERENT TO MOST OF US.

AND THE PLACE
ITSELF KEPT HIM GOING.

HE WAITED FOR TIGERS

LIKE A FOREST
WAITING FOR SPRING.

THANK YOU FOR LETTING
ME INTO YOUR WORLD.

ALL RIGHT, MY FRIEND, BE SAFE.

TAKE CARE.

IT WILL BE A DIFFERENT
PLACE IN THIS FOREST

WITHOUT HIM, I THINK.

PARK HAS LEFT,

BUT I AM HEADING BACK IN

TO TRY AND EXPERIENCE
THE WILDERNESS AS HE DID.

6:00 A.M., I JUST WOKE UP,

HAD A COUPLE OF HOURS' SLEEP

AND THE COLD WOKE ME UP.

I HAD TO GET UP AND PUT
SOME MORE CLOTHES ON

AND A WARMER HAT.

THERE'S A WOODPECKER.

THAT'S THE FIRST SIGN OF
LIFE THAT I HAVE HAD HERE.

THE FIRST INDICATION
THAT THERE'S REALLY

ANY OTHER ANIMAL AROUND
IS THAT WOODPECKER.

HE'S QUITE CLOSE.

IT JUST GIVES ME A
HUGE LEVEL OF RESPECT

FOR WHAT PARK HAS ACCOMPLISHED.

THE SIT-AND-WAIT
STRATEGY IS NOT FOR ME.

A FRESH SNOWFALL, A NEW
CHAPTER IN THE WHITE BOOK.

I MUST READ WITHOUT MY GUIDE.

CAT TRACKS... SUDDENLY
THE FOOTSTEPS

ARE VERY MUCH CLOSER TOGETHER.

SMALL WILDCAT CROSSES
THE ROAD RIGHT HERE

AND JOINS THE
MANCHURIAN HARE TRACKS.

DEER TRACKS...
IT'S A GREAT SPOT.

ON WHAT LOOKS LIKE WOULD
BE A REALLY GOOD CHOICE

FOR A TIGER SCENT-MARKING TREE.

OH, LOOK AT THAT.

AH! AH!

I BELIEVE THAT IS A TIGER HAIR.

IT LOOKS LIKE SOMETHING

HAS BRUSHED ITS FACE
AGAINST IT RIGHT HERE.

THERE'S ANOTHER
HAIR RIGHT THERE.

ANOTHER ONE HERE.

ALL UP AND DOWN THIS AREA.

YOU CAN IMAGINE THIS TIGER
COMING UP TO THIS TREE,

WALKING ALONG THIS ROAD HERE,

THIS BEING A PERFECTLY
ANGLED BIRCH TREE.

COMING UP TO IT,

SMELLING WHO WAS
HERE PREVIOUSLY.

GRABBING HIS PAWS AROUND IT,

WHICH WOULD HAVE
REACHED BEYOND MY REACH.

HIS FRONT PAWS UP THERE.

THEN HIS FACE...

RUBBING IT LIKE THIS,

AND THERE'S THE WHISKER MARKS.

PERFECT, JUST LIKE
YOUR HOUSE CAT DOES

ON THE EDGE OF THE COUCH.

THE FIRST SIGNS OF
TIGER I FOUND ON MY OWN...

MY TEACHER WOULD BE PROUD.

I SPOTTED THE TREE BY
THINKING LIKE A TIGER,

BY THINKING LIKE PARK.

I AM GETTING CLOSER EACH DAY.

I'VE JUST FOUND THIS
AND I AM VERY EXCITED,

MY HEART IS POUNDING.

THIS IS A SCRAPE,

THIS IS WHAT A TIGER WOULD DO...

THEY WOULD SCRAPE
INTO THE GROUND LIKE THIS,

AND PARK, JUST A
COUPLE OF DAYS AGO,

WAS TELLING ME THAT EACH TIGER

HAS A DIFFERENT
WAY OF DOING THIS.

SOME OF THEM CREATE
A WIDE, SHALLOW SCRAPE,

SOME OF THEM CREATE A
REALLY DEEP, NARROW SCRAPE.

HE SAID KING BIG
WOULD GO RIGHT DOWN

UNTIL HE COULDN'T
GO ANY FURTHER,

REALLY DEEP, AND THEN THEY
PEE OR DEFECATE RIGHT HERE.

IF IT WAS A BOAR IT
WOULD BE MORE RANDOM,

JUST PUSHING UP THE
SNOW IN ANY DIRECTION.

BUT THIS, EVEN THE
GRASS IS FACING THIS WAY.

LET ME LOOK AT OUR
TRACKS FROM THIS MORNING

A BIT MORE CAREFULLY.

THE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS
A TIGER RIGHT HERE AT ANY POINT

IS GREAT, THOUGH.

I JUST WISH I COULD
FIND SOME FRESH TRACKS

TO HELP VERIFY THE SITUATION.

CAN'T YOU JUST IMAGINE HIM,

AFTER WE PASS THROUGH HERE,

YOU CAN JUST IMAGINE THAT
TIGER CATCHING OUR SCENT,

'CAUSE WE STINK TO A
TIGER, THAT'S FOR SURE.

AND HIM COMING TO EXPLORE
ONCE WE'RE WELL UP THE TRAIL.

'CAUSE WE WENT AT LEAST
TWO MILES BEYOND THIS.

SO, HE MIGHT HAVE BEEN
CONFIDENT ENOUGH TO COME IN.

THE TIGERS ARE EVERYWHERE,

BUT NOWHERE.

FOR MY LAST WEEK, I'M
COLLECTING MY CAMERAS.

I HAVE PUT OUT TEN.

PARK USED MANY MORE,
OVER A MUCH LONGER TIME.

I'D LOVE TO SEE ANY
ANIMALS ON MY CAMERAS.

NOT A THING...

NOT A THING.

I'VE COPIED PARK AND
USED A HOT SPRING AS BAIT.

I HAVE HIGH HOPES
FOR THIS CAMERA.

YOU WOULDN'T BE
BLAMED FOR THINKING THAT

THERE'S ABSOLUTELY NO
ANIMALS IN THIS FOREST, ACTUALLY.

OH! OH, LEAVES!

I THOUGHT A BIRD JUST
FLEW IN, BUT IT WAS LEAVES.

LISTEN TO THAT WIND.

FROM THE EIGHT CAMERAS SO FAR,

ALL I HAVE IS TEN HOURS OF
FALSE TRIGGERS, WIND AND LEAVES.

LOOKING ACROSS THE EMPTY FOREST,

IT SEEMS HARDLY SURPRISING

THAT I HAVE CAUGHT
SO LITTLE ON CAMERA.

IN PARK'S FOOTAGE,

THE FORESTS ARE
TEEMING WITH LIFE.

I GUESS THAT'S
PART OF ITS MAGIC.

PARK WAS ABLE TO FILM SNOW
WHITE, HANSEL AND GRETEL

THROUGHOUT THE FINAL WINTER,

WATCHING THE CUBS
LEARN AND GROW.

THE FAIRY-TALE ENDING
TO HIS TIGER QUEST.

I'M STARTING TO GRASP
WHAT KEPT HIM GOING.

THE HOPE THAT A TIGER
WILL REVEAL ITSELF

IS OVERWHELMING.

TODAY, HANSEL AND GRETEL
WOULD BE SEVEN YEARS OLD...

TIGERS IN THEIR PRIME,

IF THEY'VE AVOIDED
THE POACHERS' TRAPS.

NOBODY IS LIKELY TO
REPEAT PARK'S OBSESSION,

OR HIS SUCCESS.

THESE FORESTS ARE DISAPPEARING

RIGHT ACROSS THE
RUSSIAN FAR EAST.

WHEN THEY ARE GONE,

SCENES LIKE THIS WILL
BE A THING OF THE PAST.

I'VE RETRACED MY STEPS TO WHERE
MY JOURNEY WITH PARK BEGAN,

TO COLLECT THE FIRST CAMERAS
WE PUT OUT A FEW WEEKS AGO.

OKAY, THESE ARE THE
LAST FOUR CAMERA TRAPS,

SO MY LAST CHANCE
TO CAPTURE SOMETHING

ON FILM.

SIKA DEER... NICE TIGER PREY.

NO, NOTHING ELSE.

HMM?

OKAY, MOST OF THESE
ARE ME SETTING IT UP.

OH, WHAT IS THAT?

WOW! A RACCOON DOG.

NICE! I SAW RACCOON DOG SCAT
ALL THE WAY UP TO THIS CAMERA.

SUCH A CRAZY LOOKING ANIMAL,

AN ABSOLUTE CROSS
BETWEEN A DOG AND A RACCOON.

OH!

WILD CAT!

THANK GOODNESS WE GOT SOMETHING.

YOU'RE NOT GOING
TO BELIEVE THIS...

WE'VE GOT A TIGER!

THERE IS A TIGER ON THIS CAMERA.

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT.

MY HEART IS POUNDING
OUT OF MY CHEST.

I CANNOT BELIEVE IT!

OH!

AMAZING, I CAN EVEN
HEAR THE ICE CRACKING

AS SHE CAUTIOUSLY
CROSSES THE FROZEN RIVER.

I CAN'T BELIEVE IT!

THAT'S OUR
SECOND-TO-LAST CAMERA,

ALL THIS WORK, ALL THESE MILES.

THERE ARE TIGERS HERE.

I WAS BEGINNING TO WONDER.

I DIDN'T THINK I
WOULD BE CAPABLE OF

ENDURING PARK'S ORDEAL.

BUT IF I FEEL LIKE THIS
ON SEEING MY ONE TIGER,

ON MY CAMERA, PERHAPS I AM.

I DIDN'T SEE IT

WITH MY OWN EYES,
AND I'M FINE WITH THAT...

STAYING AWAY FROM HUMANS

IS THE BEST CHANCE
THESE TIGERS HAVE.

AND WHEN PARK SAW HOW CAREFULLY

MY TIGER CROSSES
THE CREAKING ICE,

HE INSTANTLY RECOGNIZED
AN OLD FRIEND...

GRETEL, THE FAIRYTALE
TIGER HE FIRST FILMED

ALL THOSE YEARS AGO.