Natural World (1983) s31e08 Episode Script

This tiger is the chosen one.
She will be taken from her home and released into unknown territory.
She will face a struggle to survive in a world full of uncertainty.
SHE GROWLS Her challenge is to begin a new dynasty of tigers, and help to save her species.
SQUEALS AND BARKS ERUPT SUDDENLY Ranthambore National Park is one of India's most magical wild places.
And home to a healthy population of Royal Bengal tigers.
Including one very special young female.
Relaxed and confident, four-year-old Baghani is completely at home in this forest.
Baghani and I are old friends.
'I've been filming her since she was a cub.
'My name is Nalla and tigers are my passion.
' SHE SPRAYS THE ROCK 'What I know, and Baghani doesn't, 'is that her life is about to change forever.
' DISTANT HELICOPTER GETS LOUDER 'Baghani has been chosen for a very special mission.
' She'll be drugged, captured and transported far from her Ranthambore home to Sariska National Park.
Sariska was one of India's top tiger reserves, until all its tigers were wiped out by poachers.
'But with the poachers now behind bars, 'Baghani will be key to an ambitious plan to reintroduce tigers 'to Sariska.
'This has never been attempted before.
'If successful, 'it will be a breakthrough for tiger conservation.
'The great hope is that Baghani will begin a new dynasty of tigers 'in Sariska.
' But she can't do that alone.
Joining her from Ranthambore will be a potential suitor.
A hot-blooded male called Rajore.
'I'll be part of a team following them 'as they struggle to make a new life in their new home.
'And when I can't film, remote cameras will help me 'keep track of what's happening.
' TIGER ROARS 'Rajore is the first tiger to set foot in Sariska for four years.
' ROARING CONTINUES Baghani follows after.
All I can do now is watch and hope.
The next day, I'm up early.
Finding Baghani in Sariska's dense forest could take a while.
GENTLE CRIES OF ANIMALS But before too long, I catch a glimpse of my young friend.
TIGER PANTS You get to know a tiger's moods when you watch them for as long as I have.
She seems dazed.
.
.
timid.
A bit lost.
The sights, sounds and smells are all unfamiliar.
She must be so confused.
At least some of the locals are friendly.
Getting used to living here is going to take time.
It doesn't take much to spook her in this strange new world.
CRIES FROM THE FORES SHE GROWLS MONKEYS CHATTER The tigers' arrival has not gone unnoticed.
Leopards are normally no match for a tiger.
But their numbers have increased since poachers killed the last of Sariska's tigers.
They will not welcome the return of the competition.
And they could be a real threat to Baghani.
BUSHES RUSTLE For now, though, something else has caught her eye.
CHIRRUPS AND SQUEAKS FROM THE TREES She's hungry.
And it's good to see her instincts take over, despite her new surroundings.
But I don't think she's hunting.
I think she's exploring, learning.
She's been spotted by a langur.
She must be tempted to make an attack.
VARIOUS ANIMALS CHATTER But however hungry she is, Baghani doesn't know this place yet.
ANIMALS CONTINUE CHATTERING She doesn't know the best spot for an ambush or which way her prey is likely to run.
DEER BARKS The Sambar deer hasn't smelt a tiger for four years.
But finally, it sounds the alarm.
DEER BARKS It might seem like a failure.
But I think Baghani's biding her time .
.
waiting for the Sambar deer to return.
FLIES BUZZ TIGER PANTS HONKING It looks like she won't be allowed to rest in peace.
I'm told there are more peacocks in Sariska than anywhere else in India.
If this peacock spots Baghani, it'll sound the alarm, and the whole forest will be on alert again.
Baghani could grab the peacock, but it's not worth it for such a small meal.
Baghani's a clever tiger.
She plays dead.
And it works.
The peacock never knew she was there.
Soon Baghani hears something.
CALLS FROM THE TREES ANOTHER CALL This time it really looks like she's hunting.
BARKS AND CALLS CONTINUE BIRD CAWS Has she blown it? I don't think so.
She's beginning to make her way downwind.
I think she's going to try an ambush.
BIRDS CALLING AND SQUAWKING DEER BARKS HONKING AND BARKING CAWING AND CALLING But she's missed it.
DEER BARKS Swishing her tail like that shows she's frustrated.
DEER BARKS It's not a good start.
The longer it takes to eat, the weaker she'll become, and the weaker she becomes, the harder it is to hunt.
These first few days are critical.
Food is not the only challenge the tigers will face.
GENERAL HUBBUB Sariska is not a pristine wilderness.
People live here.
There's a bustling temple.
And a road runs right through the park.
This morning Rajore, the male tiger, is checking it out.
He's exploring his new home.
And announcing his presence by scent-marking.
It's tiger posturing.
It says, "I'm big, I'm the best and I'm here," much to the alarm of the neighbours.
ANIMALS BARKING AND HONKING Unfortunately, he's claiming an area near the local villages.
15,000 people live within this tiger reserve.
They have been offered money to leave but most have refused.
They feel this is THEIR home.
The poaching has stopped, but these villagers are still a threat.
They will kill tigers who threaten them or their cattle.
I hope Rajore and Baghani are smart enough to keep their distance.
It's forbidden to film in the reserve at night.
But the remote cameras keep watch for me.
And tonight Rajore is on the prowl.
He's being shadowed by a leopard.
And another with a dog for dinner.
I've never seen leopards and tigers this close before.
This could mean trouble.
Even with the radio collars, I can't follow Rajore or Baghani all the time.
'They often disappear into areas I simply can't get to.
' All I can do is keep watch and wait.
And let life in the park pass me by.
BIRDS SQUAWKING They always turn up sooner or later.
Living alongside tigers for as long as I have, means you notice the smallest of detail.
I have a theory that when a tiger licks its paws, it's preparing to hunt.
This could be a good sign.
It's been many days now, but I still haven't seen Baghani make a kill.
With no tigers to hunt them, Sariska's deer herds have increased in size dramatically.
But bigger herds mean more eyes to watch out for hunting tigers.
And that makes them more difficult to catch.
Yet another problem for Baghani.
I'm desperate to see her catch something so I can be sure she's getting enough to eat.
These are young deer and they've never seen a tiger.
They might be easier to catch.
She's perfectly placed.
BIRDS CALL TWITTERING AND BARKING Has she got one? Yes! At last.
I know for sure she is feeding.
It's only a small meal, but it gives me great confidence for the future of Baghani and Rajore.
The scientists and park wardens have also confirmed that both tigers are now hunting regularly.
They've also discovered evidence that the park has changed since the tigers arrived.
Before the tigers' return, jackals, hyena, vultures and other scavengers, like wild boar, thrived.
All thanks to the messy eating habits of the bold and booming population of leopards.
With no tigers around, the leopards stopped hiding their kills up trees.
And they began hunting in daylight.
Very unusual for leopards.
I've filmed leopards many times, and they've always avoided tigers by hunting at night or retreating to higher ground.
But today, watching this one, it's almost as if it knows something has changed.
It seems nervous.
And that night, the remote cameras reveal a leopard hunting.
Could the leopards be shifting back to their old ways to avoid the tigers? A hyena finds the leopard's kill unguarded and claims it by scent-marking.
LEOPARD GROWLS The following morning, there's a reminder of how aggressive a leopard can be.
The hyena is dead.
FLIES BUZZ Not killed for food.
The leopard has done this to show who's boss.
A dangerous enemy.
It's October.
As the cool weather arrives, I'm keen to see if Rajore and Baghani have paired up.
Love seems to be in the air for many of Sariska's animals.
Winter is the breeding season here.
Rajore wanders further in the cooler temperatures, so I'm hoping he'll have a chance encounter with Baghani.
Unless these two tigers meet up this project will fail.
But this morning, the gods are with me.
I find Rajore following Baghani's trail.
And I can't believe my luck, when I see Baghani has also picked up his scent.
Baghani pulls this funny face because she uses her mouth as well as her nose to smell.
And then she scent marks.
It's a tiger equivalent of texting to say, "Let's meet up.
" Could I be close to getting my first shots of the young couple? But my heart sinks, as Baghani gives up the trail.
Perhaps she's not yet ready for a relationship.
My suspicion is that she doesn't feel safe and secure enough to think of cubs.
She's still settling into her new home.
Over the next few months, I follow the tigers as they continue to grow in confidence.
ANIMALS CALL The forest alarm system often gives them away.
Today, Baghani is near the abandoned village water tanks.
Tigers like to cool off after they've eaten and this seems to be Baghani's favourite place to take a dip.
She has another favourite spot, an area of dense undergrowth where she goes to eat grass.
It helps digest all that meat.
Even tiger's need fibre.
Baghani's becoming as confident and settled as she was in Ranthambore.
Over the next few weeks, I find that I am returning again and again to the same area of the park.
Baghani seems to be making this patch of grassland her home PEACOCKS CALL .
.
in spite of the peacocks.
I guess she's used to them now.
It's a good sign, there's plenty of food and water here and places for hunting tigers to hide.
There are many wild boar too.
Personally, I'm more frightened of boar than of tigers.
They can inflict vicious wounds with those teeth.
A few months ago I think Baghani would have been too nervous to tackle such dangerous prey.
To see a tiger hunting boar is extremely rare.
To capture it on camera is virtually impossible.
But Baghani takes me by surprise.
I'm worried, she's taking a terrible risk.
But as I watch, I see a new Baghani, a changed tiger.
This one is the master hunter I knew at Ranthambore.
She carefully moves her tail round the grass stems to ensure she makes no noise.
Surely nothing can stop her now.
The fact that Baghani leaves her kill shows her confidence.
There is no-one who would dare take it.
This really is her territory now.
I think she's ready to be a mother.
With the arrival of the rains, the park changes once more.
I'm starting to feel as at home here as Baghani and Rajore.
I'm really getting to know Sariska's wildlife.
Today, the villagers' cattle are being moved out.
Rajore has been seen hunting them.
If the tigers kill the villager's precious cattle, the villagers might kill the tigers.
I find Rajore a little later, blissfully unaware of the trouble he's caused and the danger he could face from angry villagers.
Like Baghani he's now confident enough to leave his meal here until tomorrow.
After all, who would dare steal his dinner? I return to Rajore's uneaten kill the following day, to find it has been claimed .
.
not by the crocodiles .
.
but by Baghani.
And now she's got it, she wants to keep it.
Burying the entrails will help keep scavengers away.
A tiger would usually cool off in the water after eating.
But not here.
She'll just have to sleep it off instead.
But the noisy langurs won't let her rest.
And the crocodiles have their eyes on her lunch.
So she decides to move the carcass out of reach.
Finding her with Rajore's kill is a good sign.
Tigers don't usually share their meals.
This might mean something's up.
Soon there are calls echoing round Sariska that confirm my suspicions.
TIGERS CALL This is a tiger love song.
Male tigers roar to call to females.
And females roar to announce that they are ready to mate.
Rajore has wandered into Baghani's territory.
He must know she's close by.
Acting this laid-back, tells Baghani he's not a threat.
She seems impressed.
This is the first time in seven months I've seen them together.
A quick peck on the cheek from Baghani.
But Rajore still plays hard to get, after all this is a first date.
Rajore and Baghani stay together for three days and showing Baghani around is an important part of Rajore's courting technique.
This is his favourite waterhole.
And a dip in the pool is guaranteed to impress.
Followed by a romantic walk in the park.
Tigers form a close bond for the few days they are together.
It's not just about sex.
I think tigers get lonely.
I can only hope that this might be the moment when a new dynasty begins.
But there are still threats in Sariska.
In the last few months, I've seen fewer leopards hunting in the day.
But they're still here at night.
This mother leopard could still be a danger to any cubs Baghani might have.
Later she's caught again on the remote camera.
She's killed a deer for her own cubs.
After feeding herself, she drags the body clear of the entrails.
And then carefully covers them.
She's stealing prey from Baghani's territory.
The following morning the mother leopard is out in daylight.
And I catch Baghani heading up to her den.
She scent marks.
It's a tiger challenge to her big cat rival.
The leopard is cornered - at least she's the better climber.
I can just see Baghani at the foot of the tree.
Baghani and the leopard remain in this stale-mate the whole day.
I don't know what's going to happen.
I've never seen anything like it.
As night falls I have to stop filming and leave them to it.
Perhaps the remote cameras will reveal something.
A brief glimpse of the leopard.
And Baghani following her.
Park officials are on the leopard's trail too.
This here is a foot mark.
OK.
Following her footprints and Baghani's.
This is the leopard print here.
I pray that Baghani is all right.
And then they make a grizzly discovery.
The leopard is dead - killed by Baghani.
There's no longer any doubt.
She's top cat in Sariska now.
There's still no sign that Baghani is pregnant.
We're all desperate for her to produce cubs .
.
but her first mating was unsuccessful.
She'll be coming back into season soon and I've seen Rajore close by for several days.
He's spending a lot of time at the waterhole.
and the remote cameras reveal who he's sharing it with.
But they also reveal a worrying sign.
The villagers and their cattle are back.
I hope Rajore will not be tempted.
Baghani's ready to mate again.
She's spent all morning calling for Rajore.
But so far there's no reply.
When he doesn't appear for three days, we all join the search.
Picking up his trail, following his footprints.
We're all worried.
And then we find him dead.
Not killed by poachers .
.
but poisoned by a villager, protecting his cattle.
But Baghani doesn't know her mate is dead.
She's still searching for him.
She can smell him but he's gone.
She cries for three days after his death.
We are both heartbroken.
With only 1,700 tigers left in India, even the death of one is a tragedy.
THUNDER CLAPS Rajore's remains are burnt.
It's an Indian custom and a mark of respect.
Without a male tiger, Sariska's future looks bleak.
The monsoon arrives again.
My mood is reflected in the weather.
The rains make the forest inaccessible and dangerous.
In these conditions it's impossible to follow Baghani.
This is my last opportunity to see her for three months.
It's been two years since I began filming Baghani here and it feels like Sariska's tiger project is over.
But the scientists and the park wardens really want to make this project work.
No-one is going to stand back and let this fail.
A new male tiger is flown in from Ranthambore.
This tiger has already fathered cubs.
He will be Baghani's new mate.
And as the dry weather returns some of the villagers pack up, paid by the government to leave.
This could give the tigers the space they need.
With the roads open once more, I set out to find Baghani.
I'm desperate to see her again.
I just hope she's survived.
We soon find her footprints.
And next to them, those of the new male tiger.
BIRDS AND ANIMALS CALL This is a hopeful sign.
And finally, after eight days searching, the forest alarm system guides me to a tiger.
It's Baghani.
She seems healthy and strong.
And over the next few days, I follow her.
It's clear that she has overcome all the obstacles here.
She looks well-fed, confident and safe in her territory.
A tiger who is ready to be a mother.
Sariska's tiger conservation project depends on her.
And I feel sure that Baghani will soon provide the park with its first cubs and begin a new dynasty of tigers.