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Deep in the frozen forests
of Russia lives a hunter.
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It's one of the world's
rarest animals.
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He's right in there.
Right there, less than 300 metres.
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More scientists have been to space
than have seen it in the wild.
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THEY GASP
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Now an international team
are tracking this elusive predator.
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Wow! Tiger!
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They're dedicating their lives
to protecting it.
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He's really struggling, watch out.
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In this series, we enter the hidden
realm of this legendary big cat.
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The Siberian tiger.
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My name is Liz Bonnin.
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Before I started
working in television,
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I was a wildlife biologist.
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I've studied Bengal tigers
in India and Nepal
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but the Siberian tiger and its
habitat here in the Russian Far East
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are completely new to me.
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I've been invited to Russia
to help a team of scientists.
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We're trying to uncover
the secret life
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of this mysterious and rare big cat.
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I've come at a crucial time.
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Some scientists believe there
could be as few
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as 300 Siberian tigers
left in the wild.
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I've travelled 5,000 miles,
across ten time zones,
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to reach one of the Earth's
last great wildernesses.
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I'm heading to a remote base
where I'll be meeting the team.
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I'm a little bit concerned
about the conditions.
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It gets to minus 30, minus 40
on a bad stormy day,
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and these Russians are tough
and they know this place
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and they're fast.
Hopefully I'll do OK.
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HE SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN
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The research team is led
by Dr Victor Lukarevsky.
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He's been tracking tigers
here for five years.
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All my life is connected
with big cats.
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Victor believes research holds
the key to the future
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of this endangered predator.
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I am absolutely convinced it is
possible to save the tiger.
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Joining the team is American
biologist, Dr Dale Miquelle,
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from the
Wildlife Conservation Society.
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I've already invested 20 years
of my life trying to understand
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and save the Siberian tiger.
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In recent years the numbers
are declining, but we've got
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the combined resources of Russians
and all kinds of scientists here
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to make sure there's a future for
this animal in the Russian Far East.
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So what's our best tactic?
Where shall we start?
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I've also brought cameramen with me,
including wildlife specialist
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Max Hug-Williams.
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My role as a wildlife cameraman
is really to try
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and get any shots of the
last remaining Siberian tigers.
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There's only a handful
of non-Russians who've even seen
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these big cats
so it's going to be super-tough.
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It's been three months
since Victor was last here.
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He's worried
that some of the tigers
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in this area may have fallen
victim to poachers.
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I know that probably the most
extraordinary animal on the planet
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is in very real danger
of becoming extinct here,
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so I'm really keen to get to know
the people who are trying
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to stop that from happening and help
them with their research
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in any way that I can, but mostly
I want to find out
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if it's even possible
to save the tiger here,
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and if enough can be done
before it's too late.
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Right, come on, Victor.
No more talking, here we go.
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It's minus 28 this morning,
really feeling it.
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This cold is so severe
everything gets covered in ice.
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00:04:49,920 --> 00:04:52,600
Even if there's
a semblance of heat in this engine,
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everything around it still freezes
absolutely solid.
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The scientists working
in these extreme conditions
are poorly funded.
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Every morning their well-worn
vehicles have to be coaxed
back to life.
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Another small problem
in the Russian Far East.
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We brought equipment to help
the scientists here
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capture more information about
an animal that's rarely seen.
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We're starting our search
for Siberian tigers
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in Ussuriysk Reserve,
Victor's main study area.
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In the past, Ussuriysk has been
a safe haven for up to eight tigers.
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It served as a breeding ground,
producing young
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that go on to populate
the surrounding area.
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With poaching on the increase,
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Victor doesn't know
which tigers are still alive.
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Something we hope
to help him find out.
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Victor, how big is
the protected area?
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47,000 hectares.
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So 470 kilometres squared.
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Completely closed to the public
for over 80 years,
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the reserve is full of tiger prey.
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We start our search by driving
the reserve's roads.
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Tigers like to use them too.
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It's all about conserving energy out
here and this is an easier road
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to travel than in three feet
of snow inside the forest.
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We're looking for clues
that tigers have been here.
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Have you seen something?
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Oh, my God,
there's scratches all over the tree.
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Yes, of course.
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Hair. Look at all that hair.
Tiger hair everywhere!
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Siberian tigers mark trees to
communicate with their neighbours.
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Oh, you can see the mark, right, and
it smells, you can still smell it.
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But then you look up and inevitably
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there's going to be that scratching
of the tree
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letting other tigers know,
"I'm here."
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Tigers do not meet face
to face very often,
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but they interact to such a high
level with all of these signs.
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It's just so thrilling.
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It just shows that they're here,
in this forest.
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My heart is beating really fast!
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It's brilliant news.
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One of Victor's tigers is alive.
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But which one is it?
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How big is that to rub
its head that high up?
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It's a big cat, it is
a big cat to reach that high.
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The DNA in these hairs will tell
Victor which tiger was here.
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The remote cameras we've brought
can also help identify individuals
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and provide important information
about their behaviour.
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Where do you think...
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you want to put? Yes, yes.
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Are you putting the camera trap
here? Yes, yes, I think.
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On the left, huh?
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For Victor, it's really important
to get footage
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00:09:02,760 --> 00:09:08,560
so we're here to just provide
camera traps to hopefully get him
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evidence of tiger activity here.
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The footage could even help him
assess
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whether the tigers are breeding,
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and therefore if there's a future
for the vital Ussuriysk population.
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We are stuck. I mean, it's too steep
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and you know, we're 15 miles
from the nearest town,
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we've got no sleeping bags or
anything and it's minus 25 degrees.
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I'm starting to understand how tough
these Russian scientists are.
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If we can't get this out,
we stay here tonight,
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that's for sure.
What do we need to do?
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Jeez!
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I nearly got run over!
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The car was coming at me
in the snow!
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Never mind getting stuck
overnight! Getting run over!
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When we finally get back
to the safety of our cabins,
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the work isn't over.
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Facilities here are basic.
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Heating and water come straight
out of the forest.
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The bowls are frozen together!
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Oh, la-la-la-la! That's strong.
How do you say strong in Russian?
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Ochen krepko.
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Ochen krepko. Ochen... Krepko.
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Ochen krepko.
You're doing great, Liz.
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Five days later,
and no further signs of tigers.
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Fresh snow might change our luck.
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So the snow has stopped
falling for about 18 hours now.
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If we're really lucky, there should
be some nice fresh tiger tracks.
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Siberian tigers are so elusive
even Victor has only seen them
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four times in the wild.
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But that doesn't mean
they're not here.
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Do we still stay in the car?
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'Correct, stay in the car.'
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00:12:10,240 --> 00:12:13,920
We've just driven up about
300 or 400 metres up the track
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but we've all been told
to stay in the car
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because the tiger's
a little bit behind.
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We're even hearing the sound
of crows being disturbed.
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In previous years, Victor managed
to trap a few tigers
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to fit them with radio collars.
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Right now he's getting a signal...
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and it's close.
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How far do you think the tiger is?
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150...
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That's it. 150 metres.
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Not more.
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God, guys, that's unbelievable.
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And there are his tracks
walking into the forest.
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It's clear that it's moved in there
because it's heard our cars
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and it's quite possibly
looking at us right now.
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Now obviously it would be hugely
foolish to follow
these tracks forward.
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The other somewhat disconcerting
thought is that, er,
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that tiger's tracks were heading
straight down the path
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that leads us to one of our cabins.
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We won't be having lunch
there today!
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We've confirmed at least one tiger
is in the reserve.
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But a single tiger doesn't make
a viable population.
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Ussuriysk only has a future
if tigers are breeding here.
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We need to find more.
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Russian technology helps us
deploy more camera traps
across the reserve.
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We set cameras where Victor thinks
tigers could pass.
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But it's not just tigers
that trigger them.
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Over several days,
we continue to put out cameras
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and scour the forest for signs.
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Finally we get together to see
what we've captured.
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OK, guys, are you ready?
Here we go.
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Just goes to show that the camera
is actually working.
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OK. Moving on quickly.
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This man is going to have
a heart attack
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if I don't show him
something interesting.
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Then our first glimpse of the animal
we've been looking for.
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Stop, stop.
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Oh! Look at it.
Oh, my God!
189
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This footage is incredibly rare
and it's the first time
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many of the Russian researchers
have seen shots like these.
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What, sorry! Repeat,
show him again.
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Look at that face!
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It's Banzai, a male tiger
previously collared by Victor.
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Away from his usual area,
Victor thinks
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00:16:01,520 --> 00:16:03,480
he could be searching for a mate.
196
00:16:15,680 --> 00:16:20,240
Amazingly, a nearby camera
has filmed another male.
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00:16:23,880 --> 00:16:26,920
Also known to the Russian team,
this is Luke.
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00:16:32,840 --> 00:16:37,120
Males found so close together
will be competing for territory,
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00:16:37,120 --> 00:16:39,280
food, and females.
200
00:16:41,640 --> 00:16:46,680
But even with 30 cameras out there
not a single female has been found.
201
00:16:49,040 --> 00:16:52,920
Finding those incredible camera trap
images is really good news
202
00:16:52,920 --> 00:16:55,560
but so far we haven't found
any females
203
00:16:55,560 --> 00:17:01,000
and without breeding females here,
then this precious protected area,
204
00:17:01,000 --> 00:17:07,240
this important potential source of
new tigers is just going to waste.
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So it's vital that we find
evidence of females here.
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00:17:11,960 --> 00:17:16,440
Without female tigers,
Ussuriysk's males could disperse,
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leaving this all-important
reserve empty.
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Then we get a very disturbing call.
209
00:17:30,280 --> 00:17:34,360
It's so important we're diverting
from our main mission.
210
00:17:34,360 --> 00:17:37,440
It looks like a tiger cub
has been orphaned.
211
00:17:37,440 --> 00:17:39,640
It's a bit sketchy,
the news we're getting,
212
00:17:39,640 --> 00:17:45,280
but it sounds like it's a cub
that killed a dog in a village
213
00:17:45,280 --> 00:17:49,960
and it got caught but needless
to say we've turned the car around
214
00:17:49,960 --> 00:17:53,440
and we're going to head right there
to check out what the situation is.
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00:17:54,880 --> 00:17:58,000
We've been told the cub was spotted
without its mother.
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00:17:58,000 --> 00:18:02,320
It's been brought to a wildlife
rehabilitation centre nearby
217
00:18:02,320 --> 00:18:05,280
and Dale is already on the scene.
218
00:18:11,720 --> 00:18:14,760
So we've got a young,
about four-month-old cub
219
00:18:14,760 --> 00:18:18,000
in this cage right here.
She's four months old?!
220
00:18:18,000 --> 00:18:19,640
About four months old.
221
00:18:19,640 --> 00:18:22,040
I'll show you, you can
take a look at her. OK.
222
00:18:22,040 --> 00:18:23,720
Seriously? Yeah, yeah, yeah,
it's OK.
223
00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:26,280
My heart is beating so fast,
not in nerves, just in excitement.
224
00:18:26,280 --> 00:18:28,320
Sorry, guys, I'm being...
225
00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:30,800
If you look there,
she'll be looking right at you.
226
00:18:30,800 --> 00:18:32,840
Get your eyes accustomed.
227
00:18:32,840 --> 00:18:36,080
Oh. Oh, my God, there she is.
228
00:18:44,120 --> 00:18:46,240
Oh, my gosh.
229
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She's a cutie.
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She's absolutely beautiful
and she's just lying there,
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dazed and confused.
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00:19:01,080 --> 00:19:04,600
This is my first glimpse
of a Siberian tiger.
233
00:19:07,600 --> 00:19:10,840
It's a shame it has to be
in these circumstances.
234
00:19:14,640 --> 00:19:17,120
Dale thinks its mother
has been killed.
235
00:19:18,760 --> 00:19:21,040
So, no sign of the mother?
236
00:19:21,040 --> 00:19:22,400
No sign of the mother.
237
00:19:22,400 --> 00:19:26,080
And from your experience, that's it,
it's poaching, yeah?
238
00:19:26,080 --> 00:19:28,160
If the mother was around,
she'd be gone.
239
00:19:28,160 --> 00:19:31,920
Just not old enough to be able
to make it out in the forest.
240
00:19:34,840 --> 00:19:38,040
The Russians have named this cub
Businka.
241
00:19:41,200 --> 00:19:44,560
She needs to be moved
into the warmer enclosure quickly.
242
00:19:46,280 --> 00:19:48,200
Easier said than done.
243
00:19:50,560 --> 00:19:52,680
GROWLING
244
00:19:58,560 --> 00:20:00,600
Businka will be looked after
245
00:20:00,600 --> 00:20:04,000
until she's ready to be
returned to the wild.
246
00:20:04,000 --> 00:20:06,480
She'll be here for a year at least.
247
00:20:10,600 --> 00:20:16,480
It's a long uncertain road ahead
but for now she's safe.
248
00:20:25,360 --> 00:20:27,640
Businka wasn't alone.
249
00:20:27,640 --> 00:20:30,240
Her mother had three cubs.
250
00:20:32,400 --> 00:20:35,720
Dale's been sent footage filmed
by a ranger showing the cubs
251
00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:38,200
soon after they were discovered.
252
00:20:38,200 --> 00:20:40,360
It's just amazing footage,
take a look at this.
253
00:20:40,360 --> 00:20:41,920
Look at them, three of them.
254
00:20:41,920 --> 00:20:45,280
Three cubs along the road here.
The snow's coming down.
255
00:20:45,280 --> 00:20:48,240
It's just spectacular footage.
It's really something.
256
00:20:48,240 --> 00:20:51,240
I've never seen anything
like this, you know, in this type...
257
00:20:51,240 --> 00:20:55,880
In Russia, to be able to see this
is just, just incredible.
258
00:20:55,880 --> 00:20:57,680
So what does it look like? Two?
259
00:20:57,680 --> 00:21:00,720
It's hard to tell but it looks
like one a little bit smaller
260
00:21:00,720 --> 00:21:03,760
and then two a little larger.
Yeah, so probably two males.
261
00:21:03,760 --> 00:21:06,800
So three four-month-old cubs
just sitting there for all to see
262
00:21:06,800 --> 00:21:08,640
in the middle of that track
in the snow
263
00:21:08,640 --> 00:21:11,400
and that's the first
they caught sight of them then?
264
00:21:11,400 --> 00:21:15,320
This is the first time anyone's...
Well, there's been a few sightings
265
00:21:15,320 --> 00:21:16,760
but nothing like that.
266
00:21:16,760 --> 00:21:21,440
These cubs represent almost
1% of the entire wild
267
00:21:21,440 --> 00:21:23,680
Siberian tiger population.
268
00:21:23,680 --> 00:21:27,480
This really brings home
just how vulnerable this cat is.
269
00:21:28,560 --> 00:21:32,400
Is their behaviour slightly unusual
since they're so young?
270
00:21:32,400 --> 00:21:36,480
It is unusual. Usually a tiger
would be gone. They would bolt.
271
00:21:36,480 --> 00:21:39,560
They just don't hang around.
But they're young, inexperienced.
272
00:21:39,560 --> 00:21:43,000
They don't know they're supposed
to be afraid so they're just
all sat down together.
273
00:21:43,000 --> 00:21:45,000
Look at this,
there's two huddled together.
274
00:21:45,000 --> 00:21:47,400
Oh, my gosh, and that one is looking
really curiously.
275
00:21:47,400 --> 00:21:48,480
That is mind-blowing.
276
00:21:53,760 --> 00:22:00,240
One cub is safe, but two are still
out there without their mother.
277
00:22:07,920 --> 00:22:11,000
We assembled a team
to study Siberian tigers
278
00:22:11,000 --> 00:22:13,920
and to try to understand
why they're disappearing.
279
00:22:15,400 --> 00:22:18,840
But now we've got to split up
to help with the cub rescue.
280
00:22:22,320 --> 00:22:25,640
I'll continue to work with Victor
in the reserve
281
00:22:25,640 --> 00:22:29,280
and wildlife cameraman Max
is joining a search party
282
00:22:29,280 --> 00:22:31,760
looking for Businka's siblings.
283
00:22:31,760 --> 00:22:34,120
Well, it's a pretty
crazy day in Siberia.
284
00:22:34,120 --> 00:22:36,600
We literally dropped off our bags,
285
00:22:36,600 --> 00:22:39,800
grabbed the camera kit we could,
and came out here
286
00:22:39,800 --> 00:22:43,680
when we heard the story of the cubs
out here on their own.
287
00:22:44,760 --> 00:22:48,600
And we're just going to have to go
with the flow and see what happens.
288
00:22:49,840 --> 00:22:53,240
Max is with a crack team
of Russian rangers.
289
00:22:53,240 --> 00:22:55,480
Many are ex-military.
290
00:22:55,480 --> 00:22:59,080
They're experts in forest survival
and tracking.
291
00:22:59,080 --> 00:23:03,000
OK, looks like we're off. Are you
jumping in with us or are you...?
292
00:23:05,440 --> 00:23:09,080
They're heading to the spot
where the cubs were last seen.
293
00:23:19,480 --> 00:23:23,920
With every hour that passes, the
chance of finding them alive fades.
294
00:23:27,960 --> 00:23:30,920
So, look at this.
Tiger tracks all the way along here.
295
00:23:30,920 --> 00:23:34,280
Look at that. You can see
it's definitely one of our cubs.
296
00:23:34,280 --> 00:23:35,920
Small tracks.
297
00:23:35,920 --> 00:23:39,440
The guys are pretty sure
they probably bedded down overnight
298
00:23:39,440 --> 00:23:42,840
somewhere just up here, so I am
going to try and stay with them.
299
00:23:45,920 --> 00:23:48,480
These forests are dangerous.
300
00:23:48,480 --> 00:23:51,360
A rogue bear injured a hunter
here last night.
301
00:23:52,360 --> 00:23:54,800
I'm trying to stay behind
the guy with the gun
302
00:23:54,800 --> 00:23:57,440
because I think that's
the safest place to be.
303
00:23:57,440 --> 00:23:59,680
But I'm not sure
what I'm more scared of -
304
00:23:59,680 --> 00:24:03,200
this bear that apparently
someone's in hospital after being
305
00:24:03,200 --> 00:24:07,800
attacked by a bear, or the two tiger
cubs, and there's definitely
306
00:24:07,800 --> 00:24:10,800
tiger tracks all around here
so they could be pretty close.
307
00:24:17,560 --> 00:24:21,560
Sasha Rybin, a biologist from the
Wildlife Conservation Society
308
00:24:21,560 --> 00:24:23,920
has found an important sign.
309
00:24:23,920 --> 00:24:26,440
So what time do you think
they came through here then?
310
00:24:33,200 --> 00:24:35,760
What, the two tracks went
a different way?
311
00:24:38,360 --> 00:24:39,800
They're alone, yeah.
312
00:24:46,800 --> 00:24:49,320
The cubs have separated.
313
00:24:49,320 --> 00:24:52,920
Now they're on the trail
of just one.
314
00:25:10,960 --> 00:25:14,040
It's three or four o'clock now
so we're running out of light.
315
00:25:14,040 --> 00:25:16,880
I think they're talking
about calling it a day.
316
00:25:16,880 --> 00:25:19,000
But the two cubs have split up now.
317
00:25:19,000 --> 00:25:21,520
So they're having a bit
of an argument about which way
318
00:25:21,520 --> 00:25:22,760
to go at the moment!
319
00:25:24,600 --> 00:25:28,000
So, Sasha, we're not having much
luck. What are we going to do now?
320
00:25:34,760 --> 00:25:38,520
So there's poachers around here
who will shoot the cubs? Really?
321
00:25:38,520 --> 00:25:41,240
So you've got the find them
before the poachers? Yeah.
322
00:25:49,880 --> 00:25:53,440
With the light fading, the cubs
still haven't been found.
323
00:25:55,080 --> 00:25:59,720
The team hope they'll find them
tomorrow before the poachers do.
324
00:25:59,720 --> 00:26:02,120
Again, it's a stark reminder
that poaching is still
325
00:26:02,120 --> 00:26:04,280
as prevalent as ever, isn't it?
326
00:26:04,280 --> 00:26:10,720
Yeah, it's just an indicator that
poaching is really the major threat
327
00:26:10,720 --> 00:26:14,840
for tigers, not just here in Russia,
but really across all of Asia.
328
00:26:14,840 --> 00:26:16,840
It's the number one factor.
329
00:26:27,360 --> 00:26:29,800
Poaching hasn't always been
a problem.
330
00:26:31,080 --> 00:26:34,600
Back in the days of the Soviet
Union, stricter management
331
00:26:34,600 --> 00:26:38,880
of the landscape and its wildlife
saw tiger numbers rise.
332
00:26:40,920 --> 00:26:44,280
But when communism collapsed,
so did the economy.
333
00:26:54,280 --> 00:26:56,720
People turned to the
forests for food.
334
00:27:01,080 --> 00:27:04,320
As capitalism took hold,
borders opened
335
00:27:04,320 --> 00:27:08,760
and the illegal trade in animal
parts for Chinese medicine took off.
336
00:27:11,040 --> 00:27:16,120
A Siberian tiger carcass could be
worth up to $50,000.
337
00:27:19,080 --> 00:27:21,600
Tiger numbers declined dramatically.
338
00:27:26,400 --> 00:27:29,120
With tigers outside
the reserve at risk,
339
00:27:29,120 --> 00:27:32,360
it's vital that Ussuriysk's
population is breeding.
340
00:27:34,680 --> 00:27:37,240
But so far we've only found males.
341
00:27:44,160 --> 00:27:46,560
So it's going off the road,
into the forest.
342
00:27:46,560 --> 00:27:49,400
How old do you think?
Two days?
343
00:27:52,040 --> 00:27:54,920
Yeah, two days ago.
Definitely a male.
344
00:27:54,920 --> 00:27:58,240
Absolutely, I am sure
because it's big.
345
00:27:58,240 --> 00:28:01,080
Very big pugmark. OK.
346
00:28:02,600 --> 00:28:05,880
Going back onto the road.
Back onto the road, yes.
347
00:28:07,240 --> 00:28:10,760
So it does a loop. Oh, nice!
Nice pugmark.
348
00:28:10,760 --> 00:28:13,840
Oh, it's huge!
It's huge, yes.
349
00:28:13,840 --> 00:28:18,480
I mean, you can totally tell
the difference between that
350
00:28:18,480 --> 00:28:23,360
and a female pugmark,
much bigger than a female.
351
00:28:24,760 --> 00:28:27,400
In hope of confirming
which male it is,
352
00:28:27,400 --> 00:28:29,320
we check the nearest camera traps.
353
00:28:30,880 --> 00:28:34,400
OK, here we go.
Left, back. Here we go.
354
00:28:34,400 --> 00:28:35,920
SHE GASPS
355
00:28:38,360 --> 00:28:43,480
Ooh! Hang on a second.
It's stopped.
356
00:28:49,120 --> 00:28:50,600
Huge paws!
357
00:28:52,880 --> 00:28:54,720
It's Banzai again!
358
00:28:54,720 --> 00:28:57,080
He's using the eastern part
of the reserve
359
00:28:57,080 --> 00:28:59,920
where Victor has never found signs
of him before.
360
00:29:09,440 --> 00:29:11,080
Three in the afternoon,
361
00:29:11,080 --> 00:29:13,920
just strolling around
in the wide open area.
362
00:29:13,920 --> 00:29:17,640
He's beautiful, but he's not
the female the reserve needs.
363
00:29:22,640 --> 00:29:24,480
So what do we do next?
364
00:29:24,480 --> 00:29:25,880
More camera traps.
365
00:29:32,600 --> 00:29:36,040
Up north, Max is still looking
for the two orphaned cubs.
366
00:29:37,840 --> 00:29:41,440
They've been without their mother
for five days now.
367
00:29:41,440 --> 00:29:42,760
The trail has led him
368
00:29:42,760 --> 00:29:46,600
to a place where a BBC camera crew
are definitely not welcome.
369
00:29:49,680 --> 00:29:53,320
OK, this is slightly random,
slightly weird.
370
00:29:53,320 --> 00:29:55,960
We're at a Russian military base.
371
00:29:55,960 --> 00:29:58,600
It feels a bit like something
out of James Bond.
372
00:29:58,600 --> 00:30:01,440
But we've been told we've got
to put all the cameras away
373
00:30:01,440 --> 00:30:06,080
so we're just trying
to give a little update.
374
00:30:06,080 --> 00:30:11,760
Basically, one of the cubs has just
been seen in the military base
375
00:30:11,760 --> 00:30:15,480
so we've rushed over here,
but they've told us
376
00:30:15,480 --> 00:30:18,520
no English people are allowed
anywhere near
377
00:30:18,520 --> 00:30:22,720
this secret military base, so we're
just having to wait in the car.
378
00:30:22,720 --> 00:30:26,200
But it's definitely something out
of the Cold War.
379
00:30:26,200 --> 00:30:29,720
There's razor wire everywhere
380
00:30:29,720 --> 00:30:33,160
and the two guards on the post
in their Russian hats smoking away
381
00:30:33,160 --> 00:30:35,120
are looking over here
382
00:30:35,120 --> 00:30:38,600
so we should probably actually
put the camera away.
383
00:30:40,360 --> 00:30:43,920
Some of the Russian rangers
have been allowed inside the base.
384
00:30:43,920 --> 00:30:45,400
They've got the tiger?
385
00:30:45,400 --> 00:30:48,560
They did get the tiger.
Hang on a sec.
386
00:30:48,560 --> 00:30:50,400
SHE SPEAKS IN RUSSIAN
387
00:30:59,960 --> 00:31:01,720
Just go straight.
388
00:31:03,960 --> 00:31:05,440
Tiger!
389
00:31:11,320 --> 00:31:15,640
Somehow I'm now driving along,
trying to find the guys.
390
00:31:15,640 --> 00:31:19,440
Apparently they are 500 metres
down here but I don't know
391
00:31:19,440 --> 00:31:23,360
whether I'm just imagining things.
392
00:31:23,360 --> 00:31:25,480
Some soldiers are looking at us
393
00:31:25,480 --> 00:31:29,200
and we've got someone following us
now, it's all slightly bizarre.
394
00:31:31,840 --> 00:31:35,400
Where are we going now, left
or right? Turn right, turn right.
395
00:31:35,400 --> 00:31:37,720
So that car literally followed us
396
00:31:37,720 --> 00:31:40,800
until we left the zone.
And did they turn round?
397
00:31:40,800 --> 00:31:44,800
And then they turned round, yeah.
Is that them down there?
398
00:31:44,800 --> 00:31:47,280
Before Max's imagination
can run riot,
399
00:31:47,280 --> 00:31:50,520
they're overtaken by one
of the Rangers' jeeps.
400
00:31:50,520 --> 00:31:53,600
Follow these guys.
401
00:31:53,600 --> 00:31:56,440
Just trying to see
if they bring us to the tiger cub.
402
00:32:02,920 --> 00:32:05,960
Baptism of fire.
403
00:32:05,960 --> 00:32:08,800
Well, we're through anyway.
Congratulations.
404
00:32:10,840 --> 00:32:13,080
I guess
this is where the road ends.
405
00:32:13,080 --> 00:32:15,960
Here they are, look, look, look.
The guys with the tiger!
406
00:32:22,560 --> 00:32:26,480
To capture this second cub,
Sasha's had to sedate it.
407
00:32:28,120 --> 00:32:30,760
It's freezing and half-starved.
408
00:32:55,920 --> 00:32:57,240
It's just bones.
409
00:33:00,320 --> 00:33:02,840
Sasha's team have got
to get this male cub
410
00:33:02,840 --> 00:33:05,160
into the warmth
as quickly as possible.
411
00:33:30,280 --> 00:33:32,680
They're saying that he's,
you know, touch and go
412
00:33:32,680 --> 00:33:35,080
whether he'll make it
because he is so weak.
413
00:33:35,080 --> 00:33:38,880
He was obviously coming back in
to try and get some food
414
00:33:38,880 --> 00:33:41,960
and he's really just nothing
but skin and bones.
415
00:33:46,720 --> 00:33:49,960
The rehabilitation centre
is five hours away,
416
00:33:49,960 --> 00:33:52,800
so they have to improvise
at the nearest village.
417
00:33:54,880 --> 00:34:00,000
There's no vet here and the cub
needs a warm, dark place to recover.
418
00:34:03,960 --> 00:34:07,840
The only solution is
a cupboard in a local house.
419
00:34:26,120 --> 00:34:29,120
This is animal hospital,
Siberian-style.
420
00:34:48,400 --> 00:34:52,880
Sasha's team have done all
they can do to help the second cub.
421
00:34:52,880 --> 00:34:56,760
Now they must wait to see
if they caught it in time.
422
00:35:08,680 --> 00:35:10,200
Back in Ussuriysk,
423
00:35:10,200 --> 00:35:13,040
we've been scouring
the reserve for tiger tracks.
424
00:35:15,600 --> 00:35:18,920
But we still haven't found
any sign of females.
425
00:35:18,920 --> 00:35:20,360
Oh, my gosh!
426
00:35:23,920 --> 00:35:27,080
Now that's a beauty,
that looks... Is that a front?
427
00:35:27,080 --> 00:35:30,120
That looks like a front.
Looks...yes.
428
00:35:31,240 --> 00:35:34,800
The size and shape of this track
looks promising.
429
00:35:36,600 --> 00:35:40,240
This camera we put up is very close
to that pugmark we saw.
430
00:35:40,240 --> 00:35:44,120
So we're going to see whether
there's footage of a tiger on it.
431
00:35:44,120 --> 00:35:46,920
Shall we put it on Victor's
little computer?
432
00:35:54,760 --> 00:35:57,520
Oh, are you nervous? Yes.
433
00:35:58,960 --> 00:36:01,160
Oh, what was that, what was it?
434
00:36:01,160 --> 00:36:03,360
She was here, there was, she was!
435
00:36:03,360 --> 00:36:04,760
Was it...?
436
00:36:04,760 --> 00:36:06,840
She was here.
437
00:36:06,840 --> 00:36:08,720
This is great news.
438
00:36:08,720 --> 00:36:09,960
Oh, my God!
439
00:36:09,960 --> 00:36:13,120
It's a tigress
Victor has collared before.
440
00:36:13,120 --> 00:36:15,800
We just got Serga on video,
play again.
441
00:36:17,800 --> 00:36:19,640
We got Serga on film.
442
00:36:20,920 --> 00:36:25,200
Just beautiful, just watching her
move just makes your eyes water.
443
00:36:25,200 --> 00:36:27,320
Oh, my gosh.
444
00:36:28,400 --> 00:36:31,920
Shake my hand. I am so happy.
445
00:36:31,920 --> 00:36:33,880
Are you happy? I am happy.
446
00:36:33,880 --> 00:36:35,920
We need to drink vodka tonight.
447
00:36:36,960 --> 00:36:40,240
This is our most important discovery
so far.
448
00:36:46,920 --> 00:36:51,560
It means the males are less likely
to disperse into unprotected areas.
449
00:36:53,600 --> 00:36:58,080
And Serga could have cubs,
the future of this reserve.
450
00:37:07,880 --> 00:37:11,480
Up north, the tiger in the cupboard
has come round.
451
00:37:13,320 --> 00:37:18,160
The Rangers have named him Kuzya,
and he's woken up hungry.
452
00:37:22,280 --> 00:37:24,280
HE GROWLS
453
00:37:27,920 --> 00:37:31,400
Sasha wants to transport him
to the rehabilitation centre.
454
00:37:31,400 --> 00:37:34,880
A piece of meat lures him
into the crate.
455
00:37:39,720 --> 00:37:43,120
It's his first meal
in nearly a week.
456
00:37:55,400 --> 00:37:59,200
In a few hours,
he'll be reunited with his sister.
457
00:38:02,680 --> 00:38:06,560
Two precious tiger cubs
have been saved.
458
00:38:06,560 --> 00:38:10,960
The last one could still
be alive out there,
459
00:38:10,960 --> 00:38:14,160
alone and fighting for its life.
460
00:38:21,160 --> 00:38:25,400
The next day, Kuzya has arrived
at the rehabilitation centre.
461
00:38:25,400 --> 00:38:29,280
He's been placed in an enclosure
with his sister.
462
00:38:29,280 --> 00:38:31,640
If they're ever to be released
into the wild,
463
00:38:31,640 --> 00:38:34,480
they must have minimal
human contact.
464
00:38:34,480 --> 00:38:37,000
But a camera allows me
to check how they are.
465
00:38:37,000 --> 00:38:39,240
Take a look at this.
466
00:39:03,600 --> 00:39:06,920
But look at that face,
look at that face.
467
00:39:06,920 --> 00:39:09,440
A wild Siberian tiger,
468
00:39:09,440 --> 00:39:13,560
just the most beautiful thing alive.
469
00:39:17,080 --> 00:39:20,160
I would give anything to be
in there having a look
470
00:39:20,160 --> 00:39:25,960
but obviously this is all about
making sure that these little fellas
471
00:39:25,960 --> 00:39:30,440
who are only four months old
can survive rehabilitation
472
00:39:30,440 --> 00:39:32,840
and can be released
in about a year's time.
473
00:39:32,840 --> 00:39:36,320
To be able to fear man
and to hunt properly
474
00:39:36,320 --> 00:39:39,360
and to be as wild
as they possibly can
475
00:39:39,360 --> 00:39:42,400
at this early stage of their lives.
476
00:39:50,520 --> 00:39:54,640
And ever so slowly,
the second cub comes up.
477
00:40:01,560 --> 00:40:05,560
It really is lovely to think that
two of the cubs have been reunited
478
00:40:05,560 --> 00:40:10,640
and hopefully, fingers crossed,
if everything goes well up north,
479
00:40:10,640 --> 00:40:14,880
they'll able to bring the third cub
to join its siblings.
480
00:40:21,600 --> 00:40:24,440
And right now it's about getting
them to relax a little bit
481
00:40:24,440 --> 00:40:26,560
because they've really gone
through a lot.
482
00:40:26,560 --> 00:40:32,160
It's vital to just get them to calm
and to feed and to drink water.
483
00:40:37,880 --> 00:40:41,320
These cubs needed to stay with
their mother for up to two years
484
00:40:41,320 --> 00:40:43,160
to learn vital survival skills.
485
00:40:45,240 --> 00:40:47,000
Orphaned at just four months,
486
00:40:47,000 --> 00:40:49,320
Businka and Kuzya will need
a lot of help
487
00:40:49,320 --> 00:40:52,480
to prepare them
for release next spring.
488
00:40:52,480 --> 00:40:55,720
There's no guarantee it'll work.
489
00:40:59,280 --> 00:41:02,640
For now, they're in safe hands.
490
00:41:02,640 --> 00:41:06,120
I head back to the reserve
to help Victor,
491
00:41:06,120 --> 00:41:09,080
and Max has started searching
for the last cub.
492
00:41:13,920 --> 00:41:16,320
This is a bit of a challenge now.
493
00:41:25,880 --> 00:41:30,000
He may well have already died
but we can't give up hope.
494
00:41:30,000 --> 00:41:32,280
Every one of these tigers counts.
495
00:41:32,280 --> 00:41:35,120
There's only 400 left in the wild
496
00:41:35,120 --> 00:41:39,200
and if we can get these three cubs
down to the rehab centre,
497
00:41:39,200 --> 00:41:43,680
who knows, one day they may be
released back into these forests.
498
00:41:56,040 --> 00:41:58,200
We are going to have
to leave the truck here
499
00:41:58,200 --> 00:42:00,520
because that is definitely going
to go through the ice.
500
00:42:00,520 --> 00:42:02,960
You can see over here
little pools of water.
501
00:42:05,840 --> 00:42:07,560
Tiger track.
502
00:42:07,560 --> 00:42:13,800
You can see, look. Bit of snow on
top so it's probably from yesterday.
503
00:42:14,960 --> 00:42:17,400
Has he gone across the river, Sasha?
504
00:42:17,400 --> 00:42:21,280
Is he trying to lose us?
Look at this guy!
505
00:42:40,560 --> 00:42:45,280
The rangers have marched ten miles
today and show no sign of easing up.
506
00:42:48,080 --> 00:42:51,000
I've no idea what these Russians
had for breakfast but, look,
507
00:42:51,000 --> 00:42:53,560
they have either got much
longer legs than me...
508
00:42:53,560 --> 00:42:56,680
They're walking along,
I'm virtually jogging
509
00:42:56,680 --> 00:42:59,400
and I can't bloody
catch up with them!
510
00:43:02,080 --> 00:43:05,200
There's a reason
the Russians are moving so fast.
511
00:43:08,200 --> 00:43:11,160
They've got to try and catch this
last cub before tonight.
512
00:43:11,160 --> 00:43:14,880
Basically, the snow's coming in
for three days, a massive storm
513
00:43:14,880 --> 00:43:18,120
and they don't think it will survive
out here. The last cub
514
00:43:18,120 --> 00:43:21,200
we picked up was just skin
and bones, they haven't eaten
515
00:43:21,200 --> 00:43:24,480
for ten days now, and so we're just
going to keep following.
516
00:43:24,480 --> 00:43:26,680
We've got to get him
by the end of the day.
517
00:43:29,080 --> 00:43:32,960
After seven exhausting hours,
the tracks lead them
518
00:43:32,960 --> 00:43:35,000
back where they started.
519
00:43:35,000 --> 00:43:38,920
These tracks are going towards where
we caught the one yesterday so...
520
00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:47,800
So we might have done one big
circle. Yeah, unfortunately.
521
00:43:53,720 --> 00:43:57,320
Oh, what a day!
The weather is closing in now.
522
00:43:57,320 --> 00:43:59,160
You can see the clouds and snow,
523
00:43:59,160 --> 00:44:02,520
heavy snow is forecast.
524
00:44:02,520 --> 00:44:08,280
So we really have a race
against time to find this last cub
525
00:44:08,280 --> 00:44:13,240
and get him down to join his brother
and sister
526
00:44:13,240 --> 00:44:17,240
before he just perishes in the cold.
527
00:44:31,440 --> 00:44:35,360
While Max is searching
for the last cub up north,
528
00:44:35,360 --> 00:44:38,120
I'm in Ussuriysk
helping Victor.
529
00:44:38,120 --> 00:44:42,840
We've only found one female
in the reserve, Serga.
530
00:44:44,360 --> 00:44:47,520
From studying the camera trap
footage, Victor thinks
531
00:44:47,520 --> 00:44:50,520
there's a chance that Serga
could be pregnant.
532
00:44:50,520 --> 00:44:53,680
To find out, we need
a different type of evidence,
533
00:44:53,680 --> 00:44:55,920
so we're following her trail.
534
00:44:58,160 --> 00:45:01,520
Perfect pugmark,
perfect pugmarks in the snow.
535
00:45:06,080 --> 00:45:09,120
An experienced tracker like Victor
can piece together
536
00:45:09,120 --> 00:45:12,080
a tiger's story in the snow.
537
00:45:12,080 --> 00:45:14,040
Wait, wait. Yeah, yeah.
538
00:45:14,040 --> 00:45:16,160
Wait, wait, wait.
Wait, wait, wait.
539
00:45:16,160 --> 00:45:21,440
Because she can go here,
because these tracks.
540
00:45:24,280 --> 00:45:26,240
Ah, she's OK.
541
00:45:26,240 --> 00:45:29,560
Well, what are they, they look
like tiger tracks? It's OK.
542
00:45:29,560 --> 00:45:33,040
It's her going this way, she went
off here for a bit though, huh?
543
00:45:33,040 --> 00:45:36,040
These tracks are 36 hours old,
544
00:45:36,040 --> 00:45:39,200
but Victor can still gain
a lot of information.
545
00:45:39,200 --> 00:45:41,200
So where has she gone now?
546
00:45:41,200 --> 00:45:44,000
We will see, don't worry.
We will find.
547
00:45:44,000 --> 00:45:48,200
I'm getting impatient.
Learn from the master.
548
00:45:54,440 --> 00:45:58,960
Victor, this is going that way.
Yes.
549
00:45:58,960 --> 00:46:01,160
This is going that way.
550
00:46:01,160 --> 00:46:05,520
I tell you that she turn
back in the same.
551
00:46:05,520 --> 00:46:07,520
She walked back in her
own footsteps.
552
00:46:07,520 --> 00:46:09,360
Is the same track. Why?
553
00:46:09,360 --> 00:46:12,400
And she put
the legs in the same...
554
00:46:12,400 --> 00:46:16,240
Unbelievable. So this pugmark,
there's the pad, there are the toes.
555
00:46:16,240 --> 00:46:17,680
Liz, we'll stay here.
556
00:46:17,680 --> 00:46:18,920
She's going this way.
557
00:46:18,920 --> 00:46:21,360
This lady walked back in her
own footsteps.
558
00:46:21,360 --> 00:46:23,360
Why would a tiger bother to do that?
559
00:46:23,360 --> 00:46:25,200
Victor has the answer.
560
00:46:27,040 --> 00:46:32,760
Look! She sleep here.
She was sleeping here.
561
00:46:32,760 --> 00:46:34,440
Oh, God, Victor.
562
00:46:34,440 --> 00:46:38,360
Serga left the track to find
a place to sleep.
563
00:46:38,360 --> 00:46:41,000
It is the tail,
it sleep here, it's the... Head.
564
00:46:41,000 --> 00:46:44,920
The head is here.
Look, paws? Yes, yes.
565
00:46:47,680 --> 00:46:50,880
It's amazing, just amazing.
566
00:46:50,880 --> 00:46:54,920
Because Serga's spent the night
here, she may have left
567
00:46:54,920 --> 00:46:58,920
evidence which could tell us
about her breeding condition.
568
00:47:00,120 --> 00:47:02,000
OK.
569
00:47:02,000 --> 00:47:07,040
Now I'm going to do a urine
sample in this one, yes?
570
00:47:07,040 --> 00:47:10,600
Yes, yes.
You have a pen for marking?
571
00:47:10,600 --> 00:47:13,280
Analysing this frozen urine
sample could answer
572
00:47:13,280 --> 00:47:16,400
whether Serga is pregnant.
573
00:47:20,840 --> 00:47:24,680
Following her tracks uphill
reveals more clues.
574
00:47:26,120 --> 00:47:30,400
Look. Here she stayed like a dog.
575
00:47:30,400 --> 00:47:32,040
Ooooh!
576
00:47:32,040 --> 00:47:34,480
She was looking for her prey.
577
00:47:34,480 --> 00:47:39,720
She sat on her hind legs
and she looked over her kingdom!
578
00:47:42,000 --> 00:47:47,280
In Russian, this position, the name
position sphinx.
579
00:47:47,280 --> 00:47:49,520
Sphinx! The Sphinx position.
580
00:47:49,520 --> 00:47:54,200
Not to be disgusting but that's
part of, you know, faecal matter,
581
00:47:54,200 --> 00:47:57,200
which indicates that she's old,
do you think?
582
00:47:57,200 --> 00:48:00,280
I think the female is old.
583
00:48:00,280 --> 00:48:02,040
She's old.
584
00:48:02,040 --> 00:48:04,320
It's bad news.
585
00:48:04,320 --> 00:48:08,280
Incontinence can be a sign
of illness or old age.
586
00:48:09,720 --> 00:48:13,520
Victor is beginning to suspect
that Serga will not have cubs again,
587
00:48:13,520 --> 00:48:19,240
which would leave this important
reserve without a breeding female.
588
00:48:26,360 --> 00:48:29,600
Back up north, Max is still
searching for the missing cub.
589
00:48:29,600 --> 00:48:35,160
A blizzard has begun
and hope is fading fast.
590
00:48:38,040 --> 00:48:39,960
Snowed about two foot overnight
591
00:48:39,960 --> 00:48:43,000
and I've got no idea what the cub's
doing in this weather.
592
00:48:43,000 --> 00:48:46,600
Sasha's really worried that unless
it's really hunkered down,
593
00:48:46,600 --> 00:48:49,800
it's going to die because
it's just skin and bones.
594
00:48:49,800 --> 00:48:53,480
Look at this, I mean it's...
Yesterday there was next to no snow
595
00:48:53,480 --> 00:48:56,560
and now it's almost up to my knees.
596
00:48:56,560 --> 00:49:00,000
It means that all the tracks
are covered up, we've got no idea
597
00:49:00,000 --> 00:49:02,640
where the cub is and we're going
to have to wait
598
00:49:02,640 --> 00:49:05,880
until someone sees, if we hear
any news that someone sees
599
00:49:05,880 --> 00:49:09,080
any tiger tracks,
but it's not looking good.
600
00:49:15,560 --> 00:49:20,080
Sasha, do you think in this weather
the cub is going to have any chance?
601
00:49:20,080 --> 00:49:23,560
Chance for what? Surviving.
602
00:49:23,560 --> 00:49:25,240
It's not nice, is it?
603
00:49:46,520 --> 00:49:49,320
In these conditions, finding tracks
of the last cub
604
00:49:49,320 --> 00:49:51,360
is virtually impossible.
605
00:49:56,280 --> 00:49:58,480
I suppose they could be covered
up already!
606
00:49:58,480 --> 00:50:00,720
Any track could be covered already.
607
00:50:03,360 --> 00:50:06,000
All they can do is wait
for the blizzard to clear.
608
00:50:11,320 --> 00:50:13,760
It's not looking good
for this last cub.
609
00:50:13,760 --> 00:50:15,880
We've been working the roads
all day,
610
00:50:15,880 --> 00:50:17,600
getting stuck in the vehicles
611
00:50:17,600 --> 00:50:21,040
and looking for fresh tracks
to no avail.
612
00:50:22,440 --> 00:50:24,920
The snow is up to my waist in places
613
00:50:24,920 --> 00:50:29,160
and I think any cub trying to move
around in this would need a snorkel.
614
00:50:29,160 --> 00:50:32,000
It's really a race against time now.
615
00:50:32,000 --> 00:50:35,600
Sasha thinks that the cub's
probably got another 24 hours,
616
00:50:35,600 --> 00:50:41,760
if that, before it's just going
to die of cold and exhaustion.
617
00:50:41,760 --> 00:50:46,120
It probably hasn't eaten
for eight to ten days now.
618
00:50:46,120 --> 00:50:48,240
We can only hope,
and just really hope,
619
00:50:48,240 --> 00:50:50,880
we catch up with him in the morning.
620
00:50:59,520 --> 00:51:02,240
Let's check this one.
621
00:51:02,240 --> 00:51:05,880
Back in Ussuriysk, I'm checking
the latest camera trap footage
622
00:51:05,880 --> 00:51:07,960
with Victor and Dale.
623
00:51:07,960 --> 00:51:10,320
OK, here we go. Left.
624
00:51:10,320 --> 00:51:13,440
Fox! Oh, wow, nice.
625
00:51:13,440 --> 00:51:15,560
Beauty. What's he hunting, Victor?
626
00:51:15,560 --> 00:51:18,720
It's a mouse or squirrel.
627
00:51:18,720 --> 00:51:21,160
Look at that, here we go,
here we go.
628
00:51:23,640 --> 00:51:25,840
That's brilliant! I love that.
629
00:51:25,840 --> 00:51:28,080
Oh, my gosh, he's gorgeous.
630
00:51:28,080 --> 00:51:30,080
Nice deer action.
631
00:51:30,080 --> 00:51:34,840
One, two, three...oh, and a fourth
one. Good reproduction here.
632
00:51:34,840 --> 00:51:37,960
This is great, a nice big
group of red deer.
633
00:51:37,960 --> 00:51:40,200
You usually don't see them
in such big groups.
634
00:51:43,120 --> 00:51:45,000
They're all very healthy.
635
00:51:49,200 --> 00:51:54,080
Then these superb daytime shots
of Serga, our resident female.
636
00:51:54,080 --> 00:51:55,840
Victor!
637
00:52:06,360 --> 00:52:08,880
Serga is the only female
Victor has confirmed
638
00:52:08,880 --> 00:52:12,400
here in Ussuriysk in the last year.
639
00:52:17,000 --> 00:52:20,080
The reserve should act
as a breeding ground,
640
00:52:20,080 --> 00:52:25,360
bridging the last populations of
Siberian tigers on each side of it.
641
00:52:27,200 --> 00:52:30,560
Ussuriysk badly needs
a fertile female.
642
00:52:32,240 --> 00:52:35,080
But so far, it's not looking good.
643
00:52:36,840 --> 00:52:40,360
So Victor has been looking
at the camera trap footage of Serga
644
00:52:40,360 --> 00:52:43,040
in more detail and also based
on her behaviour
645
00:52:43,040 --> 00:52:46,160
as we're tracking her, he's pretty
sure that she's not pregnant,
646
00:52:46,160 --> 00:52:48,320
and obviously that's really bad news
647
00:52:48,320 --> 00:52:54,040
and you know Serga is old now,
I mean, she may not breed again,
648
00:52:54,040 --> 00:52:57,240
so the outlook really isn't good
unless Victor can find
649
00:52:57,240 --> 00:53:01,400
evidence of other breeding females
in this protected area.
650
00:53:01,400 --> 00:53:04,400
So really it's hugely important
to put all our efforts
651
00:53:04,400 --> 00:53:08,200
into finding out whether there are
any other females in the reserve.
652
00:53:08,200 --> 00:53:10,440
That is really the key now.
653
00:53:11,760 --> 00:53:15,040
Up north, the blizzard has cleared.
654
00:53:15,040 --> 00:53:19,600
Max has lost hope that
the third cub is still alive.
655
00:53:19,600 --> 00:53:22,960
Then, a local reports something
worth checking out.
656
00:53:28,320 --> 00:53:31,440
OK, this is the area
we were driving around in yesterday
657
00:53:31,440 --> 00:53:34,600
and we couldn't see any fresh
tracks, then the guys have
658
00:53:34,600 --> 00:53:37,480
seen this track probably from last
night coming across the road.
659
00:53:39,080 --> 00:53:42,440
Dale has travelled up overnight
to lend his expertise.
660
00:53:42,440 --> 00:53:45,200
So we've driven around,
driven a circle around
661
00:53:45,200 --> 00:53:48,640
this little island of habitat
and we know the tracks didn't go
662
00:53:48,640 --> 00:53:52,520
out of that circle, so that at least
right now this cub is in this area,
663
00:53:52,520 --> 00:53:55,720
about a kilometre wide by three or
four kilometres long.
664
00:54:00,000 --> 00:54:04,920
From a distance, it almost looks
like a human track from the road,
665
00:54:04,920 --> 00:54:09,480
but you can see getting closer,
paw prints, look at that.
666
00:54:09,480 --> 00:54:11,640
That's definitely a tiger.
667
00:54:17,240 --> 00:54:19,480
There's a whole series
of tracks in here,
668
00:54:19,480 --> 00:54:24,360
trying to make sense of them. He's
done a number of circles in here.
669
00:54:30,680 --> 00:54:32,720
Look, tiger, tiger.
670
00:54:39,400 --> 00:54:40,840
What's happening, Dale?
671
00:54:40,840 --> 00:54:43,880
OK. We've got the cub down here.
You've got the cub.
672
00:54:43,880 --> 00:54:46,600
It's a tiger. OK.
673
00:54:48,560 --> 00:54:50,160
What's going on?
674
00:54:53,440 --> 00:54:56,480
OK, it's right underneath the snow,
right there, see?
675
00:54:56,480 --> 00:54:58,120
Siberian tiger cub just here.
676
00:55:00,640 --> 00:55:02,480
It's coming out!
It's coming out.
677
00:55:19,440 --> 00:55:23,400
Out here, sticks are the only way to
capture the cub without hurting it.
678
00:55:29,560 --> 00:55:32,320
We've got the last cub,
it's so good to see him alive.
679
00:55:32,320 --> 00:55:34,280
They're just immobilising him now.
680
00:55:34,280 --> 00:55:36,680
I can't believe he's seen it
through the storm.
681
00:55:38,360 --> 00:55:42,400
And I'm this close to a growling
cub. He's moving a bit.
682
00:55:42,400 --> 00:55:43,680
He's moving.
683
00:55:46,240 --> 00:55:49,080
The cub is given a calming sedative.
684
00:55:49,080 --> 00:55:52,520
Just waiting for the drug
to take effect.
685
00:55:52,520 --> 00:55:54,200
It can take up to ten minutes.
686
00:55:54,200 --> 00:55:57,200
When there's this many
people around, it's more stress,
687
00:55:57,200 --> 00:56:00,400
it's harder for the drug
to take effect, he's fighting it.
688
00:56:05,160 --> 00:56:08,600
I just can't quite believe
we've got him.
689
00:56:08,600 --> 00:56:11,200
You know, every one of these cubs
is so important,
690
00:56:11,200 --> 00:56:12,880
there's only 400 in the wild
691
00:56:12,880 --> 00:56:15,280
and we really thought
he'd died, this one.
692
00:56:15,280 --> 00:56:20,400
I don't know how he lasted
for about ten days on his own.
693
00:56:20,400 --> 00:56:23,840
Without his mother,
without his brother and his sister,
694
00:56:23,840 --> 00:56:27,080
and now hopefully he can join them
at the rehab centre.
695
00:56:27,080 --> 00:56:29,120
and one day come back into the wild.
696
00:56:45,360 --> 00:56:49,200
This is great. This is what
we wanted. To get this guy.
697
00:56:49,200 --> 00:56:51,600
He's got a second chance now.
698
00:56:51,600 --> 00:56:54,280
Which is all we can do,
give him a second chance.
699
00:57:08,840 --> 00:57:11,200
The sedative stops the cub
from blinking.
700
00:57:11,200 --> 00:57:14,800
A gel protects its eyes
from drying out.
701
00:57:20,760 --> 00:57:23,440
They've got to get
this weak cub somewhere warm
702
00:57:23,440 --> 00:57:25,520
as quickly as possible.
703
00:57:39,800 --> 00:57:42,960
This tiger's life
is hanging by a thread.
704
00:57:50,040 --> 00:57:51,760
Next time.
705
00:57:53,400 --> 00:57:56,040
We find out
if the last cub survives.
706
00:57:59,520 --> 00:58:02,120
We step up the search
for breeding tigers.
707
00:58:04,560 --> 00:58:08,680
Just to get one glimpse, you know,
just a flash of orange.
708
00:58:10,480 --> 00:58:15,680
And we investigate how we can save
the Siberian tiger.
709
00:58:47,030 --> 00:58:48,710
Deep in the frozen forests of Russia
710
00:58:48,710 --> 00:58:50,910
lives a predator.
711
00:58:50,910 --> 00:58:53,750
It's one of the world's
rarest animals -
712
00:58:53,750 --> 00:58:56,030
the Siberian tiger.
713
00:58:57,030 --> 00:58:58,550
He's right in there. Right there.
714
00:58:58,550 --> 00:59:00,470
Less than 300 metres.
715
00:59:01,710 --> 00:59:04,670
Only a handful of
pioneering scientists
716
00:59:04,670 --> 00:59:06,990
have ever seen one in the wild.
717
00:59:09,630 --> 00:59:13,070
These Russians are tough, and they
know this place, and they're fast.
718
00:59:13,070 --> 00:59:19,390
Now, an international team are on
the trail of this elusive big cat.
719
00:59:21,670 --> 00:59:23,790
Clearly, you're looking at
a Siberian tiger.
720
00:59:23,790 --> 00:59:27,910
They're working in one of
the planet's coldest places.
721
00:59:31,590 --> 00:59:34,830
This is a lawless wilderness...
722
00:59:34,830 --> 00:59:36,630
It's an illegal rifle.
723
00:59:36,630 --> 00:59:41,470
..where tiger and man
compete to survive.
724
00:59:41,470 --> 00:59:44,350
I'm Liz Bonnin.
I'm trying to uncover
725
00:59:44,350 --> 00:59:48,870
the hidden world of this remarkable
animal for the first time.
726
00:59:50,990 --> 00:59:55,510
Revealing the untold story
of Siberia's snow tigers.
727
01:00:18,670 --> 01:00:21,870
I've studied Bengal tigers
in India and Nepal.
728
01:00:21,870 --> 01:00:23,550
But the Siberian tiger,
729
01:00:23,550 --> 01:00:26,390
and its habitat here
in the Russian Far East,
730
01:00:26,390 --> 01:00:27,910
are completely new to me.
731
01:00:30,310 --> 01:00:34,910
Siberian tigers once ranged
across Northern Asia.
732
01:00:36,750 --> 01:00:39,030
Now the remaining few live here,
733
01:00:39,030 --> 01:00:40,630
in the Russian Far East.
734
01:00:43,350 --> 01:00:47,950
Scientists think there are now
less than 350 in the wild.
735
01:00:51,830 --> 01:00:54,990
I'm part of a research team
trying to document the lives
736
01:00:54,990 --> 01:00:57,830
of individual Siberian tigers.
737
01:00:59,110 --> 01:01:02,150
They roam over vast areas of forest.
738
01:01:04,830 --> 01:01:08,230
We've been on the trail of
a few important tigers...
739
01:01:09,870 --> 01:01:11,510
..but we discovered a problem.
740
01:01:13,110 --> 01:01:14,510
In a vital stronghold,
741
01:01:14,510 --> 01:01:17,390
we found male tigers...
742
01:01:19,070 --> 01:01:21,070
..but no breeding females.
743
01:01:23,070 --> 01:01:25,510
We began the hunt for
female tigers...
744
01:01:27,510 --> 01:01:31,190
..but our mission was interrupted
by tragic circumstances.
745
01:01:33,470 --> 01:01:36,670
Three Siberian tiger cubs
lost their mother.
746
01:01:43,510 --> 01:01:46,510
Two of the orphan cubs were saved.
747
01:01:46,510 --> 01:01:48,470
Wow, a tiger!
748
01:01:48,470 --> 01:01:51,310
But the third was found
with only hours to live.
749
01:01:53,030 --> 01:01:55,190
He's struggling a bit.
He's struggling. Watch out!
750
01:01:58,830 --> 01:02:01,870
This is great, this is what
we wanted, to get this guy.
751
01:02:15,350 --> 01:02:20,110
The cub is so weak,
they need to act fast to save him.
752
01:02:31,070 --> 01:02:34,990
With no clinic nearby, they take him
to a house in a local village.
753
01:02:38,670 --> 01:02:41,270
A bedroom becomes
a makeshift surgery.
754
01:02:48,350 --> 01:02:51,230
Dr Dale Miquelle has been
working with Siberian tigers
755
01:02:51,230 --> 01:02:53,270
for over 20 years.
756
01:02:56,350 --> 01:02:58,990
He's dehydrated,
so we just want to get a drip in
757
01:02:58,990 --> 01:03:01,230
until we get some fluids back
into him. It'll also help
758
01:03:01,230 --> 01:03:03,030
warm him up,
to get some warm fluids into him,
759
01:03:03,030 --> 01:03:05,070
just to get him rehydrated,
basically.
760
01:03:06,670 --> 01:03:08,710
Cameraman Max Hug Williams
761
01:03:08,710 --> 01:03:11,950
tracked this cub with rangers
for over a week.
762
01:03:13,390 --> 01:03:15,030
When we first came up here,
763
01:03:15,030 --> 01:03:17,350
I didn't really know what to expect.
764
01:03:17,350 --> 01:03:19,310
But following these guys around,
765
01:03:19,310 --> 01:03:20,910
it's just unbelievable.
766
01:03:20,910 --> 01:03:23,350
They literally give up everything
for this species.
767
01:03:23,350 --> 01:03:26,030
You get pretty choked up
when you see these guys
768
01:03:26,030 --> 01:03:28,550
marching through the forest,
and you think, you know,
769
01:03:28,550 --> 01:03:31,670
they're like
something out of the military
770
01:03:31,670 --> 01:03:35,590
but then, deep down, they're
doing all of this for a tiger.
771
01:03:39,590 --> 01:03:42,270
It's a problem because
his pulse is really weak.
772
01:03:44,670 --> 01:03:47,910
The cub is so dehydrated,
they can't use a drip.
773
01:03:51,550 --> 01:03:54,150
So it's not in the vein. No.
774
01:04:00,390 --> 01:04:03,150
Now we're trying to warm him up
with a hot water bottle here.
775
01:04:07,230 --> 01:04:10,030
Heart is racing,
but there's not good circulation.
776
01:04:11,670 --> 01:04:14,110
So this animal is fighting for
its life right now.
777
01:04:25,950 --> 01:04:29,550
(The guys are frantically
trying to get some fluids in
because he's so dehydrated.)
778
01:04:32,270 --> 01:04:33,790
His temperature's gone up a lot.
779
01:04:33,790 --> 01:04:38,910
It was 95.5 and now it's 99.2,
780
01:04:38,910 --> 01:04:40,710
so in the last half hour,
781
01:04:40,710 --> 01:04:43,150
it's gone up four degrees.
782
01:04:52,110 --> 01:04:53,990
He's coming round!
He's coming round!
783
01:04:53,990 --> 01:04:56,150
He's waking up from the anaesthetic,
784
01:04:56,150 --> 01:04:58,870
but it's still uncertain
if he'll survive.
785
01:05:00,550 --> 01:05:03,350
The team have done
all they can, for now.
786
01:05:09,390 --> 01:05:11,790
While we wait to find out his fate,
787
01:05:11,790 --> 01:05:14,430
we return to our main mission.
788
01:05:14,430 --> 01:05:16,590
The reason we've come to Russia.
789
01:05:18,790 --> 01:05:20,550
We're here to find out
790
01:05:20,550 --> 01:05:22,790
what Siberian tigers need,
791
01:05:22,790 --> 01:05:25,470
if they're to have a future
in the wild.
792
01:05:28,910 --> 01:05:32,950
The lack of breeding females here
is a major problem
793
01:05:32,950 --> 01:05:35,670
and something that Dale
is concerned about.
794
01:05:37,830 --> 01:05:40,830
He's collaborating with
Dr Victor Lukarevsky,
795
01:05:40,830 --> 01:05:44,870
who's been studying tigers
in the crucial Ussuriysk Reserve.
796
01:05:47,350 --> 01:05:52,190
It's likely this tiger's right on
this, this bear that he dragged off.
797
01:05:52,190 --> 01:05:55,270
Of the remaining Siberian tigers,
798
01:05:55,270 --> 01:05:59,910
they believe only 100
are females of breeding age.
799
01:06:04,030 --> 01:06:08,070
Reserves like Ussuriysk
are essential tiger nurseries.
800
01:06:10,150 --> 01:06:13,990
These protected areas
have become havens for tigers
801
01:06:13,990 --> 01:06:16,590
to be able to reproduce in safety,
802
01:06:16,590 --> 01:06:21,150
and produce as many tiger cubs
as they can, as often as they can.
803
01:06:21,150 --> 01:06:24,870
And then those tiger cubs
are dispersed
804
01:06:24,870 --> 01:06:29,190
into the larger
and less safe habitat.
805
01:06:31,190 --> 01:06:34,070
The problem is, Ussuriysk only has
806
01:06:34,070 --> 01:06:36,550
one resident female, Serga,
807
01:06:36,550 --> 01:06:39,550
and she's too old to breed.
808
01:06:39,550 --> 01:06:44,230
Without a fertile female,
the male tigers will leave,
809
01:06:44,230 --> 01:06:46,550
and the reserve's population
will collapse.
810
01:06:48,870 --> 01:06:51,430
But Victor has found something
that gives us hope.
811
01:06:52,430 --> 01:06:54,790
Photographs from camera traps
812
01:06:54,790 --> 01:06:57,950
can be used to identify individuals.
813
01:06:57,950 --> 01:07:02,710
Tiger stripes are like fingerprints,
unique to each animal.
814
01:07:02,710 --> 01:07:06,550
This photograph has just been
analysed and it's not Serga.
815
01:07:07,790 --> 01:07:09,550
It's her daughter.
816
01:07:09,550 --> 01:07:11,950
This is Princess.
Oh, my gosh, look at that.
817
01:07:11,950 --> 01:07:15,710
This is 22 November last year.
818
01:07:15,710 --> 01:07:17,350
So, 22nd November? 22nd, yes.
819
01:07:17,350 --> 01:07:19,190
So two months ago, basically.
820
01:07:19,190 --> 01:07:21,790
It's two or three months ago.
So before that,
821
01:07:21,790 --> 01:07:25,230
you hadn't had footage of Princess
for a year, is that right?
822
01:07:25,230 --> 01:07:29,230
Yes. A year,
we have no information from her
823
01:07:29,230 --> 01:07:32,990
and I thought that she is...
824
01:07:32,990 --> 01:07:37,190
She's poached. She's killed.
So this is really great news!
825
01:07:37,190 --> 01:07:38,830
And whereabouts is this?
826
01:07:38,830 --> 01:07:40,670
It is inside of the protected area.
827
01:07:40,670 --> 01:07:43,110
So it's in the reserve.
Inside Ussuriysk.
828
01:07:43,110 --> 01:07:45,590
But she still overlapped with Serga,
her mother. Yes, yes.
829
01:07:45,590 --> 01:07:50,030
So there's some overlap.
Yes, yes. Half, er, area.
830
01:07:50,030 --> 01:07:52,870
Half her area overlaps with
her mother? Half of it?!
831
01:07:52,870 --> 01:07:55,750
OK, that's bigger than I thought.
OK. Look, guys, where do we start?
832
01:07:55,750 --> 01:07:57,550
Everywhere! Doesn't matter.
833
01:07:57,550 --> 01:08:00,590
Which is why it's best for us
to split up, to try and maximise
834
01:08:00,590 --> 01:08:03,270
the chances of finding her
as soon as possible, yeah?
835
01:08:03,270 --> 01:08:06,470
Great stuff, though! Great image.
Good news. That's a great find.
836
01:08:06,470 --> 01:08:09,870
This news, for me, that was
best news for the last year!
837
01:08:09,870 --> 01:08:11,270
Absolutely, it's true.
838
01:08:13,590 --> 01:08:18,670
Princess holds the key to the future
of the Ussuriysk tigers.
839
01:08:18,670 --> 01:08:21,190
But apart from this one photograph,
840
01:08:21,190 --> 01:08:25,190
Victor has no evidence that
she's still in the reserve.
841
01:08:25,190 --> 01:08:26,990
She's vanished.
842
01:08:28,630 --> 01:08:31,990
Now our team have just three weeks
to try to find her
843
01:08:31,990 --> 01:08:33,910
before we have to leave.
844
01:08:36,630 --> 01:08:41,030
So we split up to search the area
where she was last caught on camera.
845
01:08:46,590 --> 01:08:51,550
And so if Princess is here,
it's really important to find out
846
01:08:51,550 --> 01:08:55,670
what condition she's in, how often
she uses this protected area,
847
01:08:55,670 --> 01:09:00,110
and if there's even the slightest
chance she might be pregnant.
848
01:09:07,030 --> 01:09:10,510
So about four days ago,
we had a warm front come through,
849
01:09:10,510 --> 01:09:15,750
rain came down and, amazingly,
er, had a very warm period.
850
01:09:15,750 --> 01:09:19,230
A tiger walked through here
while there was wet, wet,
851
01:09:19,230 --> 01:09:21,870
basically a slush.
And so, it's amazing,
852
01:09:21,870 --> 01:09:25,150
but you can actually get down
and uncover...
853
01:09:25,150 --> 01:09:27,510
almost like dinosaur tracks,
854
01:09:27,510 --> 01:09:30,190
this track of a male walking down
855
01:09:30,190 --> 01:09:32,390
this road in the reserve.
856
01:09:32,390 --> 01:09:34,870
They're just spectacular to see.
857
01:09:36,390 --> 01:09:39,230
Siberian tigers prefer to use roads,
858
01:09:39,230 --> 01:09:41,550
rather than walk in deep snow.
859
01:09:41,550 --> 01:09:44,190
It helps them to conserve energy
in winter.
860
01:09:47,470 --> 01:09:50,910
I'm setting camera traps,
which are triggered by movement.
861
01:09:52,950 --> 01:09:57,110
I'm aiming the cameras at
the only road in Ussuriysk Reserve.
862
01:09:58,430 --> 01:10:02,670
If Princess is still here, there's
a good chance she'll walk past them.
863
01:10:11,590 --> 01:10:14,870
Tigresses will often donate
a portion of their home range
864
01:10:14,870 --> 01:10:16,870
to their female offspring.
865
01:10:16,870 --> 01:10:19,470
What they're trying to do is ensure
that their daughters have
866
01:10:19,470 --> 01:10:23,030
a high probability of success
in raising their own young.
867
01:10:24,230 --> 01:10:27,870
And so in a situation like here,
we've got Princess,
868
01:10:27,870 --> 01:10:31,950
who is using part of her mother's
home range and, hopefully,
869
01:10:31,950 --> 01:10:36,350
acquiring the benefits that
her mother had in that same area.
870
01:10:36,350 --> 01:10:40,630
In other words, high densities of
prey, a good knowledge of that area,
871
01:10:40,630 --> 01:10:44,750
and also increasing the success
in terms of rearing young.
872
01:10:48,030 --> 01:10:50,430
Winter is too long in Russia.
873
01:10:51,830 --> 01:10:55,710
It's six, seven months per year,
it is too long.
874
01:10:57,390 --> 01:11:01,750
But in the snow,
you can collect a lot of data.
875
01:11:03,470 --> 01:11:06,470
In previous years,
Victor has managed to capture
876
01:11:06,470 --> 01:11:08,670
some of the Siberian tigers
in Ussuriysk,
877
01:11:08,670 --> 01:11:11,030
to fit them with tracking collars.
878
01:11:12,710 --> 01:11:16,910
If he's close enough, these collars
help him to locate the animals.
879
01:11:20,390 --> 01:11:23,390
Princess was fitted with a collar,
880
01:11:23,390 --> 01:11:27,230
but Victor hasn't picked up
her signal for over 18 months.
881
01:11:32,790 --> 01:11:34,110
It's working...
882
01:11:40,630 --> 01:11:45,070
He's not far,
I think maybe half a kilometre,
883
01:11:45,070 --> 01:11:47,510
maybe it's outside of the...
884
01:11:50,150 --> 01:11:51,350
Wait...
885
01:11:51,350 --> 01:11:54,790
Victor has found the signal of
a large male.
886
01:11:54,790 --> 01:11:57,230
He's a little too close for comfort.
887
01:11:59,310 --> 01:12:03,150
And these tracks lead
right past one of our cameras.
888
01:12:05,710 --> 01:12:07,750
Shall we have a look at the footage?
889
01:12:07,750 --> 01:12:12,030
This is really interesting
because the tracks look fresh.
890
01:12:12,030 --> 01:12:14,910
Dale! It's Dale.
891
01:12:14,910 --> 01:12:17,270
This is great,
we split up to look for Princess
892
01:12:17,270 --> 01:12:18,990
and what do we get on camera traps?
893
01:12:18,990 --> 01:12:21,670
Dale! So Dale triggered it.
894
01:12:22,790 --> 01:12:24,270
Oh!
895
01:12:27,590 --> 01:12:29,510
With a collar. With a collar.
896
01:12:29,510 --> 01:12:32,990
Who is that? Is that Serga?
It is Luke. No, no, it is Luke.
897
01:12:32,990 --> 01:12:36,470
How soon after Dale,
walking down the road by himself?
898
01:12:48,670 --> 01:12:52,710
20 minutes ago, Luke was going
that way. 20 minutes ago.
899
01:12:52,710 --> 01:12:55,310
I hope everything is well.
900
01:12:55,310 --> 01:12:57,070
No, Dale is fine.
901
01:12:57,070 --> 01:13:00,350
I hope.
Dale was going down this way.
902
01:13:00,350 --> 01:13:03,790
The tiger was going up this way.
But first, there was... Don't.
903
01:13:03,790 --> 01:13:05,910
Victor, don't. Let's go find Dale.
904
01:13:05,910 --> 01:13:07,590
Let's just go find Dale now, please.
905
01:13:07,590 --> 01:13:10,550
Tigers hunt at dusk.
906
01:13:11,590 --> 01:13:13,830
We had planned to collect Dale
before sunset,
907
01:13:13,830 --> 01:13:15,230
but we've got a problem.
908
01:13:15,230 --> 01:13:16,950
Go!
909
01:13:21,070 --> 01:13:23,390
We're just on our way to find Dale
and, of course,
910
01:13:23,390 --> 01:13:25,830
as luck would have it,
we get stuck in the snow.
911
01:13:25,830 --> 01:13:28,510
It happens all the time,
but tonight is not the night
912
01:13:28,510 --> 01:13:32,350
we want it to happen. So we're just
getting Victor to pull us out
913
01:13:32,350 --> 01:13:35,150
and then we're going to try
and make sure Dale's OK.
914
01:13:37,350 --> 01:13:41,070
The darker it gets,
the more worried we are about Dale.
915
01:13:44,910 --> 01:13:46,790
But thankfully, we find him.
916
01:13:48,550 --> 01:13:50,190
Dale!
917
01:13:50,190 --> 01:13:52,630
Liz. We have to show you something,
come with me.
918
01:13:52,630 --> 01:13:56,190
Seriously, I'm so glad to see you.
I'm glad to see you, too.
919
01:13:56,190 --> 01:13:58,510
Let me just show you something.
All right, great.
920
01:14:00,030 --> 01:14:03,710
Dale has rarely been
so close to a tiger.
921
01:14:05,430 --> 01:14:08,470
I was too early!
I should have waited 20 minutes,
922
01:14:08,470 --> 01:14:11,790
we would have met! Oh, my gosh!
Dale, it is OK. It is very well.
923
01:14:11,790 --> 01:14:15,390
So first of all, me and Victor
were like, "Oh, there's Dale.
924
01:14:15,390 --> 01:14:19,230
"Oh, tiger! Yay, tiger!" And then
we were like, "Oh, my gosh, Dale!"
925
01:14:21,270 --> 01:14:22,590
Look at you, look at you!
926
01:14:22,590 --> 01:14:26,350
Strolling, not a bother
in the world! No problems at all.
927
01:14:26,350 --> 01:14:28,350
Listen, I mean,
day one looking for Princess,
928
01:14:28,350 --> 01:14:30,590
no Princess,
but we know Luke's in the area.
929
01:14:30,590 --> 01:14:33,270
And, who knows? Possibly,
he's here because of Princess.
930
01:14:33,270 --> 01:14:34,870
It could be a possibility.
We will see.
931
01:14:34,870 --> 01:14:36,710
It's a result,
you're safe and sound.
932
01:14:36,710 --> 01:14:38,830
Healthy result,
and he's safe and sound.
933
01:14:38,830 --> 01:14:40,550
He's really healthy
and safe and sound.
934
01:14:40,550 --> 01:14:44,830
Right, dinner, guys, and a drink
to celebrate, I reckon. Yeah? Great.
935
01:14:44,830 --> 01:14:49,990
This young male tiger
could be looking for a mate,
936
01:14:49,990 --> 01:14:51,950
but we still haven't found
any females.
937
01:15:02,910 --> 01:15:05,950
Next morning,
we head back into the reserve
938
01:15:05,950 --> 01:15:10,030
and Dale discovers just how close
he came to meeting Luke.
939
01:15:14,070 --> 01:15:18,910
Yeah, so he came down to here
and turned around and went back.
940
01:15:18,910 --> 01:15:22,310
And me, standing on the embankment
there, 20, 30 yards away,
941
01:15:22,310 --> 01:15:24,030
turned around and ran back.
942
01:15:24,030 --> 01:15:27,710
I never even saw him,
didn't hear him. Just missed him.
943
01:15:34,870 --> 01:15:36,230
Huh!
944
01:15:37,190 --> 01:15:38,870
He stopped here, too.
945
01:15:38,870 --> 01:15:40,590
He may have heard me
walking down the road.
946
01:15:40,590 --> 01:15:42,550
I don't know, it's hard to tell,
947
01:15:42,550 --> 01:15:45,550
but he may have heard something
and still continued down.
948
01:15:45,550 --> 01:15:48,630
He may have thought
I was a potential prey at that time,
949
01:15:48,630 --> 01:15:50,510
but he changed his mind
once he got down there.
950
01:15:50,510 --> 01:15:52,070
Said, "I don't want any of that!"
951
01:15:53,590 --> 01:15:55,270
Meanwhile, Victor and I
952
01:15:55,270 --> 01:15:58,550
follow Luke's tracks forward
to see where he went.
953
01:16:01,030 --> 01:16:05,270
Male tigers travel huge distances
patrolling their territory
954
01:16:05,270 --> 01:16:10,030
and looking for mates.
Luke could lead us to Princess.
955
01:16:10,030 --> 01:16:11,790
Had a bit of a rest.
956
01:16:11,790 --> 01:16:17,670
Tiger beds here are so much more
telling than those in India.
957
01:16:17,670 --> 01:16:19,390
I mean, you always see indentations,
958
01:16:19,390 --> 01:16:24,630
but the snow really clearly
makes out the shape of the tiger.
959
01:16:24,630 --> 01:16:27,430
You can just visualise a tiger
much more easily.
960
01:16:32,070 --> 01:16:35,590
Is it possible that he came off
the road, he lay down,
961
01:16:35,590 --> 01:16:37,950
because we were on the road,
making so much noise
962
01:16:37,950 --> 01:16:39,710
looking at the camera trap footage?
963
01:16:39,710 --> 01:16:43,990
Yes, he... Maybe he listens the car.
964
01:16:43,990 --> 01:16:48,110
So while we were watching him on
the camera trap, he was watching us!
965
01:16:48,110 --> 01:16:51,390
But he was watching, yes.
966
01:16:51,390 --> 01:16:57,070
Do you remember, he look
and turn back? Yeah. And go.
967
01:16:57,070 --> 01:16:58,550
He was so close to us.
968
01:17:01,870 --> 01:17:04,670
Dale wasn't the only one who had
a close encounter with a tiger.
969
01:17:12,350 --> 01:17:17,590
Scientists can spend their entire
careers studying Siberian tigers
970
01:17:17,590 --> 01:17:19,790
and never see one in the wild.
971
01:17:23,190 --> 01:17:24,510
To help us locate Princess,
972
01:17:24,510 --> 01:17:29,110
we're deploying 30 state-of-the-art
video camera traps.
973
01:17:29,110 --> 01:17:32,830
Very little footage has ever been
filmed of wild Siberian tigers.
974
01:17:34,390 --> 01:17:36,270
These cameras could help us capture
975
01:17:36,270 --> 01:17:38,070
their unseen lives
for the first time.
976
01:17:38,070 --> 01:17:41,270
So, these pictures provide
977
01:17:41,270 --> 01:17:45,670
a means of putting a face to these
animals, and understanding them
978
01:17:45,670 --> 01:17:49,070
more as personalities
than as mysterious animals.
979
01:17:49,070 --> 01:17:51,590
It just provides an opportunity
to better understand
980
01:17:51,590 --> 01:17:56,790
these individuals as characters and
not as dangerous, mysterious beasts.
981
01:17:56,790 --> 01:18:01,390
If we're lucky,
our cameras will find Princess.
982
01:18:03,550 --> 01:18:06,470
I'll stay in Ussuriysk
helping Victor,
983
01:18:06,470 --> 01:18:09,990
while Dale and wildlife cameraman
Max are heading north.
984
01:18:18,110 --> 01:18:21,430
For over 20 years,
Dale has lived in Siberia,
985
01:18:21,430 --> 01:18:24,190
working for
the Wildlife Conservation Society.
986
01:18:25,630 --> 01:18:30,710
His main research site is 500 miles
away, in the Sikhote-Alin Reserve.
987
01:18:30,710 --> 01:18:33,350
It's a 12-hour road trip.
988
01:18:34,750 --> 01:18:39,190
Dale has brought Max along to try to
film another important female tiger.
989
01:18:45,150 --> 01:18:48,790
Sikhote-Alin lies on the coast of
the Sea of Japan,
990
01:18:48,790 --> 01:18:50,590
near the small town of Terney.
991
01:18:52,110 --> 01:18:54,070
DOG BARKS
992
01:18:58,150 --> 01:19:02,070
People here live with tigers
on their doorstep.
993
01:19:07,070 --> 01:19:09,030
Dale wants Max to track down
994
01:19:09,030 --> 01:19:12,310
a particular female tiger
he's concerned about.
995
01:19:12,310 --> 01:19:15,870
So this is Varvarra here, is it?
When did you take this shot?
996
01:19:15,870 --> 01:19:17,750
In July. End of July.
997
01:19:17,750 --> 01:19:20,750
And when did you first collar her,
then, was that...?
998
01:19:20,750 --> 01:19:24,950
So we collared her a year ago,
in September.
999
01:19:24,950 --> 01:19:29,830
And so she's been on the air
for about 14 months.
1000
01:19:29,830 --> 01:19:32,230
She's a young female.
1001
01:19:32,230 --> 01:19:35,150
When we captured her,
she hadn't given birth.
1002
01:19:35,150 --> 01:19:38,350
But for the last couple of months,
she's been concentrated in one area
1003
01:19:38,350 --> 01:19:41,190
and we think that she has cubs now.
1004
01:19:41,190 --> 01:19:45,150
She's quite small there.
So she's, you're saying, how old?
1005
01:19:45,150 --> 01:19:46,630
She's probably three,
1006
01:19:46,630 --> 01:19:48,710
no more than four years old.
1007
01:19:48,710 --> 01:19:49,950
If she has cubs now,
1008
01:19:49,950 --> 01:19:52,150
it's definitely her first cubs.
1009
01:19:52,150 --> 01:19:54,390
This is August. This is August.
1010
01:19:54,390 --> 01:19:57,710
Wow, look at that. Wow! It's like
a jungle in the summer, isn't it?
1011
01:19:57,710 --> 01:19:59,510
It's such a different
environment now.
1012
01:19:59,510 --> 01:20:01,310
Yeah, it looks so stark and bleak
right now
1013
01:20:01,310 --> 01:20:04,590
and it's like a jungle
in the summer time. Unbelievable.
1014
01:20:04,590 --> 01:20:06,830
We know where she was a few days ago
1015
01:20:06,830 --> 01:20:10,430
and we need to get out there
before another snowfall comes.
1016
01:20:12,150 --> 01:20:13,910
Tiger numbers in Sikhote-Alin
1017
01:20:13,910 --> 01:20:17,550
have been decimated by poachers
and disease.
1018
01:20:20,190 --> 01:20:23,230
They're at their lowest
for 35 years.
1019
01:20:25,510 --> 01:20:29,750
Varvarra is the reserve's
last-known female.
1020
01:20:29,750 --> 01:20:33,870
Her recent movements
suggest she might have cubs.
1021
01:20:33,870 --> 01:20:36,190
That's what they need to confirm.
1022
01:20:39,710 --> 01:20:42,950
Max is working with Dale's
colleagues, Sveta and Kolya,
1023
01:20:42,950 --> 01:20:44,390
to track her.
1024
01:20:46,830 --> 01:20:50,070
To catch up with Varvarra,
they'll need to travel light.
1025
01:20:51,190 --> 01:20:54,150
They don't carry guns
for protection, only flares.
1026
01:20:55,350 --> 01:20:58,430
Well, I suppose if we come
face to face with a tiger,
1027
01:20:58,430 --> 01:21:00,750
we've got to light ourselves up
like a Christmas tree,
1028
01:21:00,750 --> 01:21:02,430
otherwise we could be
in a bit of trouble!
1029
01:21:05,350 --> 01:21:09,750
Using the signal from Varvarra's
collar, they've picked up her trail.
1030
01:21:20,310 --> 01:21:25,030
After walking for six hours, they're
ten miles from the nearest road.
1031
01:21:28,430 --> 01:21:30,710
We've just had a crow go overhead,
1032
01:21:30,710 --> 01:21:33,950
which is normally a very good sign
that you're close to a kill.
1033
01:21:33,950 --> 01:21:38,390
The guys are saying that Varvarra
is about 300 to 500 metres away.
1034
01:21:39,910 --> 01:21:42,350
But this telemetry's
not an exact science.
1035
01:21:42,350 --> 01:21:45,510
These are just bearings
we try to plot onto a map.
1036
01:21:45,510 --> 01:21:48,350
So she could be
very, very close indeed.
1037
01:21:54,870 --> 01:21:58,230
The trackers take another reading,
and they're in for a shock.
1038
01:21:59,910 --> 01:22:04,230
Varvarra, now, they think,
is literally 200 metres that way.
1039
01:22:04,230 --> 01:22:08,070
But it brings it home how quickly
things can change here.
1040
01:22:08,070 --> 01:22:11,110
One minute, we were strolling along,
and the next minute,
1041
01:22:11,110 --> 01:22:13,910
we're 200 metres, probably,
from a tiger.
1042
01:22:13,910 --> 01:22:16,790
We've got these flares out
and I'm assured that
1043
01:22:16,790 --> 01:22:20,030
it'll scare a tiger off,
but I'm not quite convinced.
1044
01:22:20,030 --> 01:22:22,430
Something in the back of my mind
just keeps saying
1045
01:22:22,430 --> 01:22:25,190
we're slightly crazy,
getting within 200 metres of a cat
1046
01:22:25,190 --> 01:22:28,990
which could get here in a matter
of seconds if it wanted to.
1047
01:22:28,990 --> 01:22:33,590
But apparently, these are
going to keep anything at bay.
1048
01:22:33,590 --> 01:22:37,750
Surprising a Siberian tiger
would be a bad move,
1049
01:22:37,750 --> 01:22:39,710
especially if she has cubs.
1050
01:22:41,150 --> 01:22:43,990
They soon discover
why Varvarra is in the area.
1051
01:22:43,990 --> 01:22:46,950
Whoa! Look at that!
1052
01:22:46,950 --> 01:22:50,510
Yes. So she's made this kill? Yes.
1053
01:22:50,510 --> 01:22:52,390
And how old do you think?
1054
01:22:52,390 --> 01:22:55,070
Probably a week. A week old? Yeah.
1055
01:22:56,710 --> 01:22:58,630
Look at the size of it!
1056
01:22:58,630 --> 01:23:01,630
So the tiger took that down? Yeah.
1057
01:23:01,630 --> 01:23:03,390
My God!
1058
01:23:04,710 --> 01:23:07,230
Camera traps at the kill site
could record Varvarra
1059
01:23:07,230 --> 01:23:11,830
if she returns to eat and help
to reveal whether she has cubs.
1060
01:23:16,990 --> 01:23:20,950
They also set cameras along trails
and by known scent-marking trees.
1061
01:23:23,390 --> 01:23:27,190
If Varvarra has cubs,
and Max can film her,
1062
01:23:27,190 --> 01:23:30,750
it could be a rare insight into
Siberian tiger maternal behaviour.
1063
01:23:33,590 --> 01:23:36,590
After a few days,
the camera traps deliver
1064
01:23:36,590 --> 01:23:38,990
our first glimpse of Varvarra.
1065
01:23:42,710 --> 01:23:44,950
Despite the fact that
it makes no noise,
1066
01:23:44,950 --> 01:23:47,190
she's clearly aware of the camera.
1067
01:23:50,230 --> 01:23:54,070
She's nervous,
and there's no sign of any cubs.
1068
01:24:00,990 --> 01:24:05,670
Down south, in Ussuriysk, Victor and
I are still searching for Princess.
1069
01:24:05,670 --> 01:24:09,510
She hasn't been seen
for three months.
1070
01:24:14,590 --> 01:24:16,430
In previous years,
1071
01:24:16,430 --> 01:24:18,470
Victor has often found signs of her
1072
01:24:18,470 --> 01:24:21,310
outside the safety of
the protected area.
1073
01:24:22,950 --> 01:24:26,110
Today, we're going beyond
the reserve's borders
1074
01:24:26,110 --> 01:24:27,590
to try to find her.
1075
01:24:30,870 --> 01:24:32,070
Whoa!
1076
01:24:36,950 --> 01:24:40,510
So normally, we use Victor's trucks
to go into the reserve,
1077
01:24:40,510 --> 01:24:42,670
but today,
we're going further afield
1078
01:24:42,670 --> 01:24:45,150
and so we need something
a little bit bigger.
1079
01:24:46,750 --> 01:24:49,190
Can I even get up here? Oof!
1080
01:24:52,030 --> 01:24:54,430
You've got to come and see this!
1081
01:24:54,430 --> 01:24:57,270
Dobriy den'. Meenya savoot Liz.
1082
01:24:57,270 --> 01:24:58,870
Alexis. Alexis. Dobriy den'.
1083
01:24:58,870 --> 01:25:01,230
Roma. Roma. Nice to meet you.
1084
01:25:01,230 --> 01:25:02,630
Dobriy den'.
1085
01:25:02,630 --> 01:25:04,510
This place is epic!
1086
01:25:04,510 --> 01:25:06,670
There's even a movie on this,
it's brilliant!
1087
01:25:06,670 --> 01:25:09,030
Yeah, I'm moving in.
1088
01:25:22,030 --> 01:25:25,350
These six-wheel-drive trucks
transport workers
1089
01:25:25,350 --> 01:25:28,790
into the most inaccessible parts of
the forest.
1090
01:25:28,790 --> 01:25:33,230
They're designed to withstand
the most extreme conditions,
1091
01:25:33,230 --> 01:25:36,470
the kind of vehicle
you'd only find in Siberia!
1092
01:25:52,150 --> 01:25:54,870
Victor is searching for
Princess' signal.
1093
01:25:57,590 --> 01:26:00,390
Each tiger collar
has a unique frequency.
1094
01:26:03,510 --> 01:26:06,870
But these signals
rarely reach more than one mile.
1095
01:26:09,190 --> 01:26:11,230
And we don't even know
if she's alive.
1096
01:26:16,070 --> 01:26:20,150
Just to get one glimpse, you know,
just a flash of orange,
1097
01:26:20,150 --> 01:26:22,550
that would be quite something.
1098
01:26:23,790 --> 01:26:27,310
Let's see other place, other area,
1099
01:26:27,310 --> 01:26:30,430
but it's difficult now to find her.
1100
01:26:34,350 --> 01:26:36,990
A short drive from the reserve,
1101
01:26:36,990 --> 01:26:39,630
we find a scar
cutting through the forest.
1102
01:26:45,950 --> 01:26:49,990
The trees have been cleared
to make way for a gas pipeline.
1103
01:26:49,990 --> 01:26:52,630
A service road runs alongside it.
1104
01:26:55,070 --> 01:26:58,110
Why is this access road
such a problem?
1105
01:26:58,110 --> 01:27:01,950
It is the main problem
for the wildlife
1106
01:27:01,950 --> 01:27:05,550
because it make very accessible
1107
01:27:05,550 --> 01:27:09,990
for the poacher, who can come here
to hunt the different animal.
1108
01:27:09,990 --> 01:27:12,350
We're talking about an access road
1109
01:27:12,350 --> 01:27:14,870
that is an easy way
for poachers to get into
1110
01:27:14,870 --> 01:27:17,230
what was before
an inaccessible forest.
1111
01:27:17,230 --> 01:27:19,470
How long does this road go on for?
1112
01:27:19,470 --> 01:27:23,390
About 760 kilometres.
1113
01:27:23,390 --> 01:27:28,510
760 kilometres long. And that's
only part of the entire gas line.
1114
01:27:34,670 --> 01:27:36,870
Victor, how does this make you feel?
1115
01:27:41,190 --> 01:27:44,550
Can I ask you, what do you feel
1116
01:27:44,550 --> 01:27:48,910
when you have seen
a piece of art destroyed?
1117
01:27:53,590 --> 01:27:56,630
Now, obviously, it's important
to bring gas to people.
1118
01:27:56,630 --> 01:28:00,070
I know you're not saying that
it shouldn't be done. Of course.
1119
01:28:00,070 --> 01:28:01,910
But what's the solution, Victor,
1120
01:28:01,910 --> 01:28:05,950
when you have to bring the gas
down to Vladivostok from Siberia?
1121
01:28:05,950 --> 01:28:08,510
Do you think there's a better way
of doing this?
1122
01:28:08,510 --> 01:28:11,590
Of course, we can use
existing infrastructure,
1123
01:28:11,590 --> 01:28:13,790
outside of the forest.
1124
01:28:13,790 --> 01:28:18,430
So what do you, as conservationists,
do to try and protect the forest
1125
01:28:18,430 --> 01:28:20,270
when you've got something like this
1126
01:28:20,270 --> 01:28:24,070
carving its way though
800 kilometres of tiger habitat?
1127
01:28:24,070 --> 01:28:29,550
The solution is to increase
the number of rangers,
1128
01:28:29,550 --> 01:28:36,230
to re-cultivate all road
and to close such a road.
1129
01:28:38,270 --> 01:28:39,910
The damage here is bad,
1130
01:28:39,910 --> 01:28:43,990
but the service road
is the real threat to the tigers.
1131
01:28:43,990 --> 01:28:48,830
It's only two-and-a-half miles from
the border of the Ussuriysk Reserve,
1132
01:28:48,830 --> 01:28:53,110
giving hunters easy access
to the heart of the forest.
1133
01:28:54,510 --> 01:28:59,390
If Princess is spending time here,
outside the reserve, she's at risk.
1134
01:29:07,630 --> 01:29:11,830
Back up north, in the Sikhote-Alin
Reserve, Max and the trackers
1135
01:29:11,830 --> 01:29:16,070
are still on the trail of Varvarra,
in the hope that she has cubs.
1136
01:29:18,470 --> 01:29:23,030
Very little is known about how
Siberian tigers raise their young.
1137
01:29:23,030 --> 01:29:26,430
But we do know that they can
give birth any time of the year,
1138
01:29:26,430 --> 01:29:28,670
even in the dead of winter.
1139
01:29:31,670 --> 01:29:34,510
Then they find an important clue.
1140
01:29:36,950 --> 01:29:39,750
(Wow, look at that.
What's happened here, Sveta?)
1141
01:29:40,870 --> 01:29:46,990
(It looks like cubs stayed here
and played for some time.)
1142
01:29:48,350 --> 01:29:52,110
(Well, at last, we exactly know
that Varvarra has cubs.)
1143
01:29:53,390 --> 01:29:58,270
(And we, at last, see cubs' tracks,
it's very good news.)
1144
01:30:02,950 --> 01:30:06,150
(Well, it's difficult to say,
but it looks like more than one cub.)
1145
01:30:06,150 --> 01:30:07,510
(Maybe two.)
1146
01:30:07,510 --> 01:30:08,670
(That's good news!)
1147
01:30:08,670 --> 01:30:13,110
(Maybe three, maybe four!
But I think two or three maybe.)
1148
01:30:13,110 --> 01:30:14,670
(We'll see.)
1149
01:30:22,470 --> 01:30:27,630
(Varvarra lay here with cubs,
because there's no snow over here.)
1150
01:30:29,030 --> 01:30:31,750
(So we can imagine how it was.)
1151
01:30:31,750 --> 01:30:33,230
(Nice!)
1152
01:30:40,870 --> 01:30:43,430
Here is one,
1153
01:30:43,430 --> 01:30:44,710
two,
1154
01:30:44,710 --> 01:30:46,350
and three.
1155
01:30:46,350 --> 01:30:50,310
We know that not two,
three or four.
1156
01:30:50,310 --> 01:30:52,350
Three or four. Yeah.
1157
01:30:52,350 --> 01:30:54,990
That's incredible, though.
Either way, it's good news.
1158
01:30:54,990 --> 01:30:57,150
Yes, it's very good news!
1159
01:31:03,710 --> 01:31:08,190
The cubs played here
and tried to go inside this tree.
1160
01:31:09,950 --> 01:31:12,750
Sveta keeps saying how
they have been playing on this tree,
1161
01:31:12,750 --> 01:31:14,070
playing on that tree.
1162
01:31:14,070 --> 01:31:17,070
I just wish I was here to see them
bounding around in the snow.
1163
01:31:20,950 --> 01:31:22,790
You can see on this tree...
1164
01:31:22,790 --> 01:31:24,550
they've run up there,
1165
01:31:24,550 --> 01:31:26,270
probably jumped off there.
1166
01:31:32,310 --> 01:31:34,830
Sveta's also found
the remains of a deer.
1167
01:31:37,630 --> 01:31:39,670
So, we finally found the kill.
1168
01:31:41,470 --> 01:31:43,430
So it looks like
she's feeding her cubs well.
1169
01:31:43,430 --> 01:31:45,750
I'm sure, yes, she's a good mum.
1170
01:31:47,670 --> 01:31:50,510
Her cubs are very fat.
1171
01:31:50,510 --> 01:31:52,510
Are they? I think!
1172
01:31:57,550 --> 01:32:00,390
Dale's not going to believe it!
1173
01:32:00,390 --> 01:32:02,190
Max and the team
1174
01:32:02,190 --> 01:32:07,070
have proof that Varvarra
has had her very first litter.
1175
01:32:07,070 --> 01:32:10,510
It's fantastic news
for the Sikhote-Alin Reserve.
1176
01:32:17,030 --> 01:32:19,950
Max is now hoping that
his camera traps
1177
01:32:19,950 --> 01:32:23,550
have captured Varvarra and her cubs.
1178
01:32:23,550 --> 01:32:25,790
So I want to show you
some of the results,
1179
01:32:25,790 --> 01:32:27,750
the fruits of your labour,
as you say.
1180
01:32:27,750 --> 01:32:30,030
So, this was one of
the first animals we saw,
1181
01:32:30,030 --> 01:32:32,990
which is a full-frame sika dear.
1182
01:32:36,110 --> 01:32:38,150
We got some night shots, too.
1183
01:32:38,150 --> 01:32:40,230
I can show you a few critters
walking though.
1184
01:32:40,230 --> 01:32:43,710
Oh, wow! A lynx, just creeping in
there. A Lynx showed up.
1185
01:32:47,310 --> 01:32:48,790
This is interesting, too,
1186
01:32:48,790 --> 01:32:50,750
because I think it's
the same animal,
1187
01:32:50,750 --> 01:32:52,990
and look at this,
he scent-marks right on that.
1188
01:32:58,070 --> 01:32:59,310
And then...
1189
01:32:59,310 --> 01:33:02,350
just to keep that momentum going,
we got another animal walk though.
1190
01:33:03,710 --> 01:33:05,430
Oh, amazing! Is that Varvarra?
1191
01:33:05,430 --> 01:33:06,790
No, it's not, it's a male,
1192
01:33:06,790 --> 01:33:08,630
it's a male. But watch, watch!
1193
01:33:08,630 --> 01:33:10,350
He walks to the edge of frame
1194
01:33:10,350 --> 01:33:11,870
and then he does a scrape.
1195
01:33:11,870 --> 01:33:13,990
He's doing a scrape right now.
1196
01:33:13,990 --> 01:33:15,550
Wow! Look at that.
1197
01:33:23,390 --> 01:33:25,230
So we got him, which is pretty neat,
1198
01:33:25,230 --> 01:33:26,750
and we didn't really expect it.
1199
01:33:28,350 --> 01:33:32,590
The cameras have captured other
animals scavenging Varvarra's kill.
1200
01:33:35,670 --> 01:33:39,110
Sable, a type of weasel,
eat whatever they find.
1201
01:33:41,070 --> 01:33:42,550
Eagles...
1202
01:33:43,750 --> 01:33:48,030
..and even wild boar
benefit from tiger kills in winter.
1203
01:33:51,910 --> 01:33:55,150
And then
Varvarra makes her entrance.
1204
01:34:00,190 --> 01:34:03,070
Ah, look at that. Daytime, as well!
1205
01:34:06,950 --> 01:34:08,310
Yeah, she looks great.
1206
01:34:08,310 --> 01:34:11,390
But look how cautious she is.
She's smelling where you guys were.
1207
01:34:16,070 --> 01:34:18,710
She still looks quite young.
I mean, she is a first-time mum.
1208
01:34:18,710 --> 01:34:21,230
She is...
She does look young, doesn't she?
1209
01:34:21,230 --> 01:34:23,550
But she's in good shape.
Great shape.
1210
01:34:27,350 --> 01:34:30,150
And the other camera we had here,
don't tell me that didn't fire!
1211
01:34:30,150 --> 01:34:31,590
Hang on.
1212
01:34:39,630 --> 01:34:41,630
To see the markings like that,
1213
01:34:41,630 --> 01:34:44,230
it's incredible, isn't it?
Yeah, it's nice.
1214
01:34:44,230 --> 01:34:46,310
But where are the cubs?
I mean, she's...
1215
01:34:46,310 --> 01:34:49,590
We didn't actually get to the site
where the cubs were stashed
1216
01:34:49,590 --> 01:34:52,430
and she didn't bring them
down through here, unfortunately,
1217
01:34:52,430 --> 01:34:54,590
so we missed that opportunity.
1218
01:34:58,310 --> 01:35:01,990
Collectively, with the radio collar,
the camera traps
1219
01:35:01,990 --> 01:35:05,070
and these videos, we've gotten
a much better understanding
1220
01:35:05,070 --> 01:35:09,270
of the way mothers interact
and take care of their cubs.
1221
01:35:11,270 --> 01:35:14,270
Up until this point, we had
always thought that females
1222
01:35:14,270 --> 01:35:18,030
would leave their cubs at
a kill site and then go off hunting,
1223
01:35:18,030 --> 01:35:19,630
then go back to the kill site,
1224
01:35:19,630 --> 01:35:21,670
get the cubs
and bring them to the new kill.
1225
01:35:21,670 --> 01:35:23,710
But we've seen in this video,
1226
01:35:23,710 --> 01:35:24,950
they don't leave their cubs
1227
01:35:24,950 --> 01:35:26,710
at the kills, and that makes sense,
1228
01:35:26,710 --> 01:35:28,390
because that's a dangerous spot.
1229
01:35:28,390 --> 01:35:30,630
We've seen,
through these camera traps,
1230
01:35:30,630 --> 01:35:32,750
all these other carnivores
coming through.
1231
01:35:32,750 --> 01:35:35,310
Lynx and sable
and even wild boar coming in,
1232
01:35:35,310 --> 01:35:37,550
so that's a dangerous place
to leave your cubs.
1233
01:35:37,550 --> 01:35:40,390
So she takes them off some place,
and we didn't really realise that
1234
01:35:40,390 --> 01:35:42,390
until we started getting
some of this footage.
1235
01:35:43,950 --> 01:35:45,710
The Siberian tiger
1236
01:35:45,710 --> 01:35:48,710
is one of the world's
most endangered animals.
1237
01:35:48,710 --> 01:35:50,950
Footage like this is invaluable.
1238
01:35:55,790 --> 01:36:00,270
Only by studying this remarkable
animal's natural behaviour
1239
01:36:00,270 --> 01:36:02,950
can scientists learn
how to protect it.
1240
01:36:04,630 --> 01:36:06,910
And while we haven't seen the cubs,
1241
01:36:06,910 --> 01:36:10,230
it looks like Varvarra
has got over her camera shyness.
1242
01:36:26,870 --> 01:36:28,510
Down south in Ussuriysk,
1243
01:36:28,510 --> 01:36:30,950
there's still no sign of Princess.
1244
01:36:33,430 --> 01:36:35,830
In the past, she has used an area
1245
01:36:35,830 --> 01:36:36,990
outside of the reserve
1246
01:36:36,990 --> 01:36:38,870
and that makes her vulnerable.
1247
01:36:42,510 --> 01:36:47,070
80% of all Siberian tiger deaths
are caused by man.
1248
01:36:49,230 --> 01:36:50,870
But there are a few Russians
1249
01:36:50,870 --> 01:36:53,150
who dedicate their lives
to protecting them.
1250
01:36:54,830 --> 01:36:58,150
One of those
is Roma Kozhishev, an ex-boxer
1251
01:36:58,150 --> 01:37:00,390
and now an anti-poaching inspector.
1252
01:37:02,430 --> 01:37:04,870
Roma and just one other colleague
1253
01:37:04,870 --> 01:37:08,910
monitor 40,000 square miles
of forest.
1254
01:37:08,910 --> 01:37:11,190
Dale and I are joining Roma
on patrol,
1255
01:37:11,190 --> 01:37:15,990
to see first-hand the dangers
tigers face from humans.
1256
01:37:25,390 --> 01:37:28,030
OK. Stop! Stop!
1257
01:37:28,030 --> 01:37:31,070
DOGS BARK
1258
01:37:41,030 --> 01:37:43,230
So he's telling him
to contain his dogs.
1259
01:37:43,230 --> 01:37:45,070
There's a lot of dogs here,
isn't there?
1260
01:37:45,070 --> 01:37:46,910
There are a heck of a lot of dogs!
1261
01:37:51,950 --> 01:37:55,310
Is that... That's an illegal rifle.
1262
01:37:57,430 --> 01:37:59,510
These raids are routine for Roma,
1263
01:37:59,510 --> 01:38:01,390
but they can quickly
become dangerous.
1264
01:38:03,550 --> 01:38:07,270
Roma's been attacked many times
by poachers while on patrol.
1265
01:38:10,270 --> 01:38:14,150
As well as the gun, he's found
bullets for shooting big game.
1266
01:38:14,150 --> 01:38:17,590
THEY SPEAK IN RUSSIAN
1267
01:38:21,110 --> 01:38:23,670
So we've actually deployed
one of our crew
1268
01:38:23,670 --> 01:38:25,910
to just follow that lot with Roma,
1269
01:38:25,910 --> 01:38:29,070
so he can cite them and write up
the paperwork, et cetera.
1270
01:38:29,070 --> 01:38:31,430
But he's also asked us to stay here,
1271
01:38:31,430 --> 01:38:34,550
in case any of the rest of the guys
try and hide anything.
1272
01:38:34,550 --> 01:38:36,630
DOGS BARK
1273
01:38:50,030 --> 01:38:53,750
For people living in poverty,
the forest provides meat,
1274
01:38:53,750 --> 01:38:58,630
and that means that humans here are
in direct competition with tigers.
1275
01:39:00,670 --> 01:39:03,910
'These guys are out here working
every day, all day, right?
1276
01:39:03,910 --> 01:39:06,550
'They're driving back and forth.'
1277
01:39:06,550 --> 01:39:08,390
They're going to have opportunities.
1278
01:39:08,390 --> 01:39:09,950
And for them, it's fresh meat,
1279
01:39:09,950 --> 01:39:12,070
and free, and free.
1280
01:39:12,070 --> 01:39:15,070
You can understand it
from their point of view, as well.
1281
01:39:15,070 --> 01:39:16,590
THEY SPEAK RUSSIAN
1282
01:39:21,390 --> 01:39:25,230
OK, so Roma is writing up
the protocol citation.
1283
01:39:26,910 --> 01:39:30,310
It's a long process, basically,
but the gun is illegal.
1284
01:39:30,310 --> 01:39:33,270
He isn't registered with
the local hunting organisation,
1285
01:39:33,270 --> 01:39:36,630
which he should be, and
he doesn't have a hunting licence.
1286
01:39:36,630 --> 01:39:41,870
So they will confiscate the gun
and turn it over to the police.
1287
01:39:41,870 --> 01:39:44,550
HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN
1288
01:39:47,070 --> 01:39:50,030
So he basically splits people
into two groups.
1289
01:39:50,030 --> 01:39:53,310
There's professional poachers,
who go out and kill animals
1290
01:39:53,310 --> 01:39:55,910
and just sell the meat,
and he doesn't have any tolerance
1291
01:39:55,910 --> 01:39:59,510
for those people, basically.
But there's lots of people
1292
01:39:59,510 --> 01:40:01,190
who are illegally hunting
1293
01:40:01,190 --> 01:40:02,750
to feed their families.
1294
01:40:02,750 --> 01:40:04,830
He says it's really hard, you know,
1295
01:40:04,830 --> 01:40:07,430
to not sympathise with them.
1296
01:40:07,430 --> 01:40:09,510
What's the hardest part
of Roma's job?
1297
01:40:09,510 --> 01:40:17,510
THEY SPEAK RUSSIAN
1298
01:40:23,430 --> 01:40:26,750
It's really hard to be living
in one place for a long time,
1299
01:40:26,750 --> 01:40:28,630
and the kind of people
that are poachers
1300
01:40:28,630 --> 01:40:31,870
can sometimes have people that
you had good relationships with
1301
01:40:31,870 --> 01:40:34,510
and then found out that
they are also poachers,
1302
01:40:34,510 --> 01:40:38,350
so it's psychologically really
difficult to deal with all that,
1303
01:40:38,350 --> 01:40:41,750
to live in a small community and
maintain relationships with people.
1304
01:40:41,750 --> 01:40:45,270
It's unbelievable. I can't believe
how difficult it must be for him
1305
01:40:45,270 --> 01:40:47,710
and how much
he must care to keep going,
1306
01:40:47,710 --> 01:40:51,750
because it alienates him
from his home and people around him.
1307
01:40:53,110 --> 01:40:55,510
This man, I have so much respect for
what he does
1308
01:40:55,510 --> 01:40:58,790
and continues to do, it's wonderful.
It's not an easy life...
1309
01:40:58,790 --> 01:41:01,070
It really isn't.
..but he's committed to it.
1310
01:41:02,550 --> 01:41:06,590
Roma's commitment to saving tigers
is inspirational.
1311
01:41:06,590 --> 01:41:10,230
But he's just one man,
with a vast area to police.
1312
01:41:13,710 --> 01:41:18,190
Tigers are prized for their fur,
bones and body parts,
1313
01:41:18,190 --> 01:41:21,710
used in traditional
Chinese medicine.
1314
01:41:21,710 --> 01:41:26,110
A single tiger can sell for
50,000 dollars.
1315
01:41:26,110 --> 01:41:30,430
Ussuriysk Reserve is only 50 miles
from the Chinese border.
1316
01:41:32,790 --> 01:41:36,270
This footage was filmed by police
near Ussuriysk,
1317
01:41:36,270 --> 01:41:38,430
while we were working
in the reserve.
1318
01:41:39,910 --> 01:41:45,390
In a single raid last year, they
seized the remains of eight tigers.
1319
01:41:45,390 --> 01:41:49,950
That's two percent of
the wild Siberian tiger population
1320
01:41:49,950 --> 01:41:51,910
eradicated in one hit.
1321
01:42:11,270 --> 01:42:13,830
The tigers here face such danger,
1322
01:42:13,830 --> 01:42:17,470
I'm beginning to doubt
we'll ever find Princess.
1323
01:42:24,430 --> 01:42:27,630
There are so many things
to think about to save the tiger.
1324
01:42:27,630 --> 01:42:33,630
Hunting, different organisations
arguing, planning, management.
1325
01:42:33,630 --> 01:42:35,950
Do you ever want to just...
1326
01:42:35,950 --> 01:42:38,750
"It's too complicated, I give up"?
1327
01:42:38,750 --> 01:42:41,670
No, no, no, no, no. Liz...
1328
01:42:41,670 --> 01:42:45,910
Many times,
I have thinking about this
1329
01:42:45,910 --> 01:42:49,590
but, for me, it is not my way.
1330
01:42:49,590 --> 01:42:52,790
I don't know about China,
1331
01:42:52,790 --> 01:42:56,750
about India, about everybody.
1332
01:42:56,750 --> 01:43:00,030
In Russia, I am absolutely convinced
1333
01:43:00,030 --> 01:43:01,990
that we can save the tiger.
1334
01:43:01,990 --> 01:43:06,510
We can save the tiger for...forever.
1335
01:43:06,510 --> 01:43:09,310
You're sure?
I'm absolutely convinced!
1336
01:43:10,710 --> 01:43:14,550
How do you change that, Victor?
Step by step.
1337
01:43:14,550 --> 01:43:19,430
You have patience for that?
It is impossible to be patient.
1338
01:43:21,310 --> 01:43:23,510
'Victor has...'
1339
01:43:23,510 --> 01:43:26,430
such fire in his belly
about this place.
1340
01:43:26,430 --> 01:43:28,190
There's not a moment that goes by
1341
01:43:28,190 --> 01:43:30,190
that he's not
thinking about the tiger,
1342
01:43:30,190 --> 01:43:33,670
listening for it,
looking for its signs.
1343
01:43:33,670 --> 01:43:36,750
I mean, his passion borders on
an obsession, really.
1344
01:43:36,750 --> 01:43:39,950
And he's become a massive part of
my journey here,
1345
01:43:39,950 --> 01:43:41,590
not only because he's taught me
1346
01:43:41,590 --> 01:43:43,950
so much about
Siberian tiger conservation,
1347
01:43:43,950 --> 01:43:47,270
but also because
he's taught me what it means
1348
01:43:47,270 --> 01:43:53,350
to be brave and determined
and resilient against such odds.
1349
01:43:53,350 --> 01:43:57,230
And, you know, he doesn't
get anything out of it,
1350
01:43:57,230 --> 01:44:00,310
other than the satisfaction
of knowing
1351
01:44:00,310 --> 01:44:02,710
that he is working
as hard as he can
1352
01:44:02,710 --> 01:44:06,430
because he believes that
the tiger needs to be saved.
1353
01:44:06,430 --> 01:44:11,750
And I do think that as long as there
are people like Victor out here,
1354
01:44:11,750 --> 01:44:14,750
then, yeah, there is hope.
There has to be hope.
1355
01:44:21,550 --> 01:44:25,910
One hope is that Siberian
tiger cubs, orphaned by poaching,
1356
01:44:25,910 --> 01:44:28,110
could be returned to the wild.
1357
01:44:29,510 --> 01:44:32,350
Our three rescued cubs
have been reunited
1358
01:44:32,350 --> 01:44:35,430
at this rehabilitation centre
near Ussuriysk,
1359
01:44:35,430 --> 01:44:37,910
run by the Severtsov Institute.
1360
01:44:39,390 --> 01:44:42,670
Today, they're being released
into an outdoor enclosure,
1361
01:44:42,670 --> 01:44:45,390
where they can learn
to become independent.
1362
01:44:46,830 --> 01:44:50,710
Max has been following the cubs
from the beginning.
1363
01:44:50,710 --> 01:44:52,870
We've got these special
remote cameras
1364
01:44:52,870 --> 01:44:55,110
and we're rigging up
the enclosure for the cubs.
1365
01:44:55,110 --> 01:44:58,430
From now on, they can't have
any human interaction at all
1366
01:44:58,430 --> 01:45:00,990
if they're going to be released
as wild tigers.
1367
01:45:00,990 --> 01:45:04,270
So we've got to set up these
cameras, drop way back, and then,
1368
01:45:04,270 --> 01:45:06,910
hopefully, we'll get a glimpse of
them coming out for the first time.
1369
01:45:18,350 --> 01:45:22,950
The team need to see how the cubs
are recovering from their ordeal.
1370
01:45:22,950 --> 01:45:27,590
The last time Max saw them, one of
the cubs was in critical condition.
1371
01:45:29,750 --> 01:45:32,270
The cameras
will allow the scientists
1372
01:45:32,270 --> 01:45:35,950
to observe the cubs
from a cabin 300 feet away.
1373
01:46:00,270 --> 01:46:04,190
As night falls, the cubs
still haven't emerged from the hut.
1374
01:46:08,230 --> 01:46:10,870
Max settles in to keep watch.
1375
01:46:13,110 --> 01:46:15,870
(I haven't really seen
any activity yet.)
1376
01:46:15,870 --> 01:46:21,470
(We all thought the cubs would come
out all three of them together.)
1377
01:46:21,470 --> 01:46:25,710
(But it's nearly midnight now and
we've got the infrared lights up,)
1378
01:46:25,710 --> 01:46:29,550
(but we haven't seen
a single sign of any cubs.)
1379
01:46:29,550 --> 01:46:31,950
(It might take a few days,)
1380
01:46:31,950 --> 01:46:35,670
(or at least a couple of nights
before they even come out.)
1381
01:46:38,030 --> 01:46:41,950
But to his surprise,
there's movement in the enclosure.
1382
01:46:43,070 --> 01:46:45,430
(Look at him. Amazing!)
1383
01:46:45,430 --> 01:46:48,870
It's the third cub.
The one who almost died.
1384
01:46:48,870 --> 01:46:50,670
(Bloody hell, they've grown!)
1385
01:46:51,910 --> 01:46:53,430
(He's looking so healthy.)
1386
01:46:53,430 --> 01:46:55,150
(Wow!)
1387
01:46:55,150 --> 01:46:56,590
(Look at that!)
1388
01:46:58,870 --> 01:47:02,270
(They've been inside that hut
for so long.)
1389
01:47:02,270 --> 01:47:07,350
(It's a real safe haven for them,
so it's a massive leap for them,)
1390
01:47:07,350 --> 01:47:09,590
(but it's just the start of
the journey,)
1391
01:47:09,590 --> 01:47:12,630
(a long, long journey
of becoming a tiger again.)
1392
01:47:14,470 --> 01:47:17,470
(I mean, I really just want to
come back and see them in the day.)
1393
01:47:30,110 --> 01:47:32,470
By the next morning,
1394
01:47:32,470 --> 01:47:34,150
all three cubs are out.
1395
01:47:35,710 --> 01:47:37,150
Over the next 12 months,
1396
01:47:37,150 --> 01:47:39,430
this space will be enlarged
1397
01:47:39,430 --> 01:47:41,270
and live prey will be released,
1398
01:47:41,270 --> 01:47:43,270
so that the cubs can learn to hunt.
1399
01:47:48,390 --> 01:47:51,830
Incredibly,
these three cubs represent
1400
01:47:51,830 --> 01:47:55,550
one percent of
the entire wild population.
1401
01:48:00,990 --> 01:48:03,190
If their luck holds, within a year,
1402
01:48:03,190 --> 01:48:05,630
they could be back in the forest.
1403
01:48:07,390 --> 01:48:10,110
The next generation
of Siberian tigers.
1404
01:48:33,910 --> 01:48:36,910
We're nearing
the end of our time in Siberia.
1405
01:48:36,910 --> 01:48:39,590
With two days left, Victor and I
1406
01:48:39,590 --> 01:48:42,630
still haven't found
any sign of Princess.
1407
01:48:44,630 --> 01:48:45,950
Today, we're searching
1408
01:48:45,950 --> 01:48:49,950
the northern border of the reserve,
but we're having some trouble.
1409
01:49:11,070 --> 01:49:14,310
Every day, it's the same thing!
1410
01:49:17,350 --> 01:49:21,630
Just outside of the reserve
is a privately-owned hunting club.
1411
01:49:33,350 --> 01:49:35,190
There are signs of tigers here.
1412
01:49:35,190 --> 01:49:38,030
Could one of them be Princess?
1413
01:49:42,550 --> 01:49:44,990
Victor can cover
more ground alone...
1414
01:49:49,230 --> 01:49:51,070
..and heads out to search for her.
1415
01:50:03,550 --> 01:50:05,230
The staff here put out food
1416
01:50:05,230 --> 01:50:08,950
to increase the number of deer
and boar for hunting...
1417
01:50:11,590 --> 01:50:14,230
..and that means
more prey for tigers.
1418
01:50:14,230 --> 01:50:16,270
But I'm curious to know about
1419
01:50:16,270 --> 01:50:19,310
the hunters' attitudes
to this predator,
1420
01:50:19,310 --> 01:50:21,110
so I speak to the manager.
1421
01:50:21,110 --> 01:50:24,270
HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN
1422
01:50:28,150 --> 01:50:31,070
He says,
"You can see by the tracks here
1423
01:50:31,070 --> 01:50:33,070
"that we get along OK with tigers."
1424
01:50:33,070 --> 01:50:36,190
You know, he takes his share,
especially of wild boar,
1425
01:50:36,190 --> 01:50:38,790
but, "We have no problems."
1426
01:50:40,910 --> 01:50:46,510
HE SPEAKS RUSSIAN
1427
01:50:48,150 --> 01:50:53,030
"On this hunting lease, there are
about four tigers in this area."
1428
01:50:53,030 --> 01:50:56,710
He said, "If there was an
elimination of the tigers here,
1429
01:50:56,710 --> 01:51:00,190
"wolves would come in, and that's
more of a problem than tigers."
1430
01:51:01,750 --> 01:51:04,710
So here, at least,
the hunters and tigers
1431
01:51:04,710 --> 01:51:06,990
seem to benefit from each other.
1432
01:51:09,270 --> 01:51:11,510
Wolves are pack animals,
1433
01:51:11,510 --> 01:51:14,910
capable of taking
large numbers of prey.
1434
01:51:14,910 --> 01:51:17,990
But tigers don't tolerate wolves
in their territory.
1435
01:51:19,830 --> 01:51:23,310
This hunting ground may not be
the norm in the Russian Far East,
1436
01:51:23,310 --> 01:51:26,710
but tigers here are protected
from illegal poachers
1437
01:51:26,710 --> 01:51:28,230
and have plenty of food.
1438
01:51:31,630 --> 01:51:33,710
Victor continues
the search for Princess.
1439
01:51:36,110 --> 01:51:38,950
The last hope for
a breeding population
1440
01:51:38,950 --> 01:51:40,950
in the neighbouring
Ussuriysk Reserve.
1441
01:51:46,870 --> 01:51:50,110
The next morning,
he has something for me to hear.
1442
01:51:53,750 --> 01:51:57,630
INTERFERENCE ON RADIO
1443
01:52:00,790 --> 01:52:03,590
So who's that? What's that sound?
1444
01:52:03,590 --> 01:52:04,950
Is that a collar?
1445
01:52:05,910 --> 01:52:09,070
I have record of Princess.
1446
01:52:10,430 --> 01:52:12,990
Princess? Yes.
In the hunting lease yesterday?
1447
01:52:12,990 --> 01:52:16,030
Yesterday. Oh, la-la la-la!
1448
01:52:16,030 --> 01:52:19,270
Victor has found Princess.
1449
01:52:19,270 --> 01:52:21,190
She's alive!
1450
01:52:23,430 --> 01:52:26,510
I was very happy when I record...
1451
01:52:26,510 --> 01:52:28,110
Victor, that's fantastic!
1452
01:52:28,110 --> 01:52:32,670
But I do a lot of track,
we go in this mountain.
1453
01:52:32,670 --> 01:52:36,230
So you went up the mountain?
Yes. And I switched on...
1454
01:52:36,230 --> 01:52:37,630
Oh!
1455
01:52:37,630 --> 01:52:39,430
..and I heard Princess.
1456
01:52:41,510 --> 01:52:45,190
Victor, how important is it
to have proof of Princess,
1457
01:52:45,190 --> 01:52:47,910
for the reserve,
for the future of tigers here?
1458
01:52:47,910 --> 01:52:51,270
It is good for population.
It is very important.
1459
01:52:51,270 --> 01:52:53,790
Very important, and now that
we have proof, you know...
1460
01:52:53,790 --> 01:52:56,150
she's alive, she's here.
1461
01:52:56,150 --> 01:52:59,390
The female is the future.
The cubs is the future.
1462
01:52:59,390 --> 01:53:04,790
Like our children, they are
the future for the human population.
1463
01:53:09,630 --> 01:53:14,710
Princess is the key to the future of
this vital reserve.
1464
01:53:14,710 --> 01:53:17,630
The fact that she's alive
is fantastic news
1465
01:53:17,630 --> 01:53:21,710
for the wider
Siberian tiger population.
1466
01:53:21,710 --> 01:53:25,190
Hopefully, it won't be too long
before she breeds
1467
01:53:25,190 --> 01:53:29,430
with one of the males in Ussuriysk
and has cubs herself.
1468
01:53:37,070 --> 01:53:41,430
At the start of our mission,
we deployed 30 camera traps...
1469
01:53:47,750 --> 01:53:50,750
..and we've already had
some fantastic results.
1470
01:54:09,270 --> 01:54:12,310
Dale is keen to show us
the latest images.
1471
01:54:12,310 --> 01:54:14,870
OK, everybody ready? OK.
1472
01:54:14,870 --> 01:54:20,630
OK, so I want to show you footage
we got of a female up in Terney.
1473
01:54:21,950 --> 01:54:24,470
Look at that!
Oh, she's absolutely magnificent!
1474
01:54:26,470 --> 01:54:29,630
This young female
doesn't have a collar.
1475
01:54:29,630 --> 01:54:32,150
It's the first time
anyone has seen her.
1476
01:54:34,070 --> 01:54:35,670
Yeah, this is pretty amazing.
1477
01:54:35,670 --> 01:54:39,590
Oh! Having a good old sniff!
1478
01:54:39,590 --> 01:54:41,870
Yeah, that's incredible, huh? Aw!
1479
01:54:41,870 --> 01:54:43,870
Whiskers right up to the camera.
1480
01:54:45,630 --> 01:54:49,030
Just no matter how often
you see a tiger,
1481
01:54:49,030 --> 01:54:51,710
it just takes your breath away,
doesn't it?
1482
01:54:51,710 --> 01:54:53,310
This footage is just mind-blowing.
1483
01:54:53,310 --> 01:54:56,430
I've not seen any wild Siberian
tiger footage like this
1484
01:54:56,430 --> 01:54:58,390
anywhere in the world.
1485
01:54:59,630 --> 01:55:02,030
This grimace
is the Flehmen response.
1486
01:55:03,070 --> 01:55:06,750
It allows her to make sense of
the scent left by other tigers.
1487
01:55:12,630 --> 01:55:17,710
To see this young female
coming into this area, curious,
1488
01:55:17,710 --> 01:55:20,150
active, with a character,
1489
01:55:20,150 --> 01:55:21,990
I mean, she really inspires hope
1490
01:55:21,990 --> 01:55:24,390
for the future of tigers
across the region.
1491
01:55:29,710 --> 01:55:31,110
The cameras have revealed
1492
01:55:31,110 --> 01:55:35,750
there is another breeding female
in Dale's reserve.
1493
01:55:35,750 --> 01:55:38,990
CHEERING AND LAUGHTER
1494
01:55:38,990 --> 01:55:41,950
Amazing. Excellent.
1495
01:55:44,110 --> 01:55:47,230
I hope we can save for the future.
1496
01:55:49,790 --> 01:55:51,830
Honestly, how can you argue that
1497
01:55:51,830 --> 01:55:55,590
that and its habitat
have to be saved?
1498
01:55:55,590 --> 01:55:59,350
Looking at this,
it kind of eliminates the need
1499
01:55:59,350 --> 01:56:01,150
to ask that question.
1500
01:56:01,150 --> 01:56:03,470
The video itself states the obvious,
1501
01:56:03,470 --> 01:56:06,470
that this animal
deserves a place to live.
1502
01:56:10,510 --> 01:56:12,750
It's the end of our time
here in Russia.
1503
01:56:14,630 --> 01:56:18,390
Working with these scientists,
we've seen first-hand
1504
01:56:18,390 --> 01:56:22,510
the challenges threatening
the survival of the Siberian tiger.
1505
01:56:27,790 --> 01:56:30,430
And our cameras
have helped to unlock
1506
01:56:30,430 --> 01:56:33,070
the secrets of this elusive big cat.
1507
01:56:34,510 --> 01:56:38,950
The vital work to save
the Siberian tiger continues.
1508
01:56:40,510 --> 01:56:43,830
Their future hangs in the balance.
1509
01:56:46,630 --> 01:56:49,910
But I've been overwhelmed by
the passion
1510
01:56:49,910 --> 01:56:52,590
and dedication of the people
I've met here...
1511
01:56:56,430 --> 01:56:58,230
..and perhaps,
through their efforts,
1512
01:56:58,230 --> 01:57:00,470
there will still be tigers
1513
01:57:00,470 --> 01:57:03,510
roaming these magical forests
1514
01:57:03,510 --> 01:57:05,230
for generations to come.
126621
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