0:00:06 > 0:00:10If you want to get close to a tiger, get an elephant.
0:00:14 > 0:00:18But these elephants carry cameras and with them they have recorded
0:00:18 > 0:00:20the most intimate images of tigers ever seen.
0:00:28 > 0:00:35In the last programme, they discovered a litter of four cubs.
0:00:38 > 0:00:42We watched as their mother protected them from enemies.
0:00:50 > 0:00:54We saw how she hunted to provide them with food.
0:00:56 > 0:00:59Slowly they started to acquire
0:00:59 > 0:01:02the skills they needed for life in the forest.
0:01:04 > 0:01:07But nothing had prepared them for the day
0:01:07 > 0:01:10that a dangerous stranger arrived at their water hole.
0:01:19 > 0:01:22The lives of the cubs are at risk.
0:01:22 > 0:01:27Their mother isn't at the den and hasn't been seen for days.
0:01:27 > 0:01:31A leopard is drinking from a water hole close by.
0:01:31 > 0:01:35Leopards kill tiger cubs.
0:01:36 > 0:01:40The cubs are now eight months old and they could put up a real fight.
0:01:40 > 0:01:44But a full-grown leopard is a formidable adversary.
0:01:46 > 0:01:47TIGER GROWLS
0:01:53 > 0:01:58Fortunately, it seems that all she wanted was a drink.
0:02:16 > 0:02:17With the danger passed,
0:02:17 > 0:02:21the cubs have to deal with more routine problems.
0:02:21 > 0:02:26What, for example, is the best way to get out of the den?
0:02:44 > 0:02:47Not so difficult, after all.
0:02:50 > 0:02:52Now is the time for play.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01Keeping cool is a major preoccupation.
0:03:01 > 0:03:07Damp sand in a shady spot is just the place to do so.
0:03:12 > 0:03:16They urinate directly into the pool.
0:03:16 > 0:03:18That conceals their scent from predators -
0:03:18 > 0:03:23a particularly necessary precaution when mother is away.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25TIGER GROWLS
0:03:25 > 0:03:27The cubs are still nervous.
0:03:29 > 0:03:32They daren't stray far from the den.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46The crew with the camera-elephants
0:03:46 > 0:03:48are becoming concerned about the mother's safety
0:03:48 > 0:03:50and decide to go in search of her.
0:03:52 > 0:03:55Methodically, they explore her territory
0:03:55 > 0:03:57in the centre of Pench Tiger Reserve.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00But it's an area of around ten square miles
0:04:00 > 0:04:02and within it she could be anywhere.
0:04:04 > 0:04:07The elephants can get to almost any place
0:04:07 > 0:04:08that a tigress is likely to reach
0:04:08 > 0:04:13and the cameras can be switched on the moment an animal is sighted.
0:04:13 > 0:04:16But this is not what they were hoping to find -
0:04:16 > 0:04:17another leopard.
0:04:17 > 0:04:22A male this time and not far from the cubs' den.
0:04:24 > 0:04:29The Indian leopard is notoriously secretive and rarely seen.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32But in Pench, they far outnumber tigers.
0:04:32 > 0:04:35They're a real threat to any tiger cubs
0:04:35 > 0:04:37that have lost the protection of their mother.
0:04:40 > 0:04:44Despite the dangers, the cubs spend most of the day out of the den.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48Being a foursome seems to give them confidence.
0:04:48 > 0:04:52At this age, the two brothers and two sisters get on well together
0:04:52 > 0:04:53and rarely squabble.
0:04:54 > 0:04:57They've now been without food for many days
0:04:57 > 0:04:59and they must be feeling very hungry.
0:04:59 > 0:05:05And to make matters worse, their favourite prey appears nearby.
0:05:06 > 0:05:11Cubs as young as this haven't a hope of catching such swift prey.
0:05:11 > 0:05:13But there's no harm in trying.
0:05:22 > 0:05:25It's a chance to try out some of the techniques
0:05:25 > 0:05:28they learnt from watching their mother.
0:05:31 > 0:05:34They're making all the right moves.
0:05:37 > 0:05:40But they haven't got the patience.
0:05:46 > 0:05:49Cubs have to go for long periods without food,
0:05:49 > 0:05:52but if the mother doesn't return soon
0:05:52 > 0:05:54they will rapidly lose condition.
0:05:58 > 0:06:03The next day, the crew hear alarm calls from deer nearby.
0:06:03 > 0:06:05That might mean there's a tiger around,
0:06:05 > 0:06:08so the elephants set off to investigate.
0:06:08 > 0:06:11As they close in on the calls,
0:06:11 > 0:06:14the elephant-cams are switched on remotely.
0:06:17 > 0:06:21Trunk-cam, the first on the scene, finds the tiger.
0:06:21 > 0:06:24But it's not the cub's mother, it's a male.
0:06:24 > 0:06:29If he's a stranger he might well kill the cubs.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32Trunk-cam can film from either the elephant or on the ground.
0:06:32 > 0:06:37And it moves even closer under its own power.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41It's good news.
0:06:41 > 0:06:46This is Charger, the cub's father and therefore their protector.
0:06:53 > 0:06:57He gained his name from his habit of charging elephants.
0:06:57 > 0:07:00But now he merely warns them off with a few growls.
0:07:04 > 0:07:09A fearless father is exactly what the cubs need right now.
0:07:09 > 0:07:12He will keep away any rival males who might harm them.
0:07:21 > 0:07:25But the cubs' problems are by no means over.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28Their mother has never left them for as long as this before.
0:07:39 > 0:07:42Next day, the search for her continues.
0:07:42 > 0:07:46The elephants separate and fan out across her territory.
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Then a breakthrough.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52Fresh pug marks, not far from her cubs.
0:07:53 > 0:07:57Footprints can identify an individual tiger.
0:07:57 > 0:07:59The mahouts who ride the elephants
0:07:59 > 0:08:03say these look like the cubs' mother's.
0:08:03 > 0:08:05They're certainly very fresh.
0:08:09 > 0:08:12And there is a female tiger.
0:08:17 > 0:08:19She's scent-marking,
0:08:19 > 0:08:23which suggests that this is indeed her territory,
0:08:23 > 0:08:26but only a closer view will confirm her identity.
0:08:33 > 0:08:35She is the mother.
0:08:37 > 0:08:39Why she left is a mystery.
0:08:43 > 0:08:48The mahouts say that a strange male has been seen in the reserve
0:08:48 > 0:08:50and think that she may have left
0:08:50 > 0:08:52to try and lure him away from the cubs.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57The family is reunited.
0:09:04 > 0:09:08Although leaving them was itself a risk,
0:09:08 > 0:09:11it was probably the lesser of two evils.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Licking and grooming not only helps clean the cubs,
0:09:17 > 0:09:20it gives them much needed reassurance.
0:09:28 > 0:09:33The tigress has done a remarkable job in raising all four cubs,
0:09:33 > 0:09:35but they're still very much at risk.
0:09:35 > 0:09:38Half of all tiger cubs born
0:09:38 > 0:09:41die before they are a year old from one cause or another.
0:09:47 > 0:09:49The leopard is back.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Will she risk coming down for a drink
0:09:51 > 0:09:54now that the tigress is back in residence?
0:10:23 > 0:10:25She thinks better of it.
0:10:35 > 0:10:40And then we see that the leopard has her own family to protect -
0:10:40 > 0:10:43two five-month-old cubs.
0:10:44 > 0:10:48She leads them away to a less dangerous part of the forest.
0:11:01 > 0:11:06To record the lives of some of the other inhabitants of the forest,
0:11:06 > 0:11:09the elephants use other kinds of spy-cams.
0:11:14 > 0:11:18Log-cam can be put on the ground and left to operate by itself.
0:11:18 > 0:11:23It will turn itself on whenever anything large moves in front of it.
0:11:23 > 0:11:27Many of these cameras are placed around the tigress's territory
0:11:27 > 0:11:29and carefully positioned.
0:11:41 > 0:11:46Spotted deer are regularly caught by these candid cameras.
0:11:46 > 0:11:49They're one of the favourite foods of tigers.
0:11:53 > 0:11:58With hungry cubs to feed, the tigress must find a meal quickly.
0:11:58 > 0:12:00But there are no deer nearby.
0:12:14 > 0:12:19Now, as she searches for prey, the cubs often travel with her.
0:12:19 > 0:12:23That way she can visit distant parts of her territory
0:12:23 > 0:12:25where the deer have not been hunted for some time,
0:12:25 > 0:12:27so are less on their guard.
0:12:31 > 0:12:36Spotted deer often share lookout duties with monkeys.
0:12:36 > 0:12:38That suits both parties.
0:12:38 > 0:12:40But at the water hole, it's different.
0:12:40 > 0:12:44There, not every monkey is a friend.
0:12:45 > 0:12:49Log-cam reveals that macaques actually chase deer away.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58Even the biggest stags retreat.
0:13:00 > 0:13:01BARKING
0:13:05 > 0:13:07With the deer having taken fright,
0:13:07 > 0:13:11the macaques have to rely on their own surveillance skills.
0:13:13 > 0:13:16- MACAQUE BARKS - A tiger spells danger.
0:13:19 > 0:13:20MACAQUE BARKS
0:13:20 > 0:13:24Two tigers are clearly a terrifying sight.
0:13:25 > 0:13:27MACAQUE BARKS
0:13:27 > 0:13:31And five must surely be every monkey's worst nightmare.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38BARKING CONTINUES
0:13:43 > 0:13:46The spotted deer hear the commotion.
0:13:49 > 0:13:52But the tigress is not particularly perturbed.
0:13:55 > 0:13:58This old teak forest teems with life.
0:14:04 > 0:14:07If she keeps moving, she'll get lots more chances.
0:14:15 > 0:14:18Here there are plenty to choose from.
0:14:44 > 0:14:46She's got one!
0:14:48 > 0:14:53Tigers are generally said to succeed just one time out of ten.
0:14:53 > 0:14:56But this tigress kills on average every third try.
0:14:56 > 0:14:58She needs to be good.
0:14:58 > 0:15:00Her cubs have already got huge appetites
0:15:00 > 0:15:04and by the time they leave her they will weigh eight times as much.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07Even at this size,
0:15:07 > 0:15:12each cub consumes around two kilos of meat at a single sitting.
0:15:15 > 0:15:18The camera elephants take a bath every day.
0:15:18 > 0:15:21They work for five hours at a stretch
0:15:21 > 0:15:23and then the rest of the day is their own.
0:15:35 > 0:15:37In the sweltering summer,
0:15:37 > 0:15:41this daily ritual brings much needed relief from the heat.
0:15:45 > 0:15:48The cubs also like a cooling dip.
0:15:48 > 0:15:51But the pool by the den is not large
0:15:51 > 0:15:55and when their mother joins in things can get a little crowded.
0:16:21 > 0:16:22In spite of the heat
0:16:22 > 0:16:27summer is a good time of year for some of the forest animals.
0:16:29 > 0:16:31These are among the rarest -
0:16:31 > 0:16:34sloth bears.
0:16:34 > 0:16:38They only venture out during the day in the most secluded places,
0:16:38 > 0:16:42but spy-cam was there to record them.
0:16:43 > 0:16:46They're feasting on fallen fruit.
0:17:09 > 0:17:14Wild boar are also partial to fruit.
0:17:18 > 0:17:21Most animals fear sloth bears,
0:17:21 > 0:17:24but not, apparently, wild boar.
0:17:24 > 0:17:27At least, not when there's food around.
0:17:40 > 0:17:43Although there is plenty for all,
0:17:43 > 0:17:47it's sometimes necessary for the bears to show who's boss.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49BEAR GROWLS
0:17:53 > 0:17:57The bear cubs are working out where they stand in the pecking order.
0:17:57 > 0:18:00They're aggressive creatures by nature
0:18:00 > 0:18:02and will face down even the biggest predators.
0:18:02 > 0:18:04But they must show no fear.
0:18:15 > 0:18:17Even so, for the youngsters,
0:18:17 > 0:18:21things sometimes get just too much and it's time to retreat.
0:18:27 > 0:18:31The tigers have moved from their small and shrinking bath tub
0:18:31 > 0:18:34to a more commodious bathing pool -
0:18:34 > 0:18:36a reservoir built by the local people
0:18:36 > 0:18:39that provides them with water throughout the year.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42It's a great place to cool down.
0:18:46 > 0:18:49The sambar deer are feeling the heat too.
0:19:01 > 0:19:05The wild boar also enjoy a mud bath,
0:19:05 > 0:19:09and combining a wallow with a meal just doubles the pleasure.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Mud bathing is clearly enjoyable,
0:19:23 > 0:19:26but it also helps an animal to get rid of ticks
0:19:26 > 0:19:28and other skin parasites.
0:19:39 > 0:19:44The tigress hasn't yet found the perfect spot.
0:19:44 > 0:19:46The cubs opt for shade.
0:19:53 > 0:19:58Tigers are one of the few cats that actually enjoy swimming
0:19:58 > 0:20:01and they usually pick den sites close to water.
0:20:01 > 0:20:04As they travel around their territories during the summer,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07they move as quickly as possible through the drier parts
0:20:07 > 0:20:10to get to the hunting grounds that have good bathing pools.
0:20:17 > 0:20:22As June comes to an end, the heat becomes really hard to bear.
0:20:22 > 0:20:26Midday temperatures can reach 45 degrees in the shade.
0:20:26 > 0:20:30But after a bathe, the water evaporating from the fur
0:20:30 > 0:20:35cools the body and brings enough relief for the animal to snooze.
0:20:36 > 0:20:42When the monsoon finally arrives it's not a moment too soon.
0:21:12 > 0:21:15As well as bringing a welcome drop in temperature,
0:21:15 > 0:21:19the rains replenish the park's dams and pools.
0:21:27 > 0:21:29There is greenery everywhere.
0:21:33 > 0:21:39The giant two-metre webs of golden orb spiders hang between the trees.
0:21:46 > 0:21:50These are the biggest spiders' webs in the world.
0:21:50 > 0:21:55Their silken guy ropes sometimes stretch across six-metre gaps.
0:21:55 > 0:21:59The elephants are bound to barge through them.
0:22:04 > 0:22:09The spiders themselves have a span as wide as a human hand.
0:22:09 > 0:22:14But they are of no consequence to an elephant.
0:22:16 > 0:22:20Their web is strong enough to catch a small bird,
0:22:20 > 0:22:24but the spiders in fact feed only on insects.
0:22:26 > 0:22:29The cubs are just over a year old
0:22:29 > 0:22:32and they have an appetite to match their size.
0:22:35 > 0:22:39But there has been a significant change in their behaviour.
0:22:39 > 0:22:45Their play now includes mock hunting with mother serving as a target.
0:23:08 > 0:23:11This is stylised fighting.
0:23:11 > 0:23:13It looks dangerously aggressive,
0:23:13 > 0:23:17but the cubs keep their claws fully sheathed throughout.
0:23:22 > 0:23:26Mother never takes part in their fighting games,
0:23:26 > 0:23:30but indulgently tolerates the cubs' boisterous behaviour.
0:23:50 > 0:23:53They spend a lot of time travelling.
0:23:53 > 0:23:57Five nearly full-sized tigers on the move together
0:23:57 > 0:24:00is a rare sight indeed.
0:24:08 > 0:24:11They are a formidable force.
0:24:11 > 0:24:14Nothing stays around to challenge them.
0:24:30 > 0:24:32Even though it's now cooler,
0:24:32 > 0:24:35they still bathe at the hottest part of the day.
0:24:35 > 0:24:38Water is difficult to resist.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57The cubs take no notice whatever of the elephants,
0:24:57 > 0:24:59so it's possible to get really intimate shots
0:24:59 > 0:25:01from the camera held in the trunk.
0:25:11 > 0:25:14Progress through the forest is slow,
0:25:14 > 0:25:18because they linger at almost every pool or stream.
0:25:33 > 0:25:37They're not alone in relishing the abundance of water.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43The langur monkeys and their babies
0:25:43 > 0:25:46seem to have not a care in the world.
0:26:07 > 0:26:12But for some babies drinking isn't the most comfortable of times.
0:26:19 > 0:26:24Unlike macaques, langurs are the friends of spotted deer.
0:26:24 > 0:26:29They share the task of keeping a lookout for their greatest enemy.
0:26:33 > 0:26:38The time has come for the tigress to make a determined hunt.
0:26:44 > 0:26:49One of her cubs decides to go with her to get some personal tuition.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05The rest prefer to take it easy.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08They're now starting to behave as individuals.
0:27:08 > 0:27:12Each making its own decisions about what it should do.
0:27:19 > 0:27:23The tigress doesn't need to look far for a meal.
0:27:23 > 0:27:26She is one of the most productive parts of her territory.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28She hasn't been here for some time,
0:27:28 > 0:27:32so she has more chance of catching her prey off guard.
0:27:34 > 0:27:37The lush undergrowth gives her plenty of cover.
0:27:59 > 0:28:02Her prey seem quite unconcerned.
0:28:02 > 0:28:04- But not for long. - CUB GROWLS
0:28:07 > 0:28:11The cub has still to learn that this sort of behaviour
0:28:11 > 0:28:14is not what is needed when mother is trying to hunt.
0:28:14 > 0:28:16DEER BARKS
0:28:20 > 0:28:21LANGUR BARKS
0:28:21 > 0:28:25The langur sends a warning far and wide.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36But still the cub doesn't calm down.
0:29:01 > 0:29:05The cub is now testing his mother's patience to the limit.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08She warns him that enough is enough.
0:29:08 > 0:29:11TIGER GROWLS
0:29:14 > 0:29:19The rest of the cubs are content to wait until she's caught something.
0:29:19 > 0:29:22That shows just how well fed they are.
0:29:29 > 0:29:32Her prey soon relax.
0:29:32 > 0:29:35The pools are beginning to dry.
0:29:41 > 0:29:44Gaur, the rare wild Indian cattle,
0:29:44 > 0:29:48are big enough to push most others drinkers out of the way.
0:29:57 > 0:30:00Spotted deer are given their marching orders
0:30:00 > 0:30:03by the more dominant sambar deer.
0:30:17 > 0:30:21The mother makes another start.
0:30:21 > 0:30:25But she'll have to get rid of her over-enthusiastic cub.
0:30:32 > 0:30:35This time, he gets the message.
0:30:40 > 0:30:45The cub is beginning to understand his mother's changing demeanour.
0:30:45 > 0:30:47Every posture has a special meaning.
0:30:54 > 0:30:56When she has a target in her sights,
0:30:56 > 0:30:59nothing will break her concentration.
0:31:32 > 0:31:36She has taken her prey completely by surprise.
0:31:36 > 0:31:38She brings it down.
0:31:40 > 0:31:42It's a sambar deer.
0:31:47 > 0:31:52She partially throttles her victim, but doesn't kill it.
0:31:52 > 0:31:55She will use this one to give a lesson to her cub.
0:32:00 > 0:32:03The mother leaves him to get on with it.
0:32:03 > 0:32:06But he is not quite sure what to do.
0:32:11 > 0:32:15The throttle hold is one of the most important things he has to learn
0:32:15 > 0:32:18and he's making a good start.
0:32:26 > 0:32:30Giving half-killed prey to a cub like this
0:32:30 > 0:32:32seems heart-breakingly cruel
0:32:32 > 0:32:36but learning to deal with live prey is a vital step
0:32:36 > 0:32:40on the path to becoming an independent hunter.
0:32:47 > 0:32:51The mother has returned to find the other cubs.
0:32:59 > 0:33:02She can remember exactly where she left them
0:33:02 > 0:33:04and they greet her with head butts,
0:33:04 > 0:33:09a gesture that is used by many cats, large and small.
0:33:30 > 0:33:33The chase took her a long way from her cubs,
0:33:33 > 0:33:35but she knows the forest so well
0:33:35 > 0:33:39that she's able to lead them directly back to the kill
0:33:39 > 0:33:41by the shortest possible route.
0:33:46 > 0:33:52The cub meanwhile is making the most of having the kill to himself.
0:34:01 > 0:34:04By the time his brother and sisters arrive
0:34:04 > 0:34:06he's starting to feel it's his.
0:34:14 > 0:34:16The cubs are beginning now and then
0:34:16 > 0:34:18to be aggressive towards one another,
0:34:18 > 0:34:21particularly when there is food around.
0:34:52 > 0:34:54As the newcomers wait their turn,
0:34:54 > 0:34:58they dispel their frustration with a game of chase.
0:35:18 > 0:35:21The carcass is too big for one cub to consume on his own
0:35:21 > 0:35:25so eventually they will all get their fill.
0:35:34 > 0:35:38The cub pulls the carcass into the shade of a lantana bush
0:35:38 > 0:35:41and things start to calm down.
0:36:04 > 0:36:08While the cubs relax, the elephants leave them
0:36:08 > 0:36:11and set off to look for other tigers.
0:36:25 > 0:36:28There are reports that the cubs' father, Charger,
0:36:28 > 0:36:30is back in the neighbourhood.
0:36:30 > 0:36:33Trunk-cam spots him first
0:36:33 > 0:36:37and discovers that he has made an extraordinary kill.
0:36:42 > 0:36:46The high view from elephant-back reveals just what he's eating.
0:36:46 > 0:36:47A sloth bear.
0:36:56 > 0:37:01Killing a sloth bear shows just what a strong individual he is.
0:37:01 > 0:37:03Bears are formidable animals
0:37:03 > 0:37:06and have even been known to attack tigers.
0:37:18 > 0:37:21The bear must have been difficult to kill
0:37:21 > 0:37:24and plucking it certainly took some time
0:37:24 > 0:37:28for the result looks like a rug on the forest floor.
0:37:35 > 0:37:38Although Charger has not gone far away,
0:37:38 > 0:37:41he rarely spends time with his family.
0:37:41 > 0:37:44But his presence in the neighbourhood keeps away
0:37:44 > 0:37:48young males looking for territory who might attack the cubs.
0:37:49 > 0:37:53The male cubs are already becoming distinguishable from their sisters
0:37:53 > 0:37:54by their more powerful build.
0:37:55 > 0:38:00The male on the left has a broader head than his sister on the right.
0:38:02 > 0:38:06Until now the cubs have behaved in a largely similar way.
0:38:07 > 0:38:10Eventually, however, their paths will diverge.
0:38:10 > 0:38:14The females will each take up a territory close to their mother.
0:38:14 > 0:38:17But the males will move much farther away
0:38:17 > 0:38:22to find, and if necessary fight for, territories of their own.
0:38:22 > 0:38:26For now, however, brothers and sisters stick closely together.
0:38:32 > 0:38:35They still have a lot to learn.
0:38:35 > 0:38:38Both sexes have to know how to fight,
0:38:38 > 0:38:41the females to protect themselves from unwanted advances,
0:38:41 > 0:38:44the males to take or defend a territory.
0:38:44 > 0:38:49And siblings make excellent sparring partners.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15It looks violent, but it's quite disciplined
0:39:15 > 0:39:18and no blood is ever drawn.
0:39:29 > 0:39:35Fighting adults use exactly the same moves, but with claws unsheathed,
0:39:35 > 0:39:39and then the results from bouts like this can be fatal.
0:40:07 > 0:40:09But paradise doesn't last forever.
0:40:09 > 0:40:14There has been a disturbing report of a second adult male.
0:40:14 > 0:40:17The cubs' play-fighting may soon need to be
0:40:17 > 0:40:19something far more serious.
0:40:29 > 0:40:31Then, at the edge of the cubs' territory,
0:40:31 > 0:40:34the strange male is spotted.
0:40:34 > 0:40:37He's obviously not used to seeing elephants.
0:40:43 > 0:40:46Tigers may travel more than 130 miles
0:40:46 > 0:40:50looking for a place to establish a territory of their own.
0:40:50 > 0:40:53Such a stranger will kill cubs if given half a chance.
0:40:58 > 0:41:01The cubs are now big enough to put up a fight,
0:41:01 > 0:41:06but having a strange male around is nonetheless a worrying development.
0:41:09 > 0:41:13Tigers often use dried-up riverbeds as roads through the jungle
0:41:13 > 0:41:15and the family immediately detect
0:41:15 > 0:41:18that another tiger has been using the same path.
0:41:18 > 0:41:23The fact that it has sprayed so high suggests that the visitor is a male.
0:41:25 > 0:41:27The tigress puckers up her face
0:41:27 > 0:41:31so that the scent passes over a specially sensitive organ
0:41:31 > 0:41:34in her nose which enables her to analyse the smell.
0:41:41 > 0:41:44Spraying enables all the tigers in the district
0:41:44 > 0:41:46to be aware of one another's presence.
0:41:46 > 0:41:49Prominent trees act as messageboards
0:41:49 > 0:41:52and an unfamiliar scent is quickly noticed,
0:41:52 > 0:41:55so the family know that a stranger has arrived.
0:41:57 > 0:41:59It's rare to see such an intense reaction.
0:41:59 > 0:42:02The mother overlays the stranger's scent with her own
0:42:02 > 0:42:06to make it clear that she's very much in residence.
0:42:11 > 0:42:15In her eagerness to scent-mark she gives the cub a face-full.
0:42:22 > 0:42:25Every tree is scent-marked in turn.
0:42:38 > 0:42:41The tigress leads her cubs up the riverbed
0:42:41 > 0:42:44away from the area as fast as possible
0:42:44 > 0:42:47but that is where the stranger went.
0:42:47 > 0:42:49She could be leading them into danger.
0:42:53 > 0:42:55There are scent marks even here.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01With a strange male around,
0:43:01 > 0:43:06the elephant crew check on Charger, the cubs' father.
0:43:06 > 0:43:07He seems in good heath,
0:43:07 > 0:43:11although quite subdued for a tiger with such a reputation.
0:43:11 > 0:43:16Then, on his side, signs that he has been in a fight.
0:43:19 > 0:43:22His right flank shows puncture marks,
0:43:22 > 0:43:25most likely made by the claws of a tiger.
0:43:32 > 0:43:36He also seems uncharacteristically nervous.
0:43:47 > 0:43:51The tigress and the cubs have moved far from the riverbed
0:43:51 > 0:43:53and now have other things on their mind.
0:43:53 > 0:43:56They have reached a part of the teak forest
0:43:56 > 0:43:59where deer are particularly abundant.
0:44:01 > 0:44:06This open woodland has some of the highest densities of prey in India.
0:44:06 > 0:44:10The family is fortunate indeed to have it in their territory.
0:44:12 > 0:44:16But with four energetic cubs to feed she really has to hunt
0:44:16 > 0:44:20at every opportunity, otherwise they will start to lose condition.
0:44:47 > 0:44:51The long grass allows her to get close very quickly
0:44:51 > 0:44:53and without being seen.
0:44:55 > 0:44:58As usual the cubs are behaving in a boisterous way
0:44:58 > 0:45:01that is bound to catch the attention of the deer.
0:45:03 > 0:45:07They seem to have forgotten that their mother's trying to hunt.
0:45:17 > 0:45:19DEER CALL IN ALARM
0:45:20 > 0:45:25But unknowingly the cubs are acting as excellent decoys,
0:45:25 > 0:45:28deflecting the deer's attention away from their mother.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33She still hasn't been seen.
0:45:37 > 0:45:40For once, the cubs' games are a help.
0:45:40 > 0:45:43The deer just don't know how many tigers there are around.
0:45:50 > 0:45:53At last their mother is within range.
0:46:04 > 0:46:07She's got one. It's a sambar.
0:46:07 > 0:46:09Time and again she picks these out.
0:46:09 > 0:46:13They're bigger than spotted deer and therefore make more of a meal.
0:46:20 > 0:46:22She doesn't need to call her cubs.
0:46:22 > 0:46:26They saw what happened and immediately stopped playing.
0:46:32 > 0:46:36She makes a half-hearted attempt to conceal the body
0:46:36 > 0:46:39to hide it from vultures and other scavengers.
0:46:39 > 0:46:42Clearly she's intending to leave it.
0:46:52 > 0:46:56She must have killed this one just for her cubs.
0:47:01 > 0:47:04The first on the carcass is one of the females
0:47:04 > 0:47:07and she immediately takes possession.
0:47:07 > 0:47:10Once again there is a chance to practise
0:47:10 > 0:47:12what is needed to be a hunter.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17The later arrivals are at a disadvantage.
0:47:17 > 0:47:20Finders is keepers.
0:47:28 > 0:47:34The tigress strolls away to take a rest after all that exertion.
0:47:34 > 0:47:37She is proving to be a very remarkable mother,
0:47:37 > 0:47:42able to kill so easily that she herself doesn't need to feed
0:47:42 > 0:47:43at many of her kills.
0:47:56 > 0:48:02Her daughter is behaving as if she's killing the deer all over again.
0:48:34 > 0:48:39Her sister and brothers seem content to sit it out,
0:48:39 > 0:48:42and she makes sure they realise whose prize it is.
0:48:45 > 0:48:49Opening such a big carcass is not easy on your own,
0:48:49 > 0:48:52so soon she lets one of her brothers join her.
0:49:02 > 0:49:06Rivalry disappears as together they struggle to cut through
0:49:06 > 0:49:08the deer's tough hide.
0:49:30 > 0:49:34After a day full of action, the elephants take a break.
0:49:36 > 0:49:40But the next morning the tigers have disappeared.
0:49:44 > 0:49:48It's three days before the elephants find them again.
0:49:52 > 0:49:56They are some distance away from where they were last seen
0:49:56 > 0:49:59and moving very purposefully.
0:49:59 > 0:50:02The elephants must travel fast to keep up,
0:50:02 > 0:50:06although that doesn't prevent them from snacking on the move.
0:50:13 > 0:50:15All the cubs are here.
0:50:15 > 0:50:17But there's no sign of the mother
0:50:17 > 0:50:21and it's unusual for them to move so far without her.
0:50:31 > 0:50:33As the elephants get closer to them
0:50:33 > 0:50:36there seems little to be concerned about.
0:50:36 > 0:50:39The cubs are still in a playful mood.
0:50:51 > 0:50:55The next day breaks with a deceptive calm.
0:51:08 > 0:51:11When the cubs are found they're still alone.
0:51:12 > 0:51:16They have arrived at one of the park's dams,
0:51:16 > 0:51:20a favourite source of fresh water for much of the year.
0:51:23 > 0:51:25These dams, scattered throughout the park,
0:51:25 > 0:51:28are invaluable in the drier months.
0:51:28 > 0:51:31Even at this time of year tigers find them irresistible.
0:51:36 > 0:51:40As usual, the cubs use them as lavatories, so concealing the signs
0:51:40 > 0:51:43that might reveal their presence to another tiger.
0:51:43 > 0:51:46With their mother absent, they are very vulnerable.
0:52:05 > 0:52:08They find a toy, a log,
0:52:08 > 0:52:10but their play is rather subdued.
0:52:17 > 0:52:21When their mother's not around, the cubs behave very differently.
0:52:21 > 0:52:24They're quieter and far less confident.
0:52:32 > 0:52:36They avoid deliberately drawing attention to themselves
0:52:36 > 0:52:38and usually stay in the same place.
0:52:38 > 0:52:40The fact that they're still on the move
0:52:40 > 0:52:43suggests that they have been disturbed.
0:52:51 > 0:52:56It's three days since the mother was last seen.
0:53:01 > 0:53:04The elephants begin another search for her.
0:53:08 > 0:53:13Like the tigers, the wild game in the park is totally undisturbed
0:53:13 > 0:53:16by the presence of the elephants.
0:53:16 > 0:53:20In spite of their great size, they can be surprisingly quiet.
0:53:26 > 0:53:28The elephants are accepted
0:53:28 > 0:53:32as just another harmless inhabitant of the forest.
0:53:34 > 0:53:38But some creatures here are far from harmless.
0:53:47 > 0:53:51A strange male has been sighted again.
0:53:54 > 0:53:59He's a young tiger who's probably looking for a territory of his own.
0:54:07 > 0:54:10The cubs are not far away
0:54:10 > 0:54:12and they seem to have picked up the male's scent.
0:54:17 > 0:54:22With Charger injured, the intruder is probably confident enough
0:54:22 > 0:54:24to leave his own mark.
0:54:27 > 0:54:30This is a dangerous situation for the cubs,
0:54:30 > 0:54:33for their mother is nowhere to be seen.
0:54:45 > 0:54:47The elephants set out once again
0:54:47 > 0:54:50to see if they can find the cubs' mother.
0:54:58 > 0:55:03At last, they discover her at one of her old den-sites.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05This is very reassuring.
0:55:11 > 0:55:13But something seems wrong.
0:55:13 > 0:55:16She is unusually subdued.
0:55:21 > 0:55:23Then we find out why.
0:55:23 > 0:55:28She has a wound in her chest that is obviously causing her some distress.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44Such a cut could have been caused by the horns of her prey
0:55:44 > 0:55:46or from a fight with another tiger.
0:55:46 > 0:55:49It's fresh and obviously a serious injury.
0:55:51 > 0:55:55She's in a bad way and desperately needs rest.
0:56:00 > 0:56:04This explains why she left her cubs alone.
0:56:06 > 0:56:08The cubs are still on the move
0:56:08 > 0:56:12and they've reached the dammed river in the centre of the park.
0:56:19 > 0:56:23Cubs rarely wander far from where their mother left them,
0:56:23 > 0:56:27but, perhaps realising that they're now very much on their own,
0:56:27 > 0:56:29they seem anxious to keep moving.
0:56:40 > 0:56:44They're still too young to survive without their mother,
0:56:44 > 0:56:47so their future will depend on her making a quick recovery.
0:56:57 > 0:57:01They do everything they can to avoid being detected.
0:57:06 > 0:57:08But it's all in vain.
0:57:22 > 0:57:24The strange male has appeared
0:57:24 > 0:57:27not far from where the cubs found scent marks.
0:57:27 > 0:57:29This is too close for comfort.
0:57:37 > 0:57:39Their only option
0:57:39 > 0:57:44is to put as much distance between them and him as possible.
0:57:54 > 0:57:57The cubs have survived against the odds.
0:57:57 > 0:57:59But now they're in great danger.
0:58:00 > 0:58:05With both parents injured and a rogue male on the loose,
0:58:05 > 0:58:08they will need a miracle to pull through.
0:58:12 > 0:58:18In the next Spy In The Jungle we will find out if their luck holds.
0:58:50 > 0:58:53Subtitles by Red Bee Media Ltd
0:58:53 > 0:58:56E-mail subtitling@bbc.co.uk