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National Geographic Tigers of the Snow
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On the edge of a lush forest |
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a hunter is on the prowl. |
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Terney, |
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This is no longer a place of exile, |
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but today's Siberians |
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trapping, fishing, and logging. |
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They live on |
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surrounded by a vast |
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And still, out there somewhere, |
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A creature of fearful power |
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It is the biggest cat on earth... |
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Today wildlife biologists |
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and perhaps to save it. |
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About three hundred Siberian tigers |
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And they are perilously |
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These Russian and American scientists |
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must get close to one of the most |
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But while some seek |
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one Russian scientist |
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mating and hunting. |
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Made for Siberia, |
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this splendid cat can sprint across |
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Magnificent. Mysterious. |
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Highly dangerous and |
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This is the great Siberian - |
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A vast stretch of forest |
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with a fourth of the world's |
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Until recently the Siberian Tiger |
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Under the strict dictates |
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the tiger was protected. |
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But today, enforcement is lax. |
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Rampant poaching |
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the population of tigers in the wild. |
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In the Asian medicine market, |
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everything from the eyes |
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for its legendary curative powers. |
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The magnificent coat alone |
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But poachers aren't the only threat. |
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The tiger's habitat, |
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part of the largest natural forest |
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is rapidly disappearing. |
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It's being cut at a rate of |
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When authorities confiscate a pelt |
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it must be destroyed so it will |
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Recalling a poet's famous words... |
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"Tiger, Tiger burning bright |
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The coast of Eastern Siberia. |
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The Siberian tiger once ranged |
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Once they numbered in the thousands. |
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Now, only some three hundred survive |
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in a narrow band of mountains |
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The Siberia of legend |
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In fact, parts of the forest |
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Here, |
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are seeking to study |
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in a last-ditch effort to save them. |
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Dr. Maurice Hornocker, |
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has brought desperately needed |
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"Yeah, that's good, too." |
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In the past, Russian scientists |
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when their tracks |
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Now, with radio tracking devices, |
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the elusive cats can be studied |
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"My first work with cats, |
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with the mountain lions |
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everyone said it couldn't be done - |
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We've used the tiger population |
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but we've studied the entire |
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Because of the immense area |
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defines entire watersheds, |
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that the prey must also utilize. |
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So you can literally define |
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by studying a big cat." |
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The scientists pick up |
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somewhere in the thick forest below. |
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In fact, it's a number of tigers. |
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And incredibly, |
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Siberian tigers are so rare and elusive |
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that even a fleeting glimpse |
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is a landmark event |
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"When we saw that female and |
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on its lakeshore - wide open view - first time |
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that a female Siberian tiger and |
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and photographed from the air - |
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it was one of the most thrilling |
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Hornocker's team has tracked |
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trying to determine such |
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as their range and distribution. |
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At the field lab of the Hornocker |
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Maurice is briefed by Dale Miquelle, |
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who's been coordinating the field |
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"...we've got five females |
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that we've got good information |
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Um, we've got Olga, the four, |
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first female we captured |
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that only includes a little piece |
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um, and then we've got..." |
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Together with their Russian colleagues, |
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they need to quickly establish |
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"The, one of the things that's interesting about all of this |
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is that all these animals travel |
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so, even though the reserve is vast, |
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it's not large enough |
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in their entire home range." |
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Time is running out. |
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Even now, |
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where only some twenty tigers |
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The researchers receive word |
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that a tiger has been caught |
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a chance to add a new animal |
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Bart Schleyer and Dr. Hornocker |
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"I don't see her." |
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There is no way of knowing |
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He could suddenly pull free |
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and then they would have only |
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A tranquilizer dart should quiet the tiger down. |
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Still, the dosage required |
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Too much endangers the tigers. |
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It's a three-year-old male. |
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When fully grown, at about age six, |
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he'll weigh six hundred pounds |
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But even now he's an armful. |
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"This is about all we can do, guys. |
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They carry the tiger |
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"Gonna lubricate his eyes." |
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His eyes must be |
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since the blink response is sedated. |
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"Let's get this snare off." |
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These massive jaws can crack |
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with a single bite. |
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"Young male tiger." |
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Its feet are like thickly padded |
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"Boy, he's a beautiful animal." |
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"Yeah, gorgeous." |
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The radio collar allows them |
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and help answer some |
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How much territory |
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How many elk and deer and boar? |
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How do they react |
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Suddenly, the tiger is having |
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They desperately try to revive him. |
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"I'm gonna give him something." |
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"And someone should keep..." |
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"His eyes are moving." |
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"Yeah, but his breaths are real low." |
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"Give it to him." |
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"That collar's cut, Maurice? |
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'Cause we might have a cat |
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The tiger must be given a stimulant. |
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Slowly he resumes |
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"Yeah, he's breathing. |
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"Yeah, he's breathing. |
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Whew, man, that was... |
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"Yeah." |
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The biologists must now |
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before the great beast fully awakens. |
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They're reluctant |
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before he's safely on his feet - |
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Now at a safe distance, |
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the team receives a signal |
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The tiger is up and about... |
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In another part of the reserve, |
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the team is concerned about the |
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She was the very first |
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Olga, it appears, has remained in |
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a sign that she may be dead - |
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or that she has found a den |
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Dr. Evgeny Smirnov, |
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determines that Olga is, in fact, |
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The researchers decide |
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they'll attempt to enter the den |
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They'll need to wait until night |
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when the tigress should be |
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Hopefully, far from home. |
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"I asked if he thought, uh, it would be dangerous |
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or we'd, we'd be in trouble if we went there and he said, |
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'Of course, it'd be dangerous, |
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to approach when she's not there, |
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because it's simply too dangerous |
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with the, the mother present."' |
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He said, "Thank God", |
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we have the telemetry equipment to |
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and so we know, exactly, |
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Without that it, it'd simply be a, |
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The fading radio signal indicates |
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But if she returns |
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They test flares |
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Protecting a den is one |
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when a Siberian will turn man-killer. |
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Night is the time when tigers |
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Their night vision is far superior |
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The signal from Olga - once faint - |
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is getting louder. |
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The team must quickly |
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"Yeah this is it. This is it, Bart." |
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"Yeah, yeah, we've got the spot. |
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"Do you see a cat?" |
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"Yeah." |
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Gloves soaked with tiger urine |
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so the mother will not detect |
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"Get away." |
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It's a healthy male. |
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Two months old, the cub already |
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"Dale, I'm still getting a signal |
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and it's really not that weak |
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we're probably going to |
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Unlike other cats, tiger kittens |
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An ear tag is inserted |
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They christen the cub Sasha. |
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"I'm getting a signal, |
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she's back, |
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Their daring has set a new precedent. |
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For the first time ever, |
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scientists have examined and |
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In towns and villages throughout |
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people have learned to live |
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But attacks have happened |
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In the village of Guyvaron, |
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however, one man is happy to |
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Maurice Hornocker and Howard Quigley |
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are working with a Russian biologist |
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who has two orphaned cubs |
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"That's a big male tiger." |
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Victor Yudin has raised the cubs |
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Victor is the author of a definitive |
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But he soon learned that Kuchur, the tiger... |
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...and Niurka, the tigress, |
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"To study tigers in captivity |
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because many of their biological |
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Comparing the results |
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that were done in captivity |
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helps us to develop the methods |
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as a species in reserves |
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The young tigers have |
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and so, with the support of the |
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an enclosure is built |
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Though a far cry from the hundreds |
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a tiger in the wild would roam, |
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these six acres will provide |
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with the opportunity to run |
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- and hopefully - |
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But there are neighbors |
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Victor knows the importance |
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Especially now, |
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when the tigers will soon be turned |
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So he brings local school children |
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"Villagers often come to see |
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They often ask me: |
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since it's so different |
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"I explain to them |
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to what we can and cannot learn |
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from observing tigers the way we do |
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by simply following tracks |
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Afterwards, when people realize |
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that it's serious work |
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as if I were a superman, I guess." |
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The day has come |
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the tigers will step into the natural |
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No one knows how they will react |
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For Victor, it's an especially |
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for he hopes the enclosure |
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for the rest of their lives. |
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The male, Kuchur, steps boldly out. |
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For the first time... |
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the smell of grass and leaf, |
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Niurka, the female, |
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and even tries to close the gate. |
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But soon, |
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To Yudin's surprise, |
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Kuchur begins to feel a little frisky |
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But Niurka will have no part of it. |
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For her, the time has not yet come. |
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Exhilarated by their freedom, |
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they soon vanish into |
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To feed his feline charges, |
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Victor feels he knows the mood |
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he can risk entering the enclosure. |
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In the wild, most attacks |
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when they invade a tiger's territory |
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Unlike Bengal tigers, Siberians |
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As the tigers settle into |
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Dr. Yudin begins his observations |
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He hopes to learn |
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and which would need to be taught |
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before they could be released |
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Tigers live in a world of feast |
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Still, Kuchur must wait his turn. |
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Dr. Yudin notices it's the female |
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With the coming of fall, |
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the first brisk winds blow in |
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As if designed |
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the tigers blend with the landscape. |
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In the wild, |
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as winter approaches, |
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Dr. Yudin confronts one more problem |
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that makes the study |
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The tiger is largely |
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With their extraordinary |
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Kuchur and Niurka come fully alive |
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Recently, they've begun to roam |
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Victor wonders if night has |
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When he releases a small rabbit |
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he quickly learns the answer. |
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After several weeks, |
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the tigers have established |
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How would they react to another |
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Yudin and Hornocker set up |
| 00:30:04 |
involving a full-sized model tiger. |
| 00:30:07 |
"Okay. A little more." |
| 00:30:10 |
"I'm interested to see |
| 00:30:13 |
Is that as big as Kuchur?" |
| 00:30:15 |
"Yes..." |
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"These will match right up |
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You got that back there?" |
| 00:30:25 |
"Yeah, it's good." |
| 00:30:28 |
"Yeah, that's a good fit. |
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Okay, let's see what it looks like |
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Victor's dogs are convinced. |
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They immediately recognize |
| 00:31:03 |
Tigers in the wild are solitary |
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Is this behavior innate or learned? |
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And, if innate, |
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The reaction to an intruder |
| 00:31:19 |
may help provide an answer. |
| 00:31:25 |
The scale model is covered |
| 00:31:28 |
the scent that establishes territory. |
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Recordings of tiger calls will be |
| 00:31:45 |
The stage is set. |
| 00:32:08 |
Kuchur, the male, is curious. |
| 00:32:11 |
He spends hours observing |
| 00:32:21 |
But by light of day, |
| 00:32:29 |
It's only overnight |
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the tigers' real attitude |
| 00:32:35 |
Every shred of color has been ripped |
| 00:32:40 |
Only when the model |
| 00:32:43 |
did Kuchur leave it alone. |
| 00:32:46 |
The defense of his territory |
| 00:33:05 |
It was the long Siberian winter |
| 00:33:11 |
demanding robust size, |
| 00:33:16 |
But it is also winter |
| 00:33:19 |
when they are most easily seen... |
| 00:33:24 |
"We've had to develop and |
| 00:33:29 |
No one had ever worked |
| 00:33:31 |
So, we utilized foot-snaring |
| 00:33:35 |
and it's worked very successfully. |
| 00:33:37 |
But, some of them are becoming |
| 00:33:39 |
some of them have become very, |
| 00:33:43 |
So in order to maintain the |
| 00:33:47 |
in order to keep track |
| 00:33:50 |
we've had to utilize helicopters." |
| 00:33:55 |
The hunt begins to re-collar |
| 00:33:58 |
The information the collars provide |
| 00:34:01 |
to understanding the boundaries |
| 00:34:08 |
Their territories are extensive. |
| 00:34:11 |
Females may range up to |
| 00:34:14 |
males perhaps five hundred. |
| 00:34:18 |
Losing contact with a study animal |
| 00:34:22 |
Each one is precious |
| 00:34:25 |
"The collars we put on animals last |
| 00:34:30 |
and then the batteries, |
| 00:34:32 |
so they simply need to be replaced. |
| 00:34:34 |
Once we've invested two years in |
| 00:34:39 |
that animal becomes very valuable |
| 00:34:42 |
And the longer we can maintain |
| 00:34:45 |
the more we learn about |
| 00:34:48 |
how often it has young, |
| 00:34:51 |
its whole life history." |
| 00:34:58 |
The pilot spots something below. |
| 00:35:02 |
It's a wild boar |
| 00:35:07 |
And in pursuit a tiger. |
| 00:35:20 |
Tigers miss most of their prey. |
| 00:35:23 |
This time the helicopter provides |
| 00:35:28 |
The tiger is not amused. |
| 00:35:43 |
Eventually they pick up the strong |
| 00:35:56 |
It is Olga, mother of the cub |
| 00:36:01 |
The helicopter quickly searches the |
| 00:36:11 |
And Sasha is there - no longer |
| 00:36:20 |
The young are raised |
| 00:36:23 |
Sasha will stay with her |
| 00:36:26 |
until it's time to establish |
| 00:36:34 |
The search continues for Kouza |
| 00:36:36 |
a young male who has outgrown |
| 00:36:40 |
Kouza is just beginning |
| 00:36:43 |
and it's difficult to know |
| 00:36:48 |
Tranquilizing a Siberian tiger |
| 00:36:53 |
The size of the tiger, its mood - |
| 00:36:56 |
and the placement of the dart can |
| 00:37:00 |
Always, out of concern for the tiger, |
| 00:37:02 |
the team tries to inject |
| 00:37:20 |
After long hours |
| 00:37:24 |
the tiger is spotted. |
| 00:37:26 |
In pursuit, the helicopter must fly |
| 00:37:30 |
a dangerous maneuver. |
| 00:37:37 |
It's a far cry from hunting |
| 00:37:41 |
"There's usually just a real |
| 00:37:44 |
and sometimes there's a limb |
| 00:37:47 |
and there's been a number of times |
| 00:37:49 |
when I probably could have gotten |
| 00:37:53 |
but I'm too worried about |
| 00:37:56 |
and having the, the dart deflect into |
| 00:38:01 |
which would injure it, |
| 00:38:04 |
So, I'm real, real stressed by trying |
| 00:38:22 |
As the tiger moves deeper |
| 00:38:24 |
the helicopter follows so closely |
| 00:38:29 |
"The pilots we're using, |
| 00:38:33 |
because you are operating |
| 00:38:36 |
and you just hope that the pilots |
| 00:38:40 |
around behind them particularly |
| 00:38:44 |
and particularly the other day when |
| 00:38:48 |
there was a conifer tree |
| 00:38:49 |
that was actually almost butted |
| 00:38:57 |
The first shot is a clean hit. |
| 00:39:02 |
They hover patiently waiting for |
| 00:39:07 |
But they can't wait too long - |
| 00:39:34 |
Bart fires another dart |
| 00:39:37 |
Most big cats need two doses. |
| 00:39:40 |
And the second one appears to |
| 00:39:45 |
Bart and Rybin Nikolai |
| 00:39:49 |
This too is a dangerous maneuver. |
| 00:39:51 |
But they can't leave the tiger |
| 00:40:08 |
The pilot is very concerned now. |
| 00:40:10 |
They must refuel. |
| 00:40:12 |
He radios Bart to abort the mission. |
| 00:40:15 |
But Bart insists - |
| 00:40:18 |
they must remain below |
| 00:40:22 |
The helicopter races back to refuel. |
| 00:40:30 |
As they slowly approach the tiger, |
| 00:40:36 |
The tiger is up and moving. |
| 00:40:38 |
The dosage was insufficient. |
| 00:40:46 |
Still, they must get a closer look |
| 00:41:00 |
They proceed with caution |
| 00:41:01 |
knowing they are intruding |
| 00:41:03 |
in a fierce young tiger's newly |
| 00:41:09 |
Kouza appears groggy |
| 00:41:13 |
But he's much too dangerous |
| 00:41:18 |
Now they can only await |
| 00:41:21 |
And hope the young tiger has seen |
| 00:41:38 |
For now, the tiger has eluded them, |
| 00:41:40 |
but at least they know |
| 00:41:43 |
Eventually, he'll be located |
| 00:41:49 |
At last, they are brought aboard - |
| 00:41:51 |
to the relative safety of a |
| 00:42:02 |
Not long after, they spot a tigress |
| 00:42:06 |
She is very aggressive - |
| 00:42:08 |
and even climbs a tree |
| 00:42:14 |
She only provides a better target |
| 00:42:26 |
Unlike the larger male, a single dose |
| 00:42:34 |
"Let's take blood |
| 00:42:40 |
The old collar is measured |
| 00:42:42 |
which is given an extra notch |
| 00:42:57 |
They carefully monitor |
| 00:43:02 |
"Where's that? 10?" |
| 00:43:03 |
"That's right..." |
| 00:43:07 |
Mission accomplished. |
| 00:43:09 |
The new collar will provide crucial |
| 00:43:22 |
Not far from the cold, |
| 00:43:25 |
the success of the venture |
| 00:43:29 |
It's also Bart Schleyer's birthday. |
| 00:43:33 |
For American and Russian alike |
| 00:43:34 |
it's a camaraderie born of years of |
| 00:43:59 |
At Victor Yudin's compound winter |
| 00:44:07 |
The Siberian winter seems to |
| 00:44:12 |
This is truly the season of |
| 00:44:36 |
As Victor Yudin observes, |
| 00:44:38 |
Kuchur, the male, continues to |
| 00:44:42 |
spraying the trees with his scent. |
| 00:44:45 |
In what is called a 'flehmen' the |
| 00:44:51 |
Then it's Kuchur's turn to |
| 00:44:57 |
And she is. |
| 00:44:59 |
Niurka, the female, |
| 00:45:02 |
And so the mating period begins. |
| 00:45:12 |
"If we succeed in getting young cubs |
| 00:45:15 |
because then we can develop |
| 00:45:18 |
for returning the young tigers |
| 00:45:24 |
We'll try to bring them up |
| 00:45:26 |
so they will more easily adapt to |
| 00:45:31 |
here in the reserve." |
| 00:45:38 |
As for a successful mating, |
| 00:45:40 |
all Dr. Yudin can do |
| 00:45:58 |
Victor's wife, Lena, has a special |
| 00:46:02 |
She's nurtured them |
| 00:46:05 |
When they must be brought in |
| 00:46:06 |
because of the dangers of poaching, |
| 00:46:08 |
only their Babushka |
| 00:46:52 |
Over the next few days, |
| 00:46:56 |
Sometimes dozens of times a day. |
| 00:46:59 |
At last, the breeding ends, |
| 00:47:05 |
She should give birth |
| 00:47:19 |
Springtime in Siberia. |
| 00:47:22 |
Dr. Hornocker receives word from |
| 00:47:25 |
that Niurka has given birth. |
| 00:47:29 |
But something's wrong. |
| 00:47:39 |
Victor's observed that the mother |
| 00:47:45 |
This is not uncommon when |
| 00:47:54 |
"Does Victor think |
| 00:48:01 |
"Probably not." |
| 00:48:03 |
"Then we better go in and look, Victor." |
| 00:48:07 |
They isolate the mother, Niurka, |
| 00:48:27 |
One of the cubs is up and about |
| 00:48:32 |
The other cub is barely moving and |
| 00:48:42 |
"How is he?" |
| 00:48:46 |
"Yeah, oh yeah, the poor little guy." |
| 00:49:04 |
Suddenly, the cub stops breathing. |
| 00:49:09 |
Victor rushes it inside |
| 00:49:28 |
It appears the mother has neither |
| 00:49:33 |
and this one is near death. |
| 00:49:39 |
With infinite patience, |
| 00:49:43 |
Hoping - against all odds - |
| 00:50:16 |
The mortality rate of Siberian tiger |
| 00:50:23 |
With so few born in the wild, |
| 00:50:25 |
the survival of captive cub |
| 00:50:39 |
One cub is lost, |
| 00:50:41 |
but her brother - under Victor's |
| 00:50:46 |
He's named the cub Globus - |
| 00:50:48 |
for a world that cares about him, |
| 00:50:51 |
even if his own mother |
| 00:51:15 |
Eventually Globus will be brought |
| 00:51:18 |
as part of a captive |
| 00:51:26 |
When he is, he'll be following |
| 00:51:28 |
orphaned in Siberia and |
| 00:51:31 |
to the snows of Omaha, Nebraska. |
| 00:51:35 |
They're now part of the world's most |
| 00:51:38 |
for large predators. |
| 00:51:40 |
The tigers are bred here |
| 00:51:41 |
with the goal of returning the cubs |
| 00:51:47 |
But what kind of environment |
| 00:51:55 |
Back in Russia, |
| 00:51:56 |
Dr. Hornocker strives to educate |
| 00:52:02 |
"If we're to save these big carnivores |
| 00:52:06 |
we must convince |
| 00:52:09 |
that it's worthwhile |
| 00:52:11 |
It's always so rewarding to me |
| 00:52:13 |
and gratifying to see how |
| 00:52:17 |
They really love these big animals. |
| 00:52:19 |
They want to save them. |
| 00:52:21 |
And if we can convince them |
| 00:52:22 |
that it's in their best interest then |
| 00:52:29 |
Soon, much of this magnificent |
| 00:52:32 |
the Siberian tiger's last domain - |
| 00:52:35 |
may be cut down for a world |
| 00:52:41 |
But the years of difficult and |
| 00:52:44 |
to a plan to save the forest... |
| 00:52:50 |
Selecting the tiger as the |
| 00:52:54 |
means that the forest surrounding |
| 00:52:59 |
But in a land of political |
| 00:53:02 |
there are no guarantees. |
| 00:53:06 |
Poised on the edge of extinction, |
| 00:53:09 |
the tiger of the snow evokes |
| 00:53:14 |
Hope is the last to die. |
