"In this film, elephants take us closer to tigers than ever before" "They enter the tigers world armed only with spy cams" "Using theses new devices, they help tell a story of cubs growing up." "They are our spies in the jungle." "Elephants have been used for centuries to search for tigers" "There is no better way to enter the tigers' dark and mysterious world." "India's few remaining tigers live in dense forest, and that makes filming their behavior one of the last great wildlife challenges." "This is Pench Tiger Reserve in central India, one of the tiger's last strongholds." "Even here tigers are elusive but fortunately they often leave their mark," "From these footprints, the mahouts who ride the elephants can tell both the sex of a tiger and how recently it passed by." "These are fresh, time to deploy a secret weapon." "Trunk cam is specially designed to film tigers in high definition while on the move" "It's carried by what must be the ultimate all-terrain camera vehicle an elephant this eco-friendly 4X4 can take trunk cam wherever a tiger goes," "And it can start filming the moment the alarm calls of prey animals give away the tiger's location" "the human camera crew film from another elephant and adjust trunk cam using remote control," "The elephants give us extraordinary access to the tigers" "They are after all naturally habitants of the forest so the tigers aren't at all faced by them." "These innovative filming techniques have made it possible over a period of three years to capture the most intimate portrait of tigers ever seen." "They give us astounding insights into the tiger's private world and capture behavior never witnessed before." "Our story begins with a tantalizing glimpse of something very special a cub just ten days old" "Wild cubs as young as this have never been filmed before." "For their first six weeks most cubs usually hide away in their dens hardly glimpsed in daylight" "These are unusually adventurous" "They seem totally unaware of the dangers," "Although their eyes are just opening they won't see clearly for another six weeks." "They are the mother's first litter, and they are going to be quite a test for her." "The tigress must pick them up by the scruff of the neck" "It's a delicate preparation a little too much pressure and she will hurt her cub." "She can bite with a force of 1000 pounds but this requires the gentlest touch." "Tigers usually have two or three cubs" "Four are quite a handful and these already seem more challenging at most" "The ratio between sexes among newborns is usually equal" "True to form, two of these cubs are male and two are female" "It will be rare indeed for all 4 of them to reach maturity" "Then the dangers lie ahead" "At this size, they make a snack for even the smallest predator their mother must make sure everyone is accounted for" "With two back in the den and one on it's way it's only one straggler left worry about." "The cub's contact cry makes sure he is not forgotten" "As long as the cubs call their mother is compelled to keep retrieving them but this will try any mother's patience" "The young cub's life is very precarious" "Had the mother been away hunting at a moment like this the outcome could've been very different." "She is clearly going to be a devoted mother, but she still has a lot to learn" "This is not the way to do it." "Filming such behavior is unprecedented" "It gives us an extraordinary opportunity to follow these cubs as they grow" "To do that, the elephant crew will need more spy cams." "As it's name suggests, tusk cam is mounted on the elephant's tusk," "It's smaller than trunk cam so it can be carried at all times, perfect for shots on the move" "It's usually the first camera to film a tiger, and it now has a little celebrity in it's sights." "This is Charger, the father of the cubs" "Wonderingly, he got his name from his readiness to charge" "It's clearly a job for trunk cam, a spy cam with hidden talents" "Charger will attack without provocation, but trunk cam is specifically designed to look harmless" "Charger reacts surprisingly calmly to this motorized tree trunk" "He is less a tiger or like a pussycat" "Even the camera's pans and zooms provoke little reaction but then something strange catches Charger's eye" "He sees what he thinks is another tiger" "It could be a expensive time for a piece of kit that costs as much as a small house." "But charger isn't easily intimidated which is good news for his cubs" "More cubs are killed by rival males than anything else." "But while Charger is around his cubs are safe." "The mother and cubs rarely meet the father," "And he never joins her on the hunt not the teen needs much help." "Pench has some of the highest concentrations of game in all India so this tigress never has to travel far for a meal." "Even so, bringing up four cubs is not going to be easy, especially ones as adventurous as these" "Some tiger territories may cover as much as 200 square miles, but in prime hunting country like this, as little as ten square miles can be enough" "Within this, she knows all the hot spots for game" "Parts of the forest positively teem with life but more prey means more eyes on the look out" "Frustration is all too frequent" "Fortunately, in this neck of woods there are plenty of alternatives" "She just has to keep walking" "Her aim is to stalk within 30 meters without being seen." "If there is a choice she will select large deer, like sambar" "A sambar stag is the best prize of all" "Most hunts like this one end in disappointment" "While she is on the prowl her cubs should be safely tucked up in their den but these are no ordinary cubs." "Now he is in great danger." "With his mother away any passing predator will jump at the chance for such an easy meal" "Leopards kill tiger cubs without hesitation perhaps they see them as future competitors" "Pench park has a thriving population of leopards" "They far outnumber tigers" "So a lost cub is in real danger" "It's best defense is to remain still" "Hiding under a leaf is a somewhat novel alternative" "Fortunately, mother tigers never leave their young cubs for long but they don't usually have such a problem recognizing them" "Her cubs seem to have a death wish" "If they are to survive, they have a lot to learn" "We will do our best to watch them for the next two years as they acquire the skills they will need to survive" "But now the monsoon bring filming to a halt the park is closed and the camera elephants only deployed on anti-porching patrols" "The monsoon refreshes the land and refills the reserviors that will be so valuable during the drier months" "The park is transformed into a lush green oasis" "But despite the tranquility the heavy rains make this a hazardous time for small cubs." "Ten weeks passed and the camera elephants return to filming duties" "After a long search, they find the tigress" "But worryingly, her cubs are nowhere to be seen" "The elephants follow her towards one of her favorite den sites" "It's good news at least three cubs have survived" "and then, a fourth" "The cubs are now three months old they stop hiding in their dens and venture out everyday but only when their mother is around" "They sometimes accompany her on hunting trips and they move from one den site to another as she travels around her territory" "Play, it seems, is never far from their mind" "It's good for practicing hunting skills, and it's also a lot of fun," "While they get rid of their surplus energy, the mother has some time for herself," "Even at this age, her cubs can be quite a handful" "All this play develops their strength and coordination, and it occupies a lot of their time." "They play for a third of the day, and sleep for another third" "The rest of the time, they eat." "They are growing fast, putting on around three quarters of a kilo each week." "Although they look small next to their mother, they are already twice the weight of a domestic cat" "They just started to take meat but their mother's milk still provides most of their nourishment." "With the cubs all to the bout keeping up with them is a considerable challenge for the camera team" "But help is on it's way" "mitt log cam, a small remote camera that can be deployed quickly by the elephants themselves" "It can be placed around water holes, or on animal paths and tracks," "The camera is triggered by any movement of a nearby animal," "Left alone, it could lie and wait for days." "This langur monkey is transfixed by her reflection in the lens" "The spy cams are now deployed 24/7, recording anything that happens in front of them" "Even though some see through their disguise the cameras between them capture a wealth of extraordinary behavior" "Spotted deer and langurs find safety in numbers and often travel around together" "Log camera reveals just how unruly the deers' neighbors can be" "Despite the rough-and-tumble sharing centering duties makes sense when a tiger's on the prowl" "Time to get baby on board" "With eyes everywhere, there is literally nowhere to hide" "They have a special alarm call for tiger and it's never too young to learn it's meaning" "These incisive calls follow the tigress wherever she goes making it difficult for her to launch a surprise attack" "With a tiger in their midst monkeys have at least one way to show their disgust" "As soon as the tigers relax the excitement begins to die down" "The tigers are used to playing a waiting game" "The forest gradually quietens" "It's habitants live under constant threat from tigers so they must make the most of any periods of calm" "This is the moment the tigress has been waiting for" "Langurs are strict vegetarians and now in the monsoon, there is food everywhere with plenty of time on their hands, their guard in down" "Any film of tiger's hunting is rare and forests are very difficult locations because the vegetation obscures the view" "But the elephant cams can film even in the deepest forest" "Water holes make the perfect spot for a ambush" "Tiger seize any hunting opportunity" "But if they are undisturbed, they perfer to hunt in the day" "The jungle early warning system is back in operation" "The calls put the whole forest on edge and make the tigresses' job more difficult." "Faced with a choice, she favors the larger sambar deer but the monkey alarms are making them nervous." "As deer have poor color vision, a tiger can be within sniffing distance, but still be on the scene in the grass" "She relies on her camouflage which breaks up her all time" "But in the midst of the herd many eyes are watching" "The sambar signals her unease to her companions but she's still unsure of what she sees" "All seems lost" "But in thick forest, the tiger still has everything to play for" "She uses the river valleys as cover to cut off the deer's escape" "For the deer, out of sight is out of mind" "She's regained the advantage of surprise" "When running, she can cover 9 meters in each leap" "But even so, the closer she can get, the better." "She gets it" "She kills by throttling" "If the prey is small enough she will carry it back to her cubs" "But after a long hunt they can be quite a distance away" "She is already having to double the number of kills she makes for the cubs have developed quite an appetite." "The cubs are now 14 weeks old, and need all the meat they can get," "They can eat over a kilo of meat each day the equivalent of 20 large steaks between them" "It's just as well Pench reserve has such a thriving population of prey animals." "Because of it's value as a sanctuary for tigers, this old teak forest replantation was made a reserve in 1992 and now it has many other secretive inhabitants as the spy cams discover." "A family of wild boar" "Left record all day, it's surprising just what the spy cams capture, who would think that a pond heron faces competition from a kingfisher." "Even langurs have to keep their distance," "As well as capturing unusual behavior of other animals, the spy cams are able to film the tigers when the elephants are off duty" "A Painted Spurfowl makes an entrance and an equally quick exit" "The cubs maybe gaining in confidence in dealing with the smaller inhabitants of the forest but they are far from kings of this jungle" "Their inquisitive nature gets them into all sort of scrapes/À§¾³ especially when their mother is taking a nap," "Indian Rock Pythons will eat small cubs they also frequent the kind of rocky outcrops where tigers make their dens." "At this age, the cubs are still an easy meal for every predator around" "It's nearly 2 years before they become as formidable as their mother." "Very few people have seen how an adult tiger deals with a python" "What will be the outcome?" "Although the python isn't protected by venom he does have a nasty bite" "They say curiosity kills the cat" "Tigers are used to animals that bite back" "Filming so much extraordinary tiger behavior in such a short time has been a triumph" "But it's time for the elephants to take another break they will be away for another two months" "It's now December, the elephants have been back on duty for five days, but so far they haven't found the mother and cubs" "Then tusk cam spots the family" "The cubs are now five months old and all seem in perfect health" "Tusk cam has a stabilized camera system but when the elephant stops he often adds his own support turning his trunk into a monopod which steadies the camera image" "But the most rocks haulage shots come from trunk cam off the elephant altogether and working from the ground" "As the tigers relax and truck cam takes over, the elephant that carries tusk cam can also take a break" "Tigers spend around 20 hours each day catnapping" "The elephants also appreciate their downtime and patiently wait for something to happen." "In fact, most of the filming day is spent just waiting" "Then truck cam spots something that could disturb the peace" "A pangolin has blended into the tiger's leer" "Despite it's reptilian-like scales this rare creature is actually a mammal" "but his armord plates provide little protection against tigers" "The pangolin senses danger and rolls into a protective ball." "It's easy to be brave when mom's around especially as part of their education is to investigate everything that moves" "But even with some hefty reinforcements available bravery is best tempered with caution" "It pays to look different" "The pangolin's strange appearance has proved more effective than its armor" "The Indian jungle hides other rarely seen creatures too." "The sloth bear is the only bear to carry her young on her back hitching a ride makes sense." "The cub's mother may travel 10 miles a day looking for the nests of bees and termites" "As well as eating insects the bears are mainly vegetarians, so this Palm Squirrel has little to fear" "The cubs scavenge for easier pickings amongst the rocks" "Film of wild sloth bears is rare but getting as close as this is very rare indeed" "These bears are seldom seen in the day so they are often described as nocturnal" "Only in undisturbed paces like this that their true nature become apparent" "Her shaggy coat not only gives her young hitchhikers something to cling onto it also protects against attack by the stinging insects whose nests she raids for food" "As they get bigger the cubs have to take turns hitching a ride" "(Mangos) are common in the more open areas of the forest but they are still unusual enough to fascinate the cubs" "It must be difficult scratching an inch when you're wearing a full length fur coat" "Her cubs are 6 months old and she will carry them for another 3 months" "They are already big enough to be a nuisance" "Even the best mothers need to take time out and this one's youngsters are double trouble" "The sloth bear isn't the only one with parental problems" "The tigress has her own boisterous cubs to cope with" "They're now confirmed carnivores and eagerly feed on every kill" "A lone tiger will kill around once every 8 days but with hungry mouths to feed she has to increase her hit rate" "Four cubs present a special challenge" "An adult tiger on its own can eat 30 kilos of meat in a single meal so even large carcase can leave little to go around" "The cubs take what they can in a single sitting they can never be sure when the next meal might arrive even if their mother can keep up with their demand now things are only going to get more difficult" "They need their strength at this age, they still face many unexpected dangers" "The sloth bear has a reputation for using attack as its first line of defense" "The outcome of this encounter is uncertain" "The tigress' advance is cautious" "Any animal that holds it's ground is something to be wary of" "It's a standoff" "Neither seems quite sure what to do" "The bear's nerve breaks first" "To capture such behavior is a great stroke of luck" "But with so many cameras deployed at any one time there are always plenty of surprises" "A mother leopard with cubs spots her reflection on the lens of the spy cam" "She quickly realizes there is nothing to worry about and her five week old cubs are reassured by her confidence." "Few leopard cubs as young as these have ever been film before let alone so close and so at ease" "The cams are left for days of time and they record many elusive and intimate moments," "Her cubs will stay with her for just over a year before they are old enough to find territories of their own" "Tiger cubs stay with their mother for far longer" "The earliest male cub might leave is at 20 months old but female cubs may stay around for as much as 2 years" "All in all, they have a lot of learning ahead of them." "They have to hone their hunting skills and a spotted deer form provides them with good practice." "Learning to drag a carcase is not just a game" "Adult tigers like to eat their kills in cover away from scavenging birds" "The success of the cubs in the months to come will depend on how well they learn from watching their mother" "Meat is now the major part of the their diet although they will still suckle if given a chance" "But at this age their mother can find their sharp teeth quite painful" "It's not only the cubs that are unsetting the tigress the day is warming up fast and is making her restless" "A mid day heat affects everyone" "It even draws one of India's rarest animals to the water hole the Red Dog, or Dhole" "Red dogs once form large hunting packs over 100 strong" "Today even these small family groups are a rare sight" "A large pack can even kill a tiger" "Like most dog, they are intelligent and inquisitive" "One of them finds the camera" "The elephant crew face some serious competition" "Gaur, another rare animal are also drawn to the water hole" "Only a thousand of these wild cattle left in India" "They travel in small herds lead by a dominant male" "Like most prey animals they are easily spooked by the approach of a predator" "Leopards take pride of place of the watering hole" "But even they defer to a tiger" "The tiger is twice her size but the leopard's agility gives her the edge" "A tree provides a quicker escape route but the tiger isn't easily defeated" "Now the tiger's size is actually her handicap" "The leopard just has to sit it out" "She doesn't have to wait for long" "In the heat of the day a tiger has better things to do" "At the hottest time of the day she has just one thing on her mind" "Tigers are the only big cats that like water" "In the summer months a jungle pool really is cool for these cats" "They often spend the mid of the day just chilling out in favorite spots like this" "Chasing leopards is thirsty work but her rival is now far from the tiger's mind" "The leopard will not forget so easily" "She's received a powerful warning" "Her cubs are too close for comfort" "As she leaves, she catches one last glimpse of her reflection" "Tigers can be very uncomfortable in the heat a trait that suggests that they originated in much colder regions" "They can still be found as far north, the Siberia" "Despite the heat the tigers in Pench seem to have found their own bit of paradise." "In the open forest, the deer's constant grazing creates areas of park-like grassland" "These pastures make the best hunting ground" "At this age, the cubs sometimes follow their mother when she hunts," "By watching and copying, the learn her techniques" "As she selects a target they try out some moves of their own" "But they must also learn that this is a time for patience" "They instinctively adopt the stalking posture but they refine their technique by copying their mother" "A tiger can cover nearly 1.5m in a single stride" "Even when she's walking slowly the cub have trouble keeping up." "With the deer so close, the stakes are high," "The cubs seem to be making all the right moves" "The tigress is now within striking distance but the deer know something is up" "This is not the time to lose your nerve" "Lessons are being learnt a hard way but the cubs now know when to leave it to the expert" "This time, the tigress leaves her students behind" "The deep cover allows her to move faster than usual" "She changes tactic" "Her best weapon is surprise" "She could be anywhere" "She kills just two meters from the camera elephant" "It's a sambar plenty of food to go around" "Tigers often pluck their prey before eating it a habit they share with leopards" "Taking the carcase into cover will conceal it from looking scavengers" "The cubs immediatly show how quickly they learn form their mother" "He is already making quite a good job of removing the hair" "But it's a big carcase and there are other hunting moves to practice" "And this is a game in which others can join" "The cubs' play is becoming more aggressive" "They are already showing the qualities that will make them one of the world's top predators" "Having watch them progress so far it seems a good time to take a filming break." "Shoting resumes in May neither the cubs nor their mother have been seen for days" "The camera team investigate" "Spy cams are placed near all their favorite den sites" "Just a side adjustment is needed" "This was a good choice" "The cubs use the shade and wet sand beside the boulder to shelter from the heat." "But worryingly there is no sign of the mother" "A second camera in nearby pond finds only the other cubs" "This spy cam is camouflaged to resemble one of the boulders but the cubs see through its disguise" "Despite occasionally being spotted the spy cams have already proved their worth" "Even this cub quickly loses its curiosity" "A third hidden camera show that play between cubs is increasingly geared to fighting and hunting" "Even a stick is used as a substitute for prey." "The spy cam also shows just how alert the cubs are to dangers when they are alone" "They picked up the alarm calls of monkeys a predator must be approaching and they seem to know it's not their mother" "Their nearby den provides them with cover but with their mother nowhere to be seen this is a worrying situation" "The spy cam reveals the threat" "It's their ancient rival a leopard at their water hole" "These home alone cubs are now in grave danger and the leopard is in no rush to leave." "In the next Spy in the Jungle we will see how the cubs fare in this latest challenge to their young lives" "Our elephant camera crew will also reveal many other remarkable moments in a tiger's life."