Broken Tail: A Tiger’s Last Journey won top honor at the 2011 Jackon Hole Wildlife Film Festival, known as the Oscars of nature films! Broken Tail won Best of Festival, Best Script, and Best Human/Wildlife Interactions at the 2012 International Wildlife Film Festival!

The tiger known as Broken Tail was born in Ranthambhore National Park in northern India, a vast, natural reserve for a wide variety of Indian wildlife, but especially famous for its Bengal tigers. Historically revered in Indian tradition, tigers in the area were once protected by maharajahs, and then by government sanctuaries and conservation projects. But poachers have proven to be nearly unstoppable over the years, and tigers have struggled to survive, even with the protection of the park. At one point, there were as few as 26 tigers left in the reserve, and today, the fate of each and every tiger is important to the species as a whole. Conservation efforts have been intensified in the face of the crisis, and the struggle continues. Broken Tail: A Tiger’s Last Journey is the story of the life and death of a tiger destined for greatness, who may still lead the way to a better future for those of his kind. Buy the DVD. This film premiered February 20, 2011.

That we might see a day when tigers no longer roam the planet is not out of the question. Three of the nine subspecies of tiger are already extinct: the Bali tiger, limited to the island of Bali and the smallest of the subspecies, the Javan tiger found in the Indonesian island of Java, and the Caspian tiger, which – although nearly identical to the Siberian tiger – is still recognized as its own subspecies. All three became extinct within the past 80 years. Hunting and poaching, and habitat destruction have been largely to blame for their disappearance. And it is these factors that are also putting the remaining six subspecies at risk. The Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, Sumatran, Siberian, and South China tigers continue to be pushed into small pockets of land as human development encroaches on the tiger’s natural habitat. We are at what has been referred to as a tipping point – a critical time when humans must step-up and institute policies and regulations to help the dwindling tiger population. Without such a concerted effort, the remaining six species will meet a fate similar to that of the Bali, Javan, and Caspian tigers. Few animals are in such dire straights.

The historic tiger range included most of Asia – from Turkey to the far eastern coast of Russia. Since the turn of the twentieth century, tigers have lost about 93% of that range. Most tiger populations are now found in southern Asia – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand, and Vietnam – and in the outskirts of northeast Russia. Though the list of countries may seem long, little land is dedicated to wild tigers. In these nations, tigers are generally confined to a series of reserves – areas of land deemed suitable and set aside for tigers and other indigenous wildlife. The first wave of tiger reserves was born in the mid-to-late twentieth century in response to a heightened awareness of diminishing tiger numbers. India’s first nine reserves were the result of an alarming 1972 tiger census that reported population numbers in the nation to be as low as 2,400. (That number has steadily risen, until recently.) While reserves are important, they aren’t perfect. Some reserves are poorly managed, most are too small, and many are isolated from other neighboring reserves. Tiger populations are highly fragmented – a tiger family living in one park tends to be isolated from tiger families living in other nearby reserves. According to filmmaker and tiger conservationist Colin Stafford-Johnson, restricting tigers’ geographical range is a serious issue, not only because it cuts the genetic variation of offspring, but because tigers are, by nature, meant to roam.

Stafford-Johnson spent 600 days filming a tiger family in India’s Ranthambhore National Park. One of the tigers Stafford-Johnson follows, Broken Tail, inexplicably left his home in Ranthambhore. After traveling over 100 miles outside the park, he was killed by a train in the city of Darra. For Stafford-Johnson, Broken Tail’s story reinforces what is painfully obvious – Tigers need more space. Sizable tropical and subtropical forests need to be zoned for tigers, and existing reserves need to be connected, creating long stretches of land for tigers to safely pass through. Without such designated land, tiger populations will remain in jeopardy.

If scientists are right and we are indeed in the midst of a tipping point for tigers, it is only a matter of time before the future of the tiger is sealed. While there is much that looks grim about the situation, as long as there remains any possibility to effect positive change for the world’s tigers, there is hope. Stafford-Johnson sees reason to be optimistic. Authorities have become better at tracking tigers, and their movements have shown that many tigers don’t stay within the confines of the park. Studies like this back the notion that tigers need a much wider geographical range than what most parks offer. And since the film aired, Darra Sanctuary has been designated a national park. Focusing on these small wins is key for Stafford-Johnson. “Once you lose your optimism, you might as well give up.”

The tiger known as Broken Tail was born in Ranthambhore National Park in northern India, a vast, natural reserve for a wide variety of Indian wildlife, but especially famous for its Bengal tigers. Historically revered in Indian tradition, tigers in the area were once protected by maharajahs, and then by government sanctuaries and conservation projects. But poachers have proven to be nearly unstoppable over the years, and tigers have struggled to survive, even with the protection of the park. At one point, there were as few as 26 tigers left in the reserve, and today, the fate of each and every tiger is important to the species as a whole.

Conservation efforts have been intensified in the face of the crisis, and the struggle continues. Broken Tail: A Tiger’s Last Journey is the story of the life and death of a tiger destined for greatness, who may still lead the way to a better future for those of his kind.

From the beginning, wildlife filmmaker Colin Stafford-Johnson could tell Broken Tail was special. Curious, exuberant, and charismatic, Broken Tail wasn’t afraid of anything. Stafford-Johnson and local guide, Salim Ali, spent over 600 days following and filming Broken Tail and his family. Then, one day, Broken Tail simply disappeared. A year later, Johnson and Ali heard news that Broken Tail was killed by a train in Darra, 100 miles away from Ranthambhore. This discovery raised new questions. How did Broken Tail travel so far away from home? Why did he leave in the first place?

Stafford-Johnson and Ali set off on horseback, tracing Broken Tail’s last journey, looking for answers. Talking to poachers and interviewing eyewitnesses, the duo travel across India, learning some surprising facts from this remarkable tiger’s passage, and hoping they will help in the conservation of this endangered species.

Common Name: Tiger

Family: Felidae

Genus: Panthera

Species: Tigris

Subspecies: There are six subspecies of tiger currently living: the Bengal, Indochinese, Malayan, Sumatran, Siberian, and South China.

Size: Size varies by subspecies but generally a male tiger averages between 96 to 120 inches long and a female, 84 to 108 inches.

Weight: Weight varies by subspecies but a male weighs around 550 lbs. and a female to 350 lbs. A male Siberian tiger can weigh up to 800 lbs.

Coat: The tiger sports a fiery reddish-orange coat with vertical stripes that can vary between black, gray, or brown stripes. The underside is creamy or white in contrast. No two tigers share the same stripe pattern, making each one unique.

Habitat: Primarily tropical and subtropical forests, but the species can also be found in tropical grasslands, shrublands, montane forests, and conifer forests.

Diet: Tigers hunt medium to large prey – mostly ungulates – such as deer, antelopes and buffalo.

Geography: Tigers are primarily found in southern Asia – Bangladesh, Bhutan, Cambodia, China, India, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Nepal and Thailand, and Vietnam – and in northeastern Russia.

Population Health: Endangered (According to the IUCN)

Threats: Humans – Urban expansion results in habitat loss and fragmentation, and populations are subject to hunting and poaching.

Additional Facts:

• Tigers are the largest members of the cat family. The Siberian tiger is the largest and heaviest subspecies of tiger.
• The word “tiger” stems from the Greek word “tigris”, which is derived from the Persian word meaning “arrow”, most likely describing the animals speed.
• Tigers usually hunt at dusk, allowing them to blend into the tall grass with their stripes. This enables them to stalk their prey.
• The male tiger marks his territory with urine, droppings, and claw marks.
• A tiger can consume up to 88 lbs. of meat in one sitting.
• A tiger’s roar can be heard from up to three miles away.
• The white Bengal Tiger is one of the rarest cats in the world. In a span of 100 years, only 12 white tigers have been found in the wild. While some believe white tigers to be albino or a different species altogether, their unique white fur, black stripes, and blue eyes are actually the result of an unusual genetic strain.
• Three subspecies of tiger: the Bali, Javan, and Caspian Tiger have all gone extinct.

PRODUCED BY
JOHN MURRAY

EDITOR
EMER REYNOLDS

CAMERA
JOHN MURRAY
ROBIN COX
COLIN STAFFORD-JOHNSON

SOUND
CHRISTIAN STAUNTON
JOHN NUNAN

CO-DIRECTOR
STEPHEN GOODER

RESEARCHER & LINE PRODUCER
CEPA GIBLIN

PRODUCTION MANAGER
SIOBHÁN WARD

PRODUCTION STAFF
CILLIAN DUFFY
CIARA RICHMOND
AOIFE CAREY
PAUL MURRAY
SIOBHÁN MURRAY

ASSISTANT EDITOR
SÉAMUS CONNOLLY

PRODUCTION CO-ORDINATOR INDIA
SALIM ALI

PRODUCTION CREW INDIA
ADITYA SINGH
DHARMENDRA KHANDAL
POONAM SINGH
KALIM ALI

SOUND MIXER
JEREMY RYNHART

ONLINE EDITOR
DONAL O’KANE

COLOR GRADE
GARY CURRAN

GRAPHICS
SHADOW INDUSTRIES
HUGH RODGERS

FEATURING
COLIN STAFFORD-JOHNSON
SALIM ALI

ARCHIVE
BBC
F.I.L.M. ARCHIVES
JOURNEYMAN PICTURES
WPA FILM LIBRARY
FILM IMAGES
CLIPS & FOOTAGE
VALMIK THAPAR
RICHARD HOLKAR
RAVINDRA SINGH TOMAR
ADITYA SINGH
COLIN STAFFORD-JOHNSON

SPECIAL THANKS
EMBASSY OF INDIA, IRELAND
TIGER WATCH
MINISTRY OF EXTERNAL AFFAIRS, DELHI
MINISTRY OF ENVIRONMENT, INDIA
TIGER CONSERVATION AUTHORITY, INDIA
INDIAN FORESTRY DEPARTMENT, JAIPUR
STAFF OF RANTHAMBHORE NATIONAL PARK
STAFF OF THE RANTHAMBHORE BAGH
COLM O’BRIEN
MIKE BIRKHEAD
CAROLYN NAYLOR

Produced in association with
RTÉ, Canadian Broadcasting Corporation
SWR, ZDF, Arte and ZDF Enterprises

with the participation of
Bord Scannán na hÉireann / the Irish Film Board

and the support of
the MEDIA Programme of the European Union

© 2010 Crossing the Line Productions LTD

FOR NATURE

SERIES EDITOR
JANET HESS

SUPERVISING PRODUCER
JANICE YOUNG

SENIOR PRODUCER
LAURA METZGER

PRODUCTION MANAGER
JULIE SCHAPIRO THORMAN

PRODUCTION ASSISTANT
JAYNE JUN

RE-RECORDING MIXER
ED CAMPBELL

HD ONLINE EDITOR
PATRICK KRASS

SERIES PRODUCER
BILL MURPHY

EXECUTIVE IN CHARGE
WILLIAM GRANT

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER
FRED KAUFMAN

A production of Crossing the Line Productions and THIRTEEN in association with WNET.ORG

This program was produced by THIRTEEN, which is solely responsible for its content.

© 2011 WNET.ORG Properties LL
All rights reserved

WEB CREDITS

PRODUCER
KATE FULTON

ASSOCIATE PRODUCER
CHIE WITT

PRODUCTION ASSISTANCE
SAM CHUNG

DESIGNER
JOY WEEENG

PAGEBUILDING
BRIAN SANTALONE

TECHNICAL DIRECTOR
BRIAN LEE

CREATIVE DIRECTOR
NICK MILLER

DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL STRATEGY
DAVID HIRMES

SENIOR DIRECTOR
DANIEL B. GREENBERG

WRITERS

Sam Chung
for “Introduction”
“Tiger Facts”

Kate Fulton
“Tigers at the Tipping Point”

The jungle’s layers are peeled back to dissect more amazing moments of impact. Stealth and ambush reign in the jungle and survival depends on highly tuned senses and ingenious defenses. From ninja ants to flying snakes, cameras dive underwater, sail through trees and penetrate fur, feathers, skin and bone to reveal the science of some amazing animal engineering hidden deep in the jungle. This film premiered April 11, 2010.