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🇳🇵 Nepal /Culture & Society

BBC documentary puts Bardiya’s tigers in global spotlight

From Kathmandu Post · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • A new BBC documentary titled 'Tiger Island' reveals surprising tiger behaviors in Nepal's Bardiya National Park.
  • The series captured footage of tigresses sharing parental duties and males showing tolerance towards cubs, challenging existing scientific assumptions.
  • These findings highlight Nepal's conservation successes and offer new insights into tiger social dynamics.

A new BBC wildlife series, 'Tiger Island,' is bringing global attention to the tigers of Bardiya National Park in Nepal. Broadcast worldwide on BBC One and BBC iPlayer, the documentary showcases extraordinary tiger behaviors that have surprised scientists and conservationists.

The series features rare footage from the buffer-zone community forests surrounding Bardiya. One of the most remarkable discoveries is evidence of female tigers sharing parental responsibilities, with one tigress observed helping care for another's cubs. This behavior is rarely documented in the wild. The documentary also challenges the notion that male tigers always kill cubs, showing instances of male tolerance and even parental behavior, alongside documented cases of infanticide.

These observations revealed entirely new aspects of tiger behaviour. When we began following these tigers, we never imagined we would witness something so remarkable.

— Sushila MahataraA seasoned nature guide from Bardiya, commenting on the surprising discoveries made during filming.

"These observations revealed entirely new aspects of tiger behaviour," said Sushila Mahatara, a nature guide from Bardiya who worked with the BBC team. "When we began following these tigers, we never imagined we would witness something so remarkable."

There was a meeting between the two tigresses at a distance of about 100 metres. That encounter became the starting point for the entire series.

— SushilaDescribing the initial encounter between tigresses Goma and Jugini that led to the documentary project.

The project began when BBC Asia crews filmed two local tigresses, Goma and Jugini. Their interactions sparked the idea for the series. Months of monitoring by local guides led to the discovery that Goma was raising cubs, and unexpectedly, was also caring for three cubs belonging to Jugini. This shared childcare among tigers, generally solitary animals, suggests significant social flexibility in populations that have recovered well.

"One day we suddenly saw five cubs with Goma instead of two," said Manju Mahatara, another guide. "The BBC crew was astonished." The documentary also follows Mala, believed to be Goma's offspring.

One day we suddenly saw five cubs with Goma instead of two. The BBC crew was astonished.

— Manju MahataraA member of the guiding team, expressing surprise at the discovery of shared childcare.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by Kathmandu Post. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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