Land Of The Tiger

Alternating between Kanha National Park and the ruins of Ranthambhor in Central India, this National Geographic Society special documents the mating, hunting, and eating habits of the Bengal tiger. The most arresting footage is that of the tiger pursuing its favorite prey, the sambur (a large Indian deer). Contrary to the popular imagination, this 'killing machine' is only successful on the average of one out of twenty attempts. More often than not, the tiger is reduced by circumstance to eating on a much smaller scale: a hen, say. Territorial by nature (tigers spray trees to establish their boundaries), the tigers are as fierce in the protection of their turf as they are in their mating habits. Couples will generally mate for two to three days--as often as once every (gasp!) ten to fifteen minutes. Using telescopic photography, the filmmakers are also able to capture the ecological balance which exists between the tiger and other area wildlife. Highly recommended.