Lost Land of the Tiger

This three part documentary follows a team of scientists as they search for signs of tigers in the Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan. It is known that tigers have disappeared from most of their former range but little is known of their status in this secluded nation. Alan Rabinowitz, the scientist leading the operation believes that tigers can be saved if there is a suitable population in the foothills of the Himalayas with safe corridors allowing them to move about; that means a population in Bhutan could be key to their survival. When they get there they find what looks like suitable habitat and the locals claim that there are tigers there; not just in the forests, where one might expect to find them, but also high in the mountains. The team set out to discover what animals are about; mostly through the use of camera traps.

This was a fascinating little series; it gave an insight into the animals found in a country that rarely features on television. Those looking for the tigers clearly have a passion for their task and that comes across as we see them work and react to what they find. It must be noted that this series is very much about the search to discover what animals are there; those wanting stunning footage of various creatures are likely to be disappointed as most of what we see are short clips shot on camera traps or footage taken with heat detecting cameras... they do show what is there though and there is real excitement when certain animals are seen. There is surprisingly some real tension in the series; not just the question of whether or not they will find tigers in the places they are searching but also one of the team gets lost at night in an area he knows is patrolled by a leopard! Overall I'd recommend this series to anybody who loves nature, especially big cat lovers.