Two BBC broadcasters have spoken about filming a 'magical' new wildlife series that looks to be perfect for David Attenborough fans. The series, titled 'Tiger Island,' airs this Sunday on BBC One and iPlayer.
Close Encounters with Tigers
The documentary follows the film-makers as they track tigers at terrifyingly close distances, capturing the majestic animals like never before. In a trailer shown on BBC Breakfast, documentary-maker Dan O'Neill is seen walking mere metres away from a tiger, describing the experience as 'hair-rising.' He said: 'That was incredible, she was so close to me. I'm shaking, she's so much bigger than I thought she'd be. There's something really strange about being on food with a tiger.'
Speaking of misconceptions about tigers, O'Neill added: 'She doesn't see us as prey. And being so close to her on the ground, it feels really good to be able to prove that.'
Learning to Coexist
Dan joined presenter Anna Dimitriadis on Wednesday's BBC Breakfast, where he told hosts Jon Kay and Sally Nugent: 'It's hair-rising being so close to the largest cat in the world but I think it's also important to say that they are exclusively stalk and ambush hunters so if they are looking at you and you are looking at them, they are far less likely to see you as prey.'
While filming, Dan and Anna had to learn how to behave while in close proximity to the tigers. Anna explained: 'Because we're using drones so much, it meant we could stay at a distance from them, and that's really important as well because you want to make sure that whatever you're capturing is them in their most natural, pure form.'
Revolutionary Drone Technology
Anna elaborated: 'The drone technology that we were using was incredible because it meant we were able to stick with the tigers and follow them like never before.' The footage captured includes a mother tiger with her cubs, revealing behaviour that has never been documented before. 'This was truly unexpected. As a wildlife cinematographer, I never expect to be at the forefront of new science but Dan was literally jumping up and down next to me because this behaviour is something that has never been captured before,' Anna said.
Remarkably, the tigers showed no fear of the drones. Anna suggested: 'We're unsure exactly why. Maybe it's because there's nothing from the sky that they've been fearful of in the past. For some reason, they were chilled about it… maybe they think [the drones] are like bees.'
Challenges of Filming
Anna also discussed the difficulties of filming in Nepal: 'On the second shoot we were there during monsoon season, it was 40 degree heat, 90% humidity, so we had to adapt the way we work to our tigers' schedules and essentially become nocturnal because it was just so unworkable in the morning heat.'
The BBC team worked alongside sisters Sushila and Manjua Mahatara, who are tiger guides from a village bordering Nepal's Bardiya National Park. Anna noted: 'They knew everything that we needed to know but what was really magical was seeing them discover the tigers in ways they hadn't before. By training them in the use of drones, they were able to follow tigers like they hadn't. They were seeing them in a whole new light.'
About Tiger Island
The synopsis for 'Tiger Island' reads: 'In Nepal, a team of film-makers and big cat experts begin an expedition following two tiger mothers and their cubs, on an extraordinary island full of potential dangers.' The series begins airing on Sunday at 9.15pm on BBC One and iPlayer. BBC Breakfast airs from 6am on BBC One and iPlayer.
