Sevastopol, Crimea – 25th September 2014

1. Various of tiger cubs hunting down a chicken

2. Wide of a tiger handler Oleg Smirnov playing with the tiger cub

3. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Oleg Zubkov, Director, Taigan Safari Park: (see transcript below)

4. Mid of a tigress surrounded by tiger cubs

5. Close-up of the tigress

6. Various of a tiger cub gnawing a piece of meat

7. Mid of the tiger cub attacking another one to defend its meat

8. Various close-ups of cubs with handler

9. SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Felix Mkartychan, safari park visitor: (see transcript below)

10. Mid of tiger cub

11. Close-up of cubs eating chicken

12. Close-up cub

VOICE-OVER SCRIPT:

THESE LITTLE GUYS MAY BE INSIDE THE FENCE NOW … BUT PRETTY SOON – THEY’LL BE OUTSIDE, AND SURVIVING ON THEIR OWN.

(NATS Chicken chasing)

CHASING CHICKENS IS ONE WAY THEY’LL GET USED TO HUNTING GAME WHEN THEY’RE RELEASED INTO THE WILD…

THE CUBS ARE PART OF AN EXPERIEMENT BY A SAFARI PARK IN CRIMEA AND A RUSSIAN CONSERVATION PROGRAM.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Oleg Zubkov, Director, Taigan Safari Park:

“If the experiment is successful a minimum of 10 tigers ready for life in the wild can be raised in our park.”

THE SIBERIAN TIGER CUBS WERE BORN IN CAPTIVITY IN CRIMEA…

CARED FOR BY A TIGRESS AND SOME PEOPLE HANDLERS.

THEY’RE NATURAL INSTICTS ON DISPLAY, EVEN IN CAPTIVITY.

(NATS fighting over raw meat)

ALTHOUGH STILL ENDANGERED, SIBERIAN TIGERS HAVE BEEN MAKING A COMEBACK SINCE THE 19-30’S WHEN THEIR NUMBERS IN THE REGION DROPPED TO ABOUT 30.

SOUNDBITE: (Russian) Felix Mkartychan, safari park visitor:

“I think it’s better for them here than in zoos, circuses and even the wild. Because here they feel perfect in the natural environment and what is most important they reproduce very well.”

AND FOR NOW IT OFFERS VISITORS A WAY TO WATCH THESE CATS IN ACTION.

PADMANANDA RAMA THE ASSOCIATED PRESS.