Private Project

The Last Tiger

The Last Tiger follows wildlife technicians and brothers, Bishnu and Harkaman Lama, as they lead us deep into Chitwan National Park to uncover the history of tiger conservation in Nepal. Well into their 60s but still as spry as ever, Bishnu and Harkaman are descendants of wildlife trackers and are the last remaining team members from the original tiger study started in 1973. As tiger numbers dwindled from thousands to mere hundreds, a national effort was launched to save the species, but no one anticipated the dramatic rise in human-tiger conflict. We accompany the brothers as they chronicle their lives and history of tiger conservation and begin to peel away the intricate challenges of saving this magnificent species. At the heart of this film is the desire to shed light on the magnitude and complexity of human-wildlife conflict, the necessity of local support for successful conservation, and the life-long dedication of two brothers to save this beautiful and necessary species.

  • Emily Elizabeth Erhart
    Director
  • Emily Elizabeth Erhart
    Writer
  • Bishnu Lama
    Writer
  • Harkaman Lama
    Writer
  • Sagar Giri
    Cinematographer
  • Samantha Helle
    Consultant/Translator
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Genres:
    Nature, Biographical, Historical, wildlife
  • Runtime:
    20 minutes
  • Completion Date:
    January 31, 2023
  • Production Budget:
    15,000 USD
  • Country of Origin:
    United States
  • Country of Filming:
    Nepal
  • Language:
    English, Nepali
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    Yes
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Emily Elizabeth Erhart

Emily Erhart is a wildlife conservationist and filmmaker. She received her bachelor's degree in 2015 from the University of Minnesota (U of M) in Fisheries, Wildlife, and Conservation Biology. During her time at the U of M she worked in the CLAWS lab with Dr. J.L. David Smith where she received two grants to work alongside colleagues in both Thailand and Nepal, researching tigers. After finishing she attended Montana State University where she studied Natural History and Science Filmmaking. Returning to Minnesota, Emily co-founded Project Conservation and works as a consultant with faculty at the University of Minnesota and Community Conservation Inc., as a communication and outreach coordinator specializing in film and media, as well as working as a freelance filmmaker.

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Director Statement

Tiger conservation is a complex and pervasive issue involving numerous stakeholders and communities. This species survival is dependent upon allocating conservation efforts to priority places and actions that provide the greatest return. Nepal has one of the strongest conservation plans for tigers and is one of the only places in the world with a growing tiger-population, even in a human dominated landscape. Nepal is a model for success and behind this success are local people, local researchers, and a life-long dedication from many passionate people. Wildlife documentaries historically have done little to showcase the people and passion behind saving endangered species, nor the complexities of living amongst carnivores. As a director, I want to showcase the people and places that are integral to our world's endangered animals. This is as much a biographical film as it is a wildlife film. It’s been an honor to collaborate with the community that’s gathered to tell this story both in Nepal and tiger conservationists globally.