tonight on "nightline" -- mom squad. in a bankrupt community with fewer cops on the street, what happens when suburban mothers head out to confront street walkers? it is a neighborhood under siege. families are fighting back. and our cameras are there. >> somebody's going to get hurt and i guarantee you it's not going to be a prostitute. fluffy with fangs. they're fast and hungry and deadly. but at first they're just plain cute. we'll tell you why these cubs are already in a fight for their lives. and talent optional. ♪ we can do it baby it is a guilty pleasure for 15 million americans with an urge to perform or just get goofy. tonight how karaoke hit the big

time. ♪ it is a man's world good evening, i'm bill weir, thanks for joining us. what you're about to see is among the modern politician's worst nightmares. in a time when belts and budgets need tightening, certain cutbaccutbac cutbacks have startling questions. no better example than the community forced to slash its police force. in no time, cops on beat have within been replaced by hookers working the streets. their first line of defense, fed-up citizens. >> reporter: cathy thought it could never happen here. >> prostitution's not a victimless crime -- >> reporter: and yet here she is at a city council meeting

tackling, of all thing, prostitution. >> it's a quiet neighborhood. >> reporter: at first glance, it looks the perfect place to raise a family. believe it or not, this charming historical district just blocks from city hall has been overrun by an alarming influx of newcomers practicing the world's oldest profession. you can find prostitutes and pimps plying their trade, snack dab in the middle of a r residential area. for months, cathy watched the crime rate rise. some call this area a virtual supermarket for sex -- >> reporter: and then one day, the problem turned up at her doorstep. literally. >> the catalyst was a pimp fight in front of my house. >> reporter: a pimp fight? >> a pimp fight. that was the final straw for a lot of us. >> reporter: she tried calling police and discovered to her

surprise there aren't nearly enough of them. the city was forced to declare bankruptcy in 2008. creating one very noticeable ripple effect through these streets. >> we're having a tough time getting enough money to run a first-class police department but we're doing the best we can with what we got. >> reporter: what do you mean you're having a tough time? >> well, we used to have 158 officers. we have 90 now. so you can see that that't' a pretty big cut. >> reporter: that prompt the the flood of street walkers and pimps. so, like a modern day superhero sporting a day-glow safety vest instead of a cape, cathy took to the streets. with a little help from her friends. >> let's circle the park and then head down -- >> reporter: her scrappy group of do-gooders are known as the kentucky street watch owls. but they do a whole lot more than just watch. and they're getting a lot of support from the neighbors. >> watch out. >> i think she went this way.

yeah, she's the one that's walking right there. she's got like five-inch heels on. i'm writing down the description of the prostitute that is walking right in front of us. >> reporter: they take picture, document johns, hookers and pimps. >> she was pretty fast with her heels. >> reporter: and generally disrupt the scene by standing around and making it impossible for any sort of illegal street hustle to go down. >> we're out here walking around with a specific purpose. to make our streets better, make our streets safer. >> reporter: sometimes things can get dicey. this is what happened when one of the watch owls, lonnie myer, came across a well-known prostitute. >> you do understand if you're working out here, that we have the right to take pictures of you. >> and that's fine but then just to let everybody else know out here, these people have the right to do things as well. >> reporter: the woman who doesn't want to be shown, is getting agitated. she tells us she is a prostitute and she's already made about

$200 on this shift. she'd lake to make more and she says the other women on the street that she knows and their pimps won't take to this sort of intrusion so kindnd. >> what i'm saying to you is these people don't care about what's legal and what's not legal. these girls don't care. eventually, somebody's going to get hurt and i guarantee you it's not going to be a prostitute. >> reporter: it's no idle threat. the danger is real. >> our concern would be if they go too far, try to get involved in what would be termed police work, that there is that potential for injury. >he reason we're here is to talk about safety. >> reporter: that's why the watch owls and the 300 other community groups that have also now taken up the cause are given training on how to carry themselves, how to be good witnesses and how to keep themselves safe. >> first of all, cell phones, that's very important. >> reporter: so far, there have been no violent confrontations. connect prostitutes with social assistance programs, including one with the woman we met

earlier. >> so, you know, the offer still stands. >> yeah, i really want help but right now i can't find a job. >> reporter: she says she'd be happy to quit if she could find legitimate wowo. >> i used to work at a hospital as admitting. it doesn't matter what job it is as long as it's good paying. >> reporter: the good news, there are signs of progogss. this playground used to be teeming with pimps and hookers. today, it's safe for children once again. that's why cathy and company like to say that no matter how bleak the situation may look, they will not be going quietly into the night. is this the way your life is to be living here, that you will maintain a role in a program like this. >> yes. people need to understand, you know, one person can make a difference so we'll continue our neighborhood watch going and, you know, support each other and take care of our neighborhood. >> reporter: i'm neal karlinsky for "nightline" in vallejo, california. >> and the pd tells us tonight

officers are working overtime to fight the problem, arresting multiple prostitutes every night as the chief said, doing the best with what they've got. our thanks to neal karlinsky. just ahead, a new batch of jungle kitties. we'll tell you why being an apex predator just ain't what it used to be. [ indistinct conversations ] wrap it up, boys. while i'm still young. ♪ two hours till bedtime. let's move it./ ooh. you do your own stunts, right? well, i -- good enough. [ male announcer ] your favorite movies right when you want them. watch unlimited tv episodes and movis intantly through your game console or other devices, all for only 8 bucks a month from netflix. they know they have guns, right? all for only 8 bucks a month from netflix. you're gonsome . i have? wiwi lleft behind.

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they are among the most gorgeous and fearsome forms of life anywhere and among the most endangered. fewer than 3,500 tigers now live in the wild, occupying less than 7% of their historical range. human encroachment is predictably to blame but humans don't have to be the absolute villain in this story.

conservavaon efforts are under way around the world. including the gorgeous indonesian island of bali where tonight abc's dan harris goes "into the wild." >> reporter: they're fast, fearless and furry. tigers are some of the most awesome creatures on the planet. they are effortlessly beautiful but also efficiently deadly. not these little guys though, not yet at least. >> the three of them -- >> oh. >> reporter: three sisters too young to even have names yet. they're 2 1/2 months old. born here in captitity at the zoo in bali, indonesia. and right now they are all very hungry. >> i've got chicken for you. >> reporter: this i'm told is a very good way to make friends. want some more? want some more?

ay. their hair is much rougher than a house cat's. they're also a lot less cuddly. they're pretty intense actually. appropriately so for little killers in training. if they wanted to hurt me, could they? >> yeah, they could. >> reporter: but they really don't want to hurt us, especially not when we're about to serve a big lunch of chicken, milk and vitamins. all right, lunchtime. e meal was consumed with minimal decorum. lack at this one literally trying to bite the milk. after lunch, play time. the girls battled one another. and us. when they bite, it hurts. they really went after my camera man. i don't want to alarm you. there's a tiger on your lap. that one left a a mark.

i want to take one of them home. not a good idea, i'm told. you can play with these animals up until about six months. at that point, they'll kill you. this encounter is incredibly fun of course but it's important to point out that right now is not a good time to be a tiger on planet earth. consider this statistic. there are more tigers in captivity in america than there are anywhere in the wild. where we are right now in the country of indonesia, the situation is especially dire. tigers are critically endangered here. according to the world wildlife fund, which set up this camera in the indonesian jungle and captured these images of baby tigers, tigers all over the world are facing a two-pronged threat. first, their home is being destroyed by companies cutting down the forests so they can sell the trees and also plant new crops. look at this. the wwf also captured footage of

this bulldozer at work in the forest and then a day or so later, you see a tiger inn the frame. the second big threat for tigers, poachers. criminals sell tiger parts to people would want to c cry around a tiger whisker or piece of skin in their wallet, which many people here believe provides them with strength. zoos, where people can come learn about the plight of tigers, play a key role in helping to protect these extraordinary animals. i can tell you personally seeing these little beasts up close really brings it home. as a reporter, i've gotten the chance to get very close to lots of incredibly cool animals. koalas. cheetahs. and tree kangaroos. but this was my first time with baby tigers. watch as the zookeepers try to get me to pick one of the cubs up. all right, well. at first, it does not go well.

[ tiger growling ] all right, all right. okay. [ tiger growling ] i am not a good tiger handler apparently. how not to hold the tiger by dan harris. but then as the effects from lunch started to set in, the girls got a little tired and a little bit more docile. we are friends now. we are friends. i catch one tiger who wants a belly rub and a little bit of play fighting. oh! that's so undignified. an extraordinary, up close encounter with a majestic beast in dire need of protection. for "nightline," this is dan harris at the bali zoo. >> a face anyone could love. just ahead, the american love affair with karaoke. ah. who's ready? i'm ready. let's do this! i'm so ready.

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for you, alcohol is to karaoke what gas is to cars? sun night is to plants? i don't know. it can't just be the copious booze though that has turned this quaint japanese import into a raging american art form, right? to investigate, here's abc's john berman. if you have surround sound, we're sorry. ♪ i didn't really mean to hurt you ♪ >> reporter: for rey, a contestant on "karaoke battle usa" karaoke is about performing. >> i think my mom bought mi a karaoke machine because she knew i loved entertaining. not just singing but really bringing it to that next level and connecting with the audience. >> reporter: for samantha at the karaoke cave in new york, it's about freedom. >> i really like singing in my shower but if i do it in public, it gives me more confidence.

>> ♪ in you want a partner >> reporter: for izzy, it's fun. >> it allows me just to enjoy being silly. ♪ sweet dreams >> reporter: performance, fun, freedom, karaoke is about all these things, butut most of all karaoke is about me. ♪ at the copa copacabana ♪ >> reporter: yes that is me. i don't mean karaoke is about just me, me, but for many of us, it's my voice, my show, my moment. ♪ at the copa >> i really liked the fact that really anybody off the street could walk into this place and be a rock star for 3 1/2 minutes. >> reporter: roughly translated from japanese, karaoke means empty orchestra. the import arrived here more than 35 years ago. now, 100,000 bars host karaoke

at least once a week. and 15 million americans do it every month. shawn, the manager of pulse, sees them every night. from his big room to the private suites. >> whether you are working at mcdonald's, this is what one opportunity for you. >> reporter: is talent required? >> absolutely not. >> reporter: is singing ability required? >> no. >> reporter: stage presence required? >> not necessarily. >> reporter: what's required? >> courage. in a nutshell. >> reporter: courage. it takes it and it makes it. >> i've always been nervous about singing in public. >> reporter: really? >> yeah. >> reporter: you're nervous about singing in public yet you like karaoke? >> well, yes, because with friends, people i know, i've overcome that resistance and it's fun because i like to sing. >> reporter: yes, sometimes a bit of courage does come in liquid form. and for this guy, he works up the courage just to get the

liquid. >> i've always hated singing. one night, won 23 free drinks at a local bar and i said i can't get enough about this. i don't think it's the singing, it's the free drinking. >> reporter: there's contests with judges and winners and losers. but that's not day-to-day karaoke. it's not about winning or losing, it's how you play the game? >> exactly. >> that's how you have to see it. >> there's lawyers, very conservative people, and some of them have the best voices. they have this outlet. they're really happy to be able to show that other side because people don't know that. >> reporter: here, you can't lose. in a way, there is no bad karaoke. >> so many people here, i donon even care that they're here. i'm singing for myself and my friends. >> reporter: the stage is safe. the audience is you. the song is yours. and mine. i'm john berman for "nightline" at the copa. >> for some really unforgettable singing, we invite you to tune in to the abc special evt,