The Queen of Tadoba famously known as The Enchantress, Maya. Maya has grown from a small cub to a princess and is now a queen whose glory exceeds the boundaries of Maharashtra’s Tadoba National Park. 

If she goes missing for a few days, we begin to feel helpless because she has achieved larger-than-life fame! Her contribution goes beyond what we can see. Her contribution to her own stripes is TOO LARGE. She is amazing because, since she became an adult, almost all of Tadoba’s male tigers have ventured into her territory. Consider yourself lucky if you happen to see her casually zig-zagging her way through the safari rides. She’s the most popular tigress after Machli.

Maya is reported to inherit regal looks and enthrall visitors with her swagger walks around jungle safari jeeps. She currently seems to be ruling a considerable area of this real land of the tigers.

Maya, who was born in December 2010, is about ten years old. She is the offspring of Hill Top the tiger and Leela the tigress. Her mother Leela gave birth to three other females and one male cub at the same time in Tadoba’s Pandharpaoni neighborhood. Following her mother Leela’s untimely death, she seized control of the territory and has ruled it ever since.

She is the one who has tourists, enthusiasts, and photographers salivating over her fleeting appearance. She’s a beauty in one frame, with a Trishul-like mark on her cheek.  You may just be able to see her ambling about with her litter now on a safari when staying at our resort in Tadoba. 

Maya, as a fully grown tigress, has given birth to approximately 12 cubs to date, 5 of which have been killed by other predators. She has had four litters since June 2014. Apart from that, she is the only tiger with her own Twitter handle, @MayaTadoba, which keeps tourists and the general public updated on her progress and helps them better understand her jungle life.

Nonetheless, Maya is the most important asset of Tadoba. She has garnered a larger-than-life fame and a special place in everyone’s hearts. She has increased the economy of the park; no one can take her place. Any tigress seen with a newly born cub in her jaw is extremely rare in any forest, as the mother tigress will not want to be seen while moving her cubs.

The tigress constantly moves the cubs to avoid unwanted attention from predators such as leopards and wild dogs. She continues to do so until the cubs can walk on their own. Maya’s behaviour demonstrates a tiger mother’s indomitable spirit; unlike Vijaya of Bandhavgarh, who lost her cubs despite repeated attempts to raise litters and control her territory, Maya triumphed against all odds and saved her litter.

She demonstrated remarkable presence of mind, boundless patience, and unrivalled skill in managing the males—three key traits that, along with her obvious ability to hunt regularly to feed the cubs!! She appears to be destined to be crowned Tadoba’s queen, ready to take the throne left vacant by great Madhuri.

Plan your next trip to Tadoba to enjoy a jungle safari while staying at our resort in Red Earth Tadoba.