With over 115 individual tigers as per the latest census in 2020, it’s no wonder that Tadoba is known as one of India’s tigerlands. Our mystifying national animal has a safe haven amidst these central Indian forests and with constant support from ecotourism and the state government, we can hope that these numbers only continue to grow and that Tadoba remains the domain of this royal feline forever.
Would you like to know more about tigers and some of Tadoba’s most famous tigers? We have accumulated years of experience with the felines around our resort in Tadoba, and are delighted to impart to our readers some knowledge.
History of Tadoba as a tiger reserve
Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve is Maharashtra’s first tiger reserve. It was established in 1955 after the potential for a tiger reserve was seen in the Tadoba and Andhari jungles. They were established as separate reserve forests before being merged together. Today, the Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve spans 625sq km across central India. It borders the town of Chandrapur and several small villages with Gond inhabitants. Speaking of Gonds, the name Tadoba comes from the Gond deity Taru, of whom we have spoken about in a different article! Our resort in Tadoba, in fact, is situated in close proximity to a number of villages.
Tiger facts
With all this talk about tigers, there are some facts that may interest you about our feline of the forest! Tigers are a member of the Panthera genus of wild cats. This genus is the only species of wild cat that can roar loudly, an adaptation that helps in territorial conflicts along with announcing your presence to potential mates. If you listen ever so closely during the tiger breeding season, you might just hear a female around our resort in Tadoba, since there are quite a few appearances near Zari gate.
The journey of a tiger from birth is a slightly treacherous one. Right from birth, cubs are brought into the world as frail and blind balls of fluff. It is up to their mother to nurture them now and keep close guard. Even though cubs can open their eyes within 10 days, they remain helpless and often fall easy prey to other animals like leopards or even male tigers.
It takes a few weeks for the little ones to emerge out of their sanctuary. The mother initially does not let them out of her sight but soon takes them hunting with her. Hunting is the most crucial skill a cub must learn from its mother. Even here, a clumsy beginner’s mistake on the cub’s part means no food for the whole family! Did you know that mothers with cubs require nearly 70sq km of territory to hunt in?
Eventually, the tigers become older of course. And within 2 years, they part ways with their mother to start a journey on their own. They will begin to seek territory, food, and companionship of their own. And the cycle continues!
Popular tigers
Tadoba as such has a few star felines, most of which guests at our resort in Tadoba have been fortunate to witness (we hope you’ve been following our Instagram page to follow those updates!). Here are a few tidbits about some of them.
Maya: Perhaps one of Tadoba’s most iconic felines, Maya has been a long-standing resident of Tadoba and we certainly hope things remain that way. Maya gave long visiting travelers much reason to celebrate when she gave birth to her fifth litter of cubs in Tadoba the past year! You may just be able to see her ambling about with her litter now on a safari when staying at our resort in Tadoba.
Gabbar: The consort of Maya and another popular tiger named after Indian cinema’s most iconic villain, Gabbar is unmistakable when you do happen to spot him. The long battle scars on his face tell the story of many moons of fighting, courtship, and an experienced male.
Madhuri: Known as the supermom of Tadoba, Madhuri has over time given birth to nearly 19 cubs! Madhuri is found more towards the buffer zone according to news from the forest department and media reports, so don’t miss out on visiting the buffer zones while staying at our resort in Tadoba.
