India is one of the best places in the world to see Bengal tigers. The country is now home to more than 3,000 of them, at least 70 per cent of the global population.
India’s tiger reserves offer good chances of seeing these big cats in the wild, and many are popular with tourists and wildlife lovers. One that stands out is the Tadoba National Park in Maharashtra.
Tadoba is one of the finest tiger reserves in India, run under Project Tiger, and one of the oldest and largest national parks in Maharashtra. The Tadoba Andhari Tiger Reserve, or TATR, is known for its frequent tiger sightings.
The reserve has varied habitat that suits tigers well, and it has become a breeding ground for them, with young tigers spreading into the surrounding protected areas. Beyond tigers, Tadoba is rich in other wildlife and birds.
Still, the tiger is the star of any safari here, and Tadoba’s safaris are popular for how often tigers are seen. Here are six of the best-known tigers you can look for.
1. Maya
The most famous tiger in the reserve is Maya, known as the Queen of Tadoba, and she rules much of the forest.
She is bold, unafraid to stand close to the tourist jeeps, and is known to draw other tigers to her. Playful and mischievous, she is also a fierce protector of her cubs, and has raised four litters so far. One of the celebrity tigers of Tadoba, she is usually seen in the grasslands of Pandharpauni.
2. Matkasur
Matkasur is the current King of Tadoba, a dominant male, and Maya’s mate; he fathered her third litter. Tigers usually take no part in raising cubs, but Matkasur seems an exception.
Young and well built, he has defended both the cubs and Maya from threats, and the family is often seen together, to the tourists’ delight. Though there are other strong males, Matkasur still holds the territory. He was named for his large body and pot belly, and rose to fame after repeatedly getting the better of the formidable Gabbar. He is often seen in front of the jeeps, alone or with Maya.
3. Gabbar, or Scarface
Gabbar, also called Scarface, is another powerful male, best known for the scars on his face. There are two accounts of how he got them: one of a fierce territorial fight with another male, the other of a clash with a gaur whose horn left him with limited sight in one eye.
Gabbar is one of Maya’s former mates — the two were called the beauty and the beast of Tadoba — and he has a long history with Matkasur, the two clashing over territory. Because of his weight and size, he is often thought lazy, but he is fiercely protective of his ground.
4. Choti Tara
The daughter of the famous tigress Tara, Choti Tara is much like her mother. Compared with her neighbour Maya, she is calm and composed, but just as striking.
She has raised about two litters and is usually seen walking the forest with her cubs, one litter thought to be fathered by Matkasur. She is often with one of her best-known cubs, Chota Matkasur. Choti Tara wears a radio collar so her movements can be tracked, holds a large territory, and is becoming one of Tadoba’s main draws.
5. Bajrang
Bajrang is a young, strong male. His ancestry is not well known, but he seems to have come from the Kolara buffer area, and thanks to his size and strength he is on his way to becoming a dominant tiger.
He has taken a large territory and holds several tigresses within it, and is most often seen with Choti Tara. He has fathered more than 30 cubs.
Bajrang rules the Moharli range and holds many territories, associated with more than eight tigresses, more than any other tiger in Tadoba. He is also camera-shy, keeping away from the jeeps, so if you do catch a glimpse of him, count yourself lucky.
6. Shivaji
A handsome tiger, Shivaji is thought to be the son of Waghdoh, a dominant male known for his great size. Shivaji has slightly thicker hair that looks like a mane, which led people to compare him to Shivaji Maharaj and name him after the ruler.
Shivaji ranges over the Kolsa area and has held his territory for years. With his fierce but appealing look, he is another favourite of photographers and tourists.
There are many other tigers at Tadoba seen on safari, and as India’s tiger numbers grow, more of them will surely become well known.
You can plan your Tadoba safaris with Wild Voyager; we work only with the best naturalists in the park, and those who know how to read the tracks can give you a good chance of seeing more than one tiger.
You can also read about Big Five Kenya Safari.
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