Maya: The Enchantress of Tadoba – Hanging on Last thread?

Who doesn’t know Maya. She is synonymous to Tadoab Andhari Tiger Reserve. Maya: The Enchantress of Tadoba, The Queen of Tadoba, The Showstopper of Tadoba!

With jungle season opening for common man in October 2023, many enthusiast were tracking Maya with possibilities of seeing her with new litter. I too was one of them. Today, 12 days have gone by and there has been no news of her. The forest department saw her last in August 2023. Is she missing or hiding in plain sight? Let us try and critically access the situation.

Maya rules the prime territory of tiger reserve. The central portion, called Tadoba lake. Many males from across the park trespass her territory and not a single male after Matkasur has been able to establish himself in her territory as dominant male. This has lead Maya to mate with multiple males before season closing in June 2023. The prominent one and the last male partner of her was Mowgli. Mowgli has seen this season few times in her territory. Assuming Mowgli is now dominant male of Tadoba and she has a litter sired by Mowgli, it is quiet possible she has tiny cubs & she protecting them by keeping them hidden. Maya’s record as queen mother is blemished. She has lost almost all her cubs over decade barring Surya (Dominant male of Umred Kharandla Wildlife Sanctuary) and Bhola (seen in buffers of Moharli range). Further it is not unusual for tigress to be keeping low profile when cubs are highly vulnerable. So what she is doing is justified. She has done it in past as well. Last season she was sighted with cub almost after a month in November 2022.

So why so much talk about it this year? The first reason is new females – Roma (daughter of Chotti Tara) and Chotti Tara herself are been sighted in territory of Maya regularly. But then again, monsoons are time when most of territory re-alignment happens in tiger world. Assuming she has cubs and wants to protect them from intruding tigers, there is a possibility she has abandoned her territory and moved to denser part behind Tadoba lake called Katezari. This area is out of tourism zone and inaccessible even for FD to patrol in monsoons. Hence no news of her since August-2023.

Second reason is that rumours of her weakening eyesight due to age. Close look at her image show difference in coloration of her eyes. If this is true she might not be position to defend herself and cubs from other tigers, especially younger female – Roma and other males. She is almost close to 13-14 years now, ripe old age for tiger in wild. There is every possibility that this could be valid reason but again no one can confirm it except the forest department.

Third reason is that she is a show stopper. People throng to Tadoba to see her. She is unfazed by presence of vehicles, her boldness to catwalk in front of tourist vehicles has made her crowd favourite and she hasn’t been sighted in 12 days. Not even alone! This has raised anxiety for all stakeholders of Tadoba. There are people who have visited Tadoba and seen Maya. Again there are people who have never visited park but have heard of her. She is the emotional connect for everyone with Tadoba which is absolutely fine. After all it is Maya(after Madhuri) who has given Tadoba the fame it deserves.

IMHO, She’s hanging around on the last thread but I will not give hope so easily on her or believe any rumours without evidence. I strongly believe, she knows that probably this is her last litter (considering age and eyesight) so she has to raise them to maturity and hence she has moved into non-tourism areas. We may or may never see her again in tourism area but I’m betting my cards on FD and keeping fingers crossed. With monsoons gone and forest becomes accessible, I am sure FD will track her (and cubs) and give us the good news we all look forward to hearing.

Hoping and Praying for well being of this wild spirit called MAYA!