Monu Dubey Pench

After 127 years 'Bagheera'; The Black Panther has returned to the Land of 'The Jungle Book'; Pench Tiger Reserve. Photo by Monu Dubey Pench

International tiger Day

Panthera tigris, the largest of the world’s cats, is the heart and soul of Asia’s jungles. For millennia, they’ve stood as iconic symbols of power and courage, woven into culture, religion, folklore, and ritual. No wild animal on the planet has captured the imagination of humans as much as a Tiger. A lot has been documented about tigers and a lot would be in the coming years, but what is beyond doubt is the fact that the Tiger is the largest, and the most powerful feline and to watch these fascinating creatures at their natural best is something extraordinary and India is definitely the best destination for all tiger lovers! Today on the occasion of International Tiger Day we would like to share some stories about a few of these fascinating felines that have ruled the Indian forests as well as the hearts of wildlife enthusiasts all over the world -

Collarwali – Photo by Monu Dubey Pench
Also known as ‘Mataram’ (Mother God) she is the Queen Mother of Pench. Living in the Madhya Pradesh side of Pench National Park, this legendary tigress came to be known as Collarwali in 2008 when the forest department put a radio collar around her neck to study her behavior; subjects for such studies are selected at random, so little did they know then she’ll go on to become one of the luminaries of the tiger world. Daughter of the famous Badi Maada, Collarwali unlike her elusive and now deceased sister Baaginaala was quite bold since she was a cub. This legendary tigress is a pride of the park as she has brought the park back to life by giving birth to 30 cubs in 8 different litters which makes it a record itself! She still remains to be a photographer’s delight and often comes out of the meadows with her cubs enabling tourists to observe the family and return with loads of images. She is definitely the supermom of Pench!

B2 – Photo by Sandeep Desai
The Maharaja of Bandhavgarh! B2 also known as ‘Sundar’ was one of the largest recorded male tigers in the country and undoubtedly one of the most photographed tiger of his times. B2 and his two brothers were born in April 1997 to 'Mohini' who was one of Bandhavgarh's well-known female tigers at that time. B2 was the boldest of the three brothers and at the age of four he went on to take over the prime home range of Charger in a territorial dispute. He then reigned supreme as the dominant male tiger within a large area of Bandhavgarh's famous Tala range for almost a decade, siring many cubs with at least four different tigresses. B2 was one of the most celebrated tigers of his time, and was successful in attracting tourists from all over the world; people would flock Bandhavgarh just to get a glimpse of this legendary tiger. With age catching up, he was challenged by another young male Bamera who was getting bolder and occupying much of B2’s territory. In the monsoons of 2011, Bamera went on to dethrone B2 who was then forced to move away from his throne at Tala. B2 lived a life of a legend before he passed away in November 2011.

Munna – Photo by Sarosh Lodhi Photography
A monarch who once ruled over Kanha! Munna got his name as a result of a banter between guides who saw him limping after a territorial fight that injured his hind foot. It reminded them of one of their peers, who used to walk with a limp, since then the name has stuck on. This huge male attained stardom owing to the stripe pattern on his head that created the word ‘CAT’. Owing to this unique pattern, Munna became a heartthrob for tourists, wildlifers and photographers becoming one of the most photographed male tigers in the country today. Back in his prime he was known to be a shrewd hunter and was well known for defending his territory against other male tigers, sometimes severely injuring them in the process. Over the years the age factor forced him to take refuge in the buffer areas of the park to avoid any conflicts with younger tigers. Last year at the age of 16, Munna was shifted to an enclosure in Van Vihar, Bhopal by the Forest Department.

T1 - Photo by Abhinav Pandey
Set up in 1981, Panna National Park, Madhya Pradesh, became a tiger reserve in early 1994. Fifteen years later, in 2008, Panna’s official tiger count stood at a shocking zero. The Tiger Reintroduction Project in Panna started in 2009 when one female each from Kanha (T1) & Bandhavgarh (T2) were translocated to Panna. Later T3 a male tiger was translocated from Pench. After accomplishing this arduous task, the park management improved on it’s monitoring skills by putting a full proof mechanism for 24x7 monitoring of these reintroduced cats. This resulted in first ever breeding success of reintroduced tigers. T1 delivered four cubs in April 2010 followed by another litter in February 2012 thus making it one of the most successful tiger reintroduction program.

Jai – Photo by Varun Thakkar
During late 2010, Nagzira was emerging out of the blues with dominant feline characters spreading out their paws and claiming territories. A major part of the park was under the reign of a humongous male tiger "Dhendu". He also had the crown jewel of Nagzira by his side, the legendary tigress T2 aka "Mai". She was an elegant tigress easily identified with an "A" mark on her left hind limb, earning her the nick name "A mark". Early in 2011 she gave birth to two male cubs. Taking an inspiration from Bollywood, the guides of Navegaon-Nagzira Tiger Reserve who saw these two male cubs, named them Jai and Viru. Though both stayed together for a long time but it was Jai who held the upper-hand. August 2013 witnessed a new chapter in Jai's life when he traversed for a distance of incredible 130 Km, a journey that is extraordinary for these highly territorial animals. Defying all odds he crossed forests, highways, villages and even a river. finally reaching Paoni range of Umred Karhandla. In the upcoming years Jai had four mates and produced 11 off-springs. It is assumed there might be some more cubs that Jai fathered from unknown wandering females. The sighting were at their peak during early summer of 2016 and then suddenly on 19th April, 2016 Jai went missing from his territory of Umred Karhandla near Nagpur. An extensive search was organised by the forest officials, supported by 100 volunteers but in vain Even after weeks of mega sweeping search across forests of Nagpur, Bhandara, Gondia and Chandrapur, no traces of Jai could be found. The world was waiting for answers. And till date they have not yet come. We are unknown of his being now but it cannot be denied that wherever he is, his legendary journey will follow. In this life and after.

Waghdoh – Photo by Mangesh Ratnakar Desai
The ‘Hulk” from Tadoba. Waghdoh also known as Scarface is known for his sheer size. The name Waghdoh comes from the area which was inhabited by the tiger. On the other hand the story behind the name Scarface has two versions, one goes that the ugly scar on his face was a result of a territorial fight with a dominant male, while another suggests it occurred while bringing down a massive Gaur, whose horn also left him with limited sight in the right eye. Locals have always claimed that he is India’s heaviest tiger and those who have seen this massive beast won’t deny it for sure! With many such fascinating stories Waghdoh has established himself as a legend and a true warrior. In his prime, this massive feline has ruled over Tadoba for around a decade! With old age he has now taken refuge in the buffer areas of Tadoba and is living a reclusive life. Though one thing is for sure his legacy in Tadoba will continue forever!

Machli – Photo by Mihir Godbole
The Tiger Queen of Ranthambore! Labeled as the most photographed tigress in the world, Machli was not only beautiful but also a powerful entity who had a strong hold over the prime territory in the park, which included the historic ruins of the Ranthambore Fort. Machli, which literally means fish is quite an odd name for a tigress but the reason behind her name was the fish-shaped mark on the left flank of her face. Also, she inherited this name from her mother. Her ferocity was something that she was born with, and one can see that from the series of incidents that have been documented about her. One of these tales was her fight with the 14-foot long crocodile which was truly historic! Despite being a female tigress, she always had a dominating nature and a powerful personality that at times used to overpower even the male tigers, especially when it came to protecting her litter. Machli, the tiger queen passed away at the ripe old age of 19 in the month of August 2016.

is Finishing
(pic by Monu Dubey Pench)
*_° BaU

"Flehmen response" by Monu Dubey Pench.

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