Tadoba queen Maya’s 3 cubs missing

Nagpur: Three cubs of Maya (T12), which is the most popular tigress of Tadoba and Andhari Tiger Reserve, have gone missing since two months. 40 camera traps placed to track them have failed to throw up any evidence.
For tourists, the last sighting of the tigress along with her four cubs was before April 15 after which the park was closed owing to lockdown. Since then the tigress is seen with only one cub.
On June 11, last year, TOI had reported about Maya delivering five cubs. One died soon after birth. It is likely they were born in April last making them around 14-15 months now. At this age, they are still dependent on the mother for food.
According to official sources, the cubs were last seen by the forest staff in the first week of May. Two male and one female cubs are the ones missing. The lone cub still with Maya is a shy animal according to tourists.
The tigress and the cub were sighted by tourists during June 25-31 when the core area opened for tourism. “Either the cubs must have left the territory or must have been killed by another male which wanted to mate with Maya,” said sources.
Wildlife Institute of India (WII) tiger scientist Bilal Habib says in a high-tiger density area like Tadoba “cubs disperse early”. “This was the case with other tigresses like Sonam and Chhoti Tara. In April, our team had recorded four cubs during estimation. There are several male tigers in Tadoba which kill cubs for mating rights with females. Maya’s cub Surya from a previous litter was forced out in 2019 when it was less than two years old. Similarly, two tigresses from Kolsa and Tadoba had dispersed to Paoni range of Karhandla. I feel there are less chances that Maya’s three cubs are dead.”
This was sweet music to the ears of wildlife lover Nikhil Abhyankar. “Three sub-adult tigers cannot be killed by any male in one go. If one is attacked, there is always a scope for the others to run away. A male wanting to mate may not even attack three tigers at one go. Maya and her cubs have put Tadoba on the global map and a search should be launched to track the cubs, which doesn’t seem to be forthcoming,” he said.
TATR field director & conservator of forest Jitendra Ramgaonkar told TOI that the cubs were at a stage when they could kill small preys. “It is difficult to conclude that these cubs must have been killed. They must have moved into non-tourism area and may surface again,” he said.
Ramgaonkar says, “Tourists not sighting the cubs or any tigers killing cubs not fathered by them and then have their own progeny by mating with the tigress is common in high tiger density area.”
“Maya has been unlucky when it comes to her cubs. Park managers should launch a strong efforts to locate the missing cubs. We should wait for confirmed reports. Tiger population is increasing and more sub-adult tigers are trying to search new territories,” said naturalist Himanshu Bagde.
History has not been too kind to Maya as at least 5 of her previous cubs have been killed by other males. This is Maya’s fourth litter since June 2014 and till now she has delivered 12 cubs. The death rumours started after May was seen mating with Mowgli and Rudra in May. End of June, the Queen of Tadoba was also seen with Tala.