Tadoba National Park is a wildlife spot in Maharashtra. This park is home to tigers, sloth bears, deer, wild dogs, peacocks and a lot of wild animals. One can come here and see the beauty and wildlife of this park through Tadoba Safari. The most amazing experience that attracts people to come here is sighting of a tigress moving in Tadoba with her cubs. The tigress of this park is powerful and gentle at the same time. She can hunt a big sambar deer in a short time, and she can also lick her cubs softly until they fall asleep.
In the deep areas of the park, mostly in the Tadoba core zones, people have enjoyed the sightings of the tigress with her cubs. The Tadoba National Park is famous for legendary mothers like Maya, Choti Tara, Sonam, and the Shivanzari Female. These tigresses are known for raising strong litters and giving wonderful sightings to tourists. Because of them, Tadoba has become one of the best places in India to watch a mother tigress raising her cubs. Let’s know how a tigress in Tadoba actually raises her cubs inside the park.
Tigress Marks The Territory
The territory of the tiger is everything in Tadoba National Park. Before cubs even arrive, the tigress needs a safe territory. It decides how much food she will get, where she can rest, whether her cubs will survive, and how safely she can move. A territory is not just a large piece of land – it is a chosen area which has waterholes, resting shade areas, enough prey base, and safe hiding spots.
The tigress inside Tadoba marks the borders of her land by scratching trees, spraying scent, and patrolling almost every night. These marks tell other tigers, “This land is mine… stay away.” Marking a territory becomes even more important when the tigress is pregnant or raising cubs because cubs cannot survive without protected land.
If a male tiger enters, he may harm the cubs, so the mother stays alert and ready to defend her borders at all times. In Tadoba, areas like Pandharpauni, Moharli, Telia, and Kolara have been strong territories for many legendary tigresses. These areas are even famous for sightings of tigers during the Tadoba safari. Every tigress knows her land like her body part – each path, every waterhole, every escape route.
Tigress Finds A Den to Hide
Choosing a den is one of the most emotional decisions of a tigress’s life. When her cubs are about to be born, she needs a place that is hidden, cool, close to water, far from other tigers and safe from sloth bears, leopards, and wild dogs. Tigresses need a special place that is hidden from all possible dangers. Most of the time, the tigress of Tadoba chooses thick bamboo areas, cave-like rock structures, hollow tree bases, or deer grass lands near waterholes.
They choose the den in locations which are safe and completely invisible. The tigress spends a lot of time choosing a den for herself when she is pregnant. When the time comes, she quietly slips into her den and gives birth, usually at night. A tigress normally gives birth to 2 – 4 cubs, sometimes even 5.
When the cubs are born, they are completely blind. They only recognise their mother by smell and warmth. For the first few days, she does not leave them at all. She doesn’t hunt, she doesn’t patrol. The mother tigress only stays with her cubs and keeps licking their fur to keep them warm.
The First Weeks
After the cubs are born, the first few weeks are very difficult for the tigress. During that time, she needs to stay alert at all times. Cubs cannot move properly, and they can’t even see or protect themselves. When a tigress feels danger at one spot, then she gently picks each cub by the neck and travels long distances without making a sound. Sometimes, she moves them 2 – 3 times in one month to keep them safe.
During the first few weeks, the tigress hunts only short distances from her Den, and she eats and returns quickly. She protects her cubs and doesn’t let any animal come close to her cubs. She eats food to give her cubs milk. She lets them drink milk and then rolls beside them, letting them climb on her. People who go for the Tadoba safari even see signs like fresh pugmarks near caves or soft growls from inside the bamboo or caves. But sightings during this stage are extremely rare because the tigress avoids all human contact.
Tigress Teaches the Cub to Walk and Explore
After 6 to 8 weeks of birth, they open their eyes, start walking, and learn everything. This is the time when the mother tigress takes her cubs for small walks. The first few outings are short and close to the Den. When cubs go for these trips, they sometimes fall, run and come back to their mother. The mother guides them with soft sounds and gentle calls.
After some short walks, the mother teaches cubs how to survive in the park. During this time, she teaches them how to hide in tall grass or how to stay silent when they hear sounds. She also teaches them about the ways in which they can avoid the heat of the sun and cool themselves down near waterholes. She also teaches them about following the scent marks and how to run and return quickly. This stage is adorable to watch because cubs look very cute doing these things. Cubs often play, climb on their mother, jump on each other, and explore everything with curiosity.
Cubs Learn About Hunting
When the cubs become 5 to 6 months old, the tigress begins their hunting training. This is something which takes time. It takes more than a year for a cub to be able to hunt inside the Tadoba National Park. The mother tigress teaches this step by step. First, the tigress teaches her cubs to sit quietly while she stalks prey. They watch how she stays low, how she waits for the right moment for hunting.
After that, the cubs grow bigger, and she allows them to chase small animals in the park. They learn about the quick movements and techniques. When the cubs become around 1 year of age, the tigress brings down large prey but leaves the killing part for the cubs. She wants them to learn how to hold their grip, how to use strength, and how to finish a hunt. With time, cubs learn the hunting techniques and how to survive inside the park.
Separation from Tigress and Ongoing Cycle
At around 14 – 18 months, cubs start looking like small tigers. They accompany their mother everywhere. They go for chases, hunts, waterhole visits, and territorial walks. This is the time when tourists see the rare sightings of cubs walking with their mother tigress during the thrilling Tadoba safari.
When they become 18 – 24 months old, the cubs slowly begin to separate. The mother becomes distant. Not because she doesn’t love them, but because she needs to prepare them for life alone. Once the cubs leave, the tigress rests for some time. She hunts peacefully, roams without pressure, and regains her strength. After a few months, she mates again, chooses a new den, and the story begins from the start. A beautiful cycle of life that has been happening in Tadoba for years.
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