Boss Of The Battlegrounds - Chota Matka

Nimdhela Buffer, Tadoba

Tadoba is a not small reserve with over 600 sq km of land. It also has the densest tiger population in the country. There are over a hundred tigers here. Now, many will profess that one male Tiger demands 100 sq kms to himself. In Tadoba, there are 7 males in that much land. What that means is territorial overlap, violence, conflict, legend and lore. It’s a constant battleground out there in Tadoba and the life stories of it’s residents are epic. No legend here today surpasses the one of Chota Matka, the brawler who had his upper lip ripped off in a battle that he lost but a war he returned to win and established himself as the Dominant force in the Alizanza, Nimdhela and Navegaon buffers of the park, living up to the name of his father, Matkasur, who along with Maya put Tadoba on the map of tiger chasers from around the world.

I went tiger chasing after ages this summer and the changes I saw in Tadoba have made it my favourite tiger destination for now. Most importantly what they’ve done is, many gates and limited vehicles per gate in the buffers. Also, local employment at every gate. Awesome ! Before this, Tadoba was as much a battleground for safari vehicles as it was for the tigers. Worst safari traffic. I am so happy that someone had the sense to open up more of the park and distribute the damn vehicles. What’s the point of a “tourism area” if youre always gonna torture the same animals with an overload of safari vehicles daily? Either limit the vehicles (less revenue) or just open up more area and distribute the crowd. Give the poor animals some peace and the visitors a chance to see them. I seriously hope the other reserves follow suit.

Now, when a tiger moves in the forest, animals call out warnings. When big males walk, they run first then they call. When Chota Matka takes a walk these days, they run half a kilometer first and then they run again if he’s headed the same way. Forget Calling. There is pin drop silence in his vicinity. That’s the effect of a big Dominant Male Tiger on his environment. It’s something that I had forgotten being away for so long. The eerie silence.

The last I had seen him, he was a young adult with his face intact. I didn’t get a picture then. I was too slow and he was too fast. I guess we were both more experienced this time around. We found him chilling a ways away first and waited a long while in his eerie silence. When he finally started to move, he was showing his good side on his approach and I wanted nothing more than to capture those pale eyes and battle scarred face. When his walk up happened, it was nothing short of a movie entrance, with him brushing aside leaves with his head to finally reveal his face (Pics : 3 - 6). He wasn’t shy at all around the vehicles or fast. He walked right through them. There was no disdain in his eyes towards the safari vehicles, something I merit to the new policy of limiting vehicles in Tadoba’s buffers. As he walked past, I wished I had a big male like him in an open area though, not walking in a tight location. It was a wish that would be granted in a few hours with the sighting of the veteran, Veerappan who is probably at the best that a tiger over the age of 13 can be at.

When I got back to the resort the owner asked me at the door, “How was it?”. I just had to say, “Thank you, Jaane se pehele aapne Raja ke darshan kara diye” (Thank you for helping me meet the king before leaving)