Sanctuary Asia, October 2017 65
More at http://www.sanctuaryasia.com | Natural History
Location: Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve
Camera: Canon EOS 750D Lens: Canon EF-S 55-250 f/4-5.6 IS II
Image taken: February 7, 2017The Turf Wa r
Sanctuary Asia, December 2017 65
In the productive Pandharpauni meadows of Maharashtra’s Tadoba-Andhari
Tiger Reserve earlier this year, we came upon T-54, a massive, dominant male
tiger nicknamed ‘New Matkasur’. Half-hidden in the bushes was another tiger,
towards which the huge male began to move.
The young male tiger nicknamed ‘Legend’, one of Maya’s cubs from her last
litter, scampered towards us. Clearly the young one, still under two-years-old,
had found himself in the wrong place at the wrong time.
A territorial battle ensued. By the end of it, though the younger tiger
submitted, lowering its head, we saw T-54 bleeding. Despite the clash lasting
just a (breathtaking) fi ve minutes, the sub-adult’s humiliation was total.
For a full 15 minutes, shoulder muscles rippling, ‘New Matkasur’ circled
‘Legend’ in a show of pure dominance. I was awestruck. I was also treated to a
lesson in how nature enables powerful predators to work social relationships
without resorting to the death of one or the other tiger.Text and photographs by Arpit Parekh