The Master of the Game
Ruling a territory is a game played by many, but only few masters ever exist. A tigress has only one purpose in life – to increase her progeny.
But when that territory overlaps those of atleast 4 male tigers, currently – Chota Munna, Umarpani, Supkhar and Jamun Tola males tigers, you really need to be a master of the game.
Bheema, her first mate died in a territorial conflict, while Chota Munna, the father of her current litter is seemingly driven away from her territory, that the tasking of saving her current litter is wholly on her.
When a male shows his mating advances towards the female, if the female resists, it’s gonna be a fatal situation for the female. So, females mock-mate, thus keeping their cubs safe.
Despite this, Jamun Tola male seemingly killed one of the cubs from the current litter.
The tigress was a part of the 4 cub litter born to Choti Mada and Kankata in 2012. Two males of that litter went missing while the fourth one, the Chimta Camp female is seemingly around.
She was born in an area where locals/tribes used to worship the Dhawa trees (scientific name – Anogeissus latifolia) by placing flags (Jhandi) and hence the name – Dhawajhandi. Dhawa trees are worshiped for their use to humans – the leaves which contain tannins (for use in tanning industry), gum used in printing industry and leaves fed by moths for making a kind of silk called ‘Tussar Silk’; no wonder early humans worshiped nature.
Choti Mada, Dhawajhandi’s mother was a part of litter born to Minkur female (also known as Badi Mada) and Chain male, in 2008.
Minkur female was the daughter of Heart-shape female, born in 1999, probably fathered by Gaur Singh, the most dominant male of Mukki range in that period. Incidentally, both the father and grand father (Kankata and Chain male) of Dhawajhandi were born to Gaur Singh and Heart-shape female.
At a very young age, and by tricking three males, Dhawajhandi is one of the finest masters of the game.