“And then, that family never returned…”

Neelam and her family—after spending more than a decade in the heart of Kanha—raised her last litter near the Kanha center point. Over time, unknowingly or perhaps inevitably, she grew accustomed to human presence. Though she never caused any harm, Neelam seemed to understand that it wasn’t safe for her cubs to be so close to human settlements.

Then, one day, she left kanha zone. She took her cubs and abandoned both the human-inhabited areas and her favorite territory, Kanha Meadow. Was it the fear of another tiger? Or was it the increasing human presence? We may never know the real reason, but the jungle follows a simple rule—survival of the fittest.

The comforting thought is that Neelam is safe, wherever she is. And hopefully, in the days to come, another tigress will make Kanha her home once again…

T-65 and her cubs

June 2024