TIGER T-8, AKA LADALI OF RANTHAMBORE

 

Ladali, popularly known as TIGER T-8, aka Ladali of Ranthambore, is a lady known for her gentle rearing. Her motherhood and struggle with cub-rearing story unfolds in Ranthambore National Park in India.

A shy but prominent tigress, Ladali roams around zones 6, 7, and 8: Balas, Chidi-Khoh, and Kundal. Of the three cubs born to tigress T-5, Kachida, sired by T-2, was the most minor and reserved of all the cubs, who later became her mother's favorite, and her name, Ladali, suggests the "beloved." Her brother T-6, also known as Romeo, is a resident in the Chiroli area, while T-7 was relocated to Sariska on the 23rd of February 2011 and is known locally as ST-6.

Her first litter was born in 2011-a male and one female cub-and by 2013, they were already independent. The female cub, T-61, established her territory in zone 8 (Balas area) of the park, and the male cub, T-62, left the park that year.

Her second litter is scarcely recorded. One cub was spotted with her as far back as November 2013. She has produced a third litter with two male cubs. She was first seen with those three-month-old cubs on June 4, 2014, in the Chhidi-Kho area of Zone 7.

She lives with the dominant tigress in the landscape, T-34, known as Kumbha. This is the only other tigress with whom Ladali shares space, likely sired all her cubs.

Unfortunately, one cub from her third litter was found dead on March 9, 2015. The prime suspect for this is T-58. The incumbent is the surviving cub that Ladali is raising.

The two male cubs from this litter are coded as T-86 and T-87. T-87 died on March 9, 2015, while T-86 roams to establish his territory and often enters zones 3, 4, and 6.

Ladali later produced her fourth litter comprising three cubs. The morning safari on 28th February 2017 saw her accompanied by them, much to the delight of the wildlife enthusiasts.

Ladali produces a fifth litter that also comprises three cubs. The first sighting with them was on February 12, 2020.