Machali II fights T-6 for Sambar kill

Machali fights T6

Those who know Ranthambhore also know its famous lady - Machali (II). Machali has been the grandmother of Ranthambhore now and is still fighting. We all have heard of her fighting the crocodiles (when she reined the lakes), her told and untold countless fights with other tigers and her stories of grace, dominance and richness (Machali has earned about US $ 10 million per annum for the last 10 years for Ranthambhore's economy) she has been indeed a legend and an asset to Ranthambhore and its people.

On 14th June we were fortunate to see the ageless lady again fighting for her food. And yes she is not scared she means business.

Read on:

Our first sighting was of T-6 but it was at a distance ... at laambi ka nallah first pic below ...

T-6 at the laambi ka nalla he sat in the waters, (which is the area currently occupied by Machali) for a long time sniffing the air as if searching for something. We didnt know...

Soon we got to know that Machali is sleeping with the sambar kill on the top plateau. It was about 6 PM yet hot summer was like a furnace! Machali was sleeping about 40 feet from the kill, the sambar looked huge. She must have consumed about 10% of it, she must have been waiting for weather to get cooler before she would eat also, due to the loss of canines she must be waiting for the meat to decompose which would be easier to chew.

Machali and the sambar kill

Within 10 minutes of us coming up came the male T-6 sniffing the kill he must have walked more than a kilometer distance.

Machali went alert even before most of us and we could easily see her apprehension and her gauging the situation.

The young male walking towards the kill

As soon as the male came closer Machali steped back and sat at some 50 feet distance

The male started to eat the kill

T-6 giving some interesting looks

In a moment he left the kill and rushed towards Machali

Machali stood on two feet, claws open and pounced on T-6 before he could attack

We see Machali facing the camera

Cat wrestling there

T-6 soon got the control

His paws striking Machali on face

Machali falling on the ground

Machali hitting the male on the eyes with claws out

Male turning back

One last warning

Big roars before T-6 pulls back

T-6 back at Machali's kill - stealing the steal

Pictures © Divya and Dharmendra Khandal.