Scarface looks the part. His origins are unknown but he had been in the southern range of Kolsa for a number of years in his youth but was somehow never quite made it there, finding it hard to exist in this region. 

It is quite possibly that his main prey, spotted deer and sambar were in too low numbers for him, even though it should be good habitat for herbivores. However it has been known for sometime that there is heavy bush meat poaching coming in from the south-east. It was in the buffer forest area bordering Kolsa that two tigers were found caught in deadly jaw traps in 2012.

By late 2010 Scarface, now of immense bulk and with huge paws, was beginning to challenge the resident males further north in the richer feeding grounds of Mohurli and even Tadoba, and this meant Crooked Tail (M3) and the now aging Hilltop male (M2) beginning to be squeezed north.

However, what Scarface did learn in Kolsa in his youth was to hunt the gaur, or wild cow, and it was while trying to bring down a large male in the early summer of 2011, that he got his eye blinded by his victim’s horn, before finally overcoming his battling prey. Scarface continued to feast on his hard won carcass for days while his injury healed, but by now his good looks had deserved him and his vision had been badly impaired.

For all his grumpiness as a dominant tiger, he is though immensely caring to the females under his protection, and will often be seen being affectionate around them, at meal times or sharing a waterhole. As with most dominant males he is prone to laziness and often indulges in his tigress’s most recent meals, but this maybe a feint and the price paid by his females for his protection.

With the largest territory in Tadoba he will be covering immense distances mostly at night keep other rivals off his newly established territory and his harem of tigresses, and their boisterous families.

He moves between Waghdoh, Telia lake to Tank no 2 in the Mohurli range and then all the way to up to Vasant Bandara in Tadoba.

Follow Scarface here as he takes on his rivals and fends for his family.

These life stories have been brought to you thanks to the records, diaries and photographs of Aditya Dhanwatay over the last ten years. They have been written and edited by Julian Matthews.  Should you have any photos or information to add to (or subtract) from these records them please help us by emailing the editorial team here