Chhota Matka
Chhota Matka, Tadoba’s iconic tiger, has been captured because he was injured. Officials say the goal is to treat him and release him back again. That sounds noble, but the real question is: should humans interfere with injured tigers at all?
Conservationists argue no — this is nature. When a dominant male falls, another will take his place. That cycle ensures the ecosystem. The tourism industry sees it differently: Chhota Matka is a magnet, a crowd puller, a brand. Without him, revenue falls. Tourists and uninformed voices cry out: save the poor wounded tiger. Meanwhile, the forest department insists his absence risks chaos — rivals fighting, territories in flux, and human–tiger conflict spilling into villages.
This debate will never end. But now another question looms: after capture and treatment, will Chhota Matka truly be released back into the wild — or vanish forever into the shadows of one of India’s sanctuaries? His fate is no longer his own.
Based on Indian Masterminds, India.
Photo via Indian Masterminds.
