India, April 25 -- If Tadoba-Andhari Tiger Reserve is a kingdom, Maya was its undisputed, long-reigning Empress. In Maya: The Biography of a Tiger, Anant Sonawane, journalist turned communications officer for Tadoba, offers a definitive, moving, and visually stunning tribute to the tigress who became the global face of Indian wildlife.

The book traces the meteoric and often heartbreaking rise of the tigress born with the distinct "M" marking on her shoulder. Her story begins in tragedy, with the death of her mother, Leela, leaving Maya orphaned before she was fully equipped for independence.

Perhaps the most fascinating aspect of the book is the exploration of Maya's calculated intelligence alongside behaviour and apparent adaptability....