Ecostani: Arrowhead, a tigress who lit up the forests of Ranthambore
Rarely does the death of a tiger or tigress mourned in India where animals are perceived to be enemies because of rising man-animal conflict cases. Arrowhead, the legendary Ranthambore tigress died on June 19 at an age of 11-years after suffering from bone cancer. (Instagram/sachin_rai_photography)
That was not the case with Arrowhead, the legendary Ranthambore tigress, who died on June 19 at an age of 11-years. She died after suffering from bone cancer and died hours after her cub, Kankati, was translocated to the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve. Her death was widely covered in the media.
Born in February 2014 to Krishna, daughter of the iconic tigress, Machli, Arrowhead (T-84) gave four litters through the years. Her two siblings, Lightning and Pacman, were also popular in Ranthambore but it was Arrowhead, who inherited the fame of her grandmother Machli, the most photographed tigress in the world. She got her name because of the arrow-like mark on her forehead, her sharp attack on the prey and calmness in her walk. The mark on her forehead helped tourists to identify her easily.
Her last litter, born in January 2025, became a reason for her emotional distress, experts said. Arrowhead with her three cubs was sighted for the first time on July 25, 2023 in zone 2 of Ranthambore. She appeared ill, and her illness hampered her hunting capabilities. Forest rangers and guards feared that she and her cubs could starve.
Ranthambore forest officials then decided to feed her meat nearly every day, bringing her close to the human population in Ranthambore's zone 2. The goodwill gesture did not help her cubs though, who also fed on the meat provided by the forest department, and then started looking for easy prey.
Normally, a tigress trains her cubs to hunt before releasing them in the wild. Arrowhead was not able to perform this duty, which caused her distress. As the cubs got habituated to easy prey, Kankati allegedly killed a seven-year-old boy near the temple within the tiger reserve on April 17, and clamour grew to kill them. On May 11, she was accused of killing a forest ranger in the same area. Forest officials claimed that their preliminary investigation indicated that Kankati may have killed the two. However, there was no conclusive evidence. A desperate forest department decided to relocate her cubs to safer locations and Arrowhead to a new location away from humans.
Arrowhead's male cub was shifted to Karauli's Kaila Devi Sanctuary on June 16. The female cub was shifted to Bundi's Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve on June 17. On June 19, 2025, Kankati was sent to Mukundra Tiger Hills, which currently has 3 tigers. With her cubs not with her anymore, Arrowhead died in zone 2 and hours later her body was found in the shade of a tree.
Three days before her death, Arrowhead killed a crocodile resting in Padam Talab (pond) in zone 2. She pounced on the prey and killed it instantly, showing her once fierce demeanour, which made her the most popular tigress in Ranthambore, like Machli. That was her last kill, according to the forest department officials. A video of her last walk recorded by wildlife photographer Sachin Rai showed a bony Arrowhead walking slowly and grinding in pain towards the crocodile.
Arrowhead, like her grandmother, was known for killing crocodiles and was often spotted near water bodies, a reason for her being one of the most clicked tigresses in Ranthambore in recent times. Arrowhead dominated the territory in zone two, three and four, where once her mother and grandmother reigned and contributed significantly in turning Ranthambore into one of the most densely populated tiger reserves in the country.
Ranthambore now has about 80 tigers with a healthy male and female mix and Arrowhead is responsible for about 50 of them that live in the family tree of Machli in Ranthambore. Known for her tenacity and courage, Arrowhead's death signifies the end of a magnificent era in the famed Ranthambore landscape, from where the Vindhya rises close to the Aravalli mountain range.
More than that, her life and that of her grandmother Machli tells us that tourism and conservation can continue simultaneously, provided the former does not hamper the latter. A popular tigress like Arrowhead can ensure that thousands of people associated with tourism in Ranthambore continue to earn a livelihood, apart from maintaining the region's ecological balance.
The contribution of the wild towards humanity's well-being is rarely appreciated. On the other hand, animals like Arrowhead are blamed when they try to protect their own space from human encroachments. Arrowhead's death should be a reminder of the importance of conserving wildlife habitats, which are being destroyed in the name of development.
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Indian Express
6 days ago
- Indian Express
Famed Ranthambore tigress Arrowhead laid to rest, IFS officer says she ‘strengthened gene pools and rewrote conservation'
Arrowhead, one of the most photographed tigresses who once ruled Rajasthan's Ranthambore National Park, succumbed to a brain tumour on June 19. Her death came hours after her daughter was relocated to another tiger reserve. Also known as Tigress T-84, she is the granddaughter of the legendary 'Machali,' the most photographed tigress. As Arrowhead was laid to rest, Parveen Kaswan, an IFS officer, shared a heartwarming post. 'The famous arrowhead tigress from Ranthambore was given last rites, one of the most photographed tigress. Carried bloodline of Ranthambhore. She raised cubs that helped repopulate parts of Ranthambhore and other tiger reserves. Strengthened gene pools and rewrote conservation,' Kaswan wrote. Along with the post, Kaswan also shared a picture of the final rites of the tigress performed by forest officials. See here: The famous arrowhead tigress from Ranthambore was given last rites, one of the most photographed tigress. Carried bloodline of Ranthambhore. She raised cubs that helped repopulate parts of Ranthambhore and other tiger reserves. Strengthened gene pools and rewrote conservation. — Parveen Kaswan, IFS (@ParveenKaswan) June 24, 2025 According to the official website of Ranthambore National Park, in February 2018, Arrowhead gave birth to her first litter of three cubs, but they disappeared just days after their birth. She then gave birth again in January 2019 to two cubs, T-124, Riddhi; and T-125, Siddhi, who went on to become notable young tigresses themselves. In July 2021, Arrowhead delivered her third litter, again comprising three cubs, but they also disappeared shortly after birth. Her fourth and final litter arrived on July 25, 2023, with another set of three cubs. 'Arrowhead inherited a rich legacy from her legendary bloodline. She got her bravery from her grandmother, Machli. Her calm and composed demeanour was from her mother, T-19, also known as the Jhalra Female and a wild charm that was her own,' the website noted. 'True to her name, she has a distinctive arrow-shaped mark on her left cheek, similar to her grandmother's. Arrowhead was born from the mating of T-19 and T-28, a Star Male, continuing a royal tiger lineage,' the website added.
India Today
6 days ago
- India Today
Farewell Arrowhead: The queen of Rajbagh leaves behind a roaring legacy
To spot Arrowhead one more time in the wild is merely a dream now. The queen breathed her last on June 19 near Jogi Mahal in a long battle with bone cancer and a brain tumour, Arrowhead's magnificent journey concluded at the age of 11. Following a postmortem, she was cremated at Rajbhag in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, as the Forest department and her fans bid her a final, sorrowful also known as Tigress T-84, got her name from the identifiable arrow-shaped mark on her face. She was born to 'Krishna' and 'Star' Male T-28, along with her siblings 'Lightning' and 'Pacman', and was first sighted in year 2014. She reigned over Zones 2, 3, and 4 of the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve, and was often seen around Rajbagh Lake—a territory once ruled by her mother, Krishna, and grandmother, Machhli. Without a doubt, she was one of the most photographed tigers of the final walk, captured on camera near Padma Talab on June 17th by nature photographer Sachin Rai, was heartbreaking (probably her last video). With a sunken belly and visible ribs, it was clear her end was near, a sentiment Rai himself expressed on Instagram. advertisement View this post on Instagram A post shared by Sachin Rai (@sachin_rai_photography)Speaking to India Today, Rai described the heartbreaking scene: "I knew she wasn't well. I had seen her couple of months ago. But to see her so frail and fragile, having lost almost all her weight—she was only skin and bones—it was gut-wrenching just watching her struggle to get up and walk."Sachin Rai, who documented Arrowhead's life from a tiny cub to her final days, shared a poignant memory of her. "Three years ago, I witnessed her first interaction with a young male tiger, T120," he recounted. "She eventually mated with him many months later. However, their initial encounter was fascinating to observe. She was both cautious and vibrant, unsure of who he was or if he'd stay. She crouched, snarled, and displayed submissive behavior. It was an incredible experience to watch her."Though illness and weakness ravaged her body, they never broke Arrowhead's spirit. This was incredibly evident during one of her last hunts when she remarkably attempted to take down a crocodile, much like her legendary grandmother, Machhli. Rai described this as "fascinating behavior." He added, "I guess her hunger and instinct took over her logic, and she decided to go for the kill. And despite her extreme weakness, she incredibly managed to kill the crocodile." Arrowhead's passing truly marks the end of an era, but her bloodline lives on. She was a gracious, strong mother who has produced four litters during her life time. Among her offspring are Ranthambore's popular tigers, 'Riddhi', 'Siddhi'. While mother tigers typically raise and train their cubs in the wild, Arrowhead's illness sadly prevented her from doing so for her last litter, which included Kankati and her two queen departed for the happy hunting grounds mere hours after her last cub, Kankati, was safely relocated to another tiger reserve in the state, almost as if Arrowhead had waited to ensure her cub's safe Arrowhead. You'll forever live in the jungle of our hearts.- Ends
Hindustan Times
7 days ago
- Hindustan Times
Ecostani: Arrowhead, a tigress who lit up the forests of Ranthambore
Rarely does the death of a tiger or tigress mourned in India where animals are perceived to be enemies because of rising man-animal conflict cases. Arrowhead, the legendary Ranthambore tigress died on June 19 at an age of 11-years after suffering from bone cancer. (Instagram/sachin_rai_photography) That was not the case with Arrowhead, the legendary Ranthambore tigress, who died on June 19 at an age of 11-years. She died after suffering from bone cancer and died hours after her cub, Kankati, was translocated to the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve. Her death was widely covered in the media. Born in February 2014 to Krishna, daughter of the iconic tigress, Machli, Arrowhead (T-84) gave four litters through the years. Her two siblings, Lightning and Pacman, were also popular in Ranthambore but it was Arrowhead, who inherited the fame of her grandmother Machli, the most photographed tigress in the world. She got her name because of the arrow-like mark on her forehead, her sharp attack on the prey and calmness in her walk. The mark on her forehead helped tourists to identify her easily. Her last litter, born in January 2025, became a reason for her emotional distress, experts said. Arrowhead with her three cubs was sighted for the first time on July 25, 2023 in zone 2 of Ranthambore. She appeared ill, and her illness hampered her hunting capabilities. Forest rangers and guards feared that she and her cubs could starve. Ranthambore forest officials then decided to feed her meat nearly every day, bringing her close to the human population in Ranthambore's zone 2. The goodwill gesture did not help her cubs though, who also fed on the meat provided by the forest department, and then started looking for easy prey. Normally, a tigress trains her cubs to hunt before releasing them in the wild. Arrowhead was not able to perform this duty, which caused her distress. As the cubs got habituated to easy prey, Kankati allegedly killed a seven-year-old boy near the temple within the tiger reserve on April 17, and clamour grew to kill them. On May 11, she was accused of killing a forest ranger in the same area. Forest officials claimed that their preliminary investigation indicated that Kankati may have killed the two. However, there was no conclusive evidence. A desperate forest department decided to relocate her cubs to safer locations and Arrowhead to a new location away from humans. Arrowhead's male cub was shifted to Karauli's Kaila Devi Sanctuary on June 16. The female cub was shifted to Bundi's Ramgarh Vishdhari Tiger Reserve on June 17. On June 19, 2025, Kankati was sent to Mukundra Tiger Hills, which currently has 3 tigers. With her cubs not with her anymore, Arrowhead died in zone 2 and hours later her body was found in the shade of a tree. Three days before her death, Arrowhead killed a crocodile resting in Padam Talab (pond) in zone 2. She pounced on the prey and killed it instantly, showing her once fierce demeanour, which made her the most popular tigress in Ranthambore, like Machli. That was her last kill, according to the forest department officials. A video of her last walk recorded by wildlife photographer Sachin Rai showed a bony Arrowhead walking slowly and grinding in pain towards the crocodile. Arrowhead, like her grandmother, was known for killing crocodiles and was often spotted near water bodies, a reason for her being one of the most clicked tigresses in Ranthambore in recent times. Arrowhead dominated the territory in zone two, three and four, where once her mother and grandmother reigned and contributed significantly in turning Ranthambore into one of the most densely populated tiger reserves in the country. Ranthambore now has about 80 tigers with a healthy male and female mix and Arrowhead is responsible for about 50 of them that live in the family tree of Machli in Ranthambore. Known for her tenacity and courage, Arrowhead's death signifies the end of a magnificent era in the famed Ranthambore landscape, from where the Vindhya rises close to the Aravalli mountain range. More than that, her life and that of her grandmother Machli tells us that tourism and conservation can continue simultaneously, provided the former does not hamper the latter. A popular tigress like Arrowhead can ensure that thousands of people associated with tourism in Ranthambore continue to earn a livelihood, apart from maintaining the region's ecological balance. The contribution of the wild towards humanity's well-being is rarely appreciated. On the other hand, animals like Arrowhead are blamed when they try to protect their own space from human encroachments. Arrowhead's death should be a reminder of the importance of conserving wildlife habitats, which are being destroyed in the name of development.
