Tigress Collarwalli, mother to 29, dies at the age of 16 at Pench Tiger Reserve

The 16-year-old Collarwalli was the most popular tigress among tourists and was also called Mataram for giving birth to 29 cubs.

Updated on: Jan 16, 2022, 17:59:28 IST

By Shruti Tomar

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BHOPAL: Madhya Pradesh’s most popular tigress T 15, popularly known as Collarwalli, which created a record of sorts by giving birth to 29 cubs, died due to prolonged illness in Pench Tiger Reserve on Saturday in Chhindwara district, forest officials said.

The tigress was ill for the past two days due to old age. She breathed her last at 6.15 pm on Saturday. (File Photo)

The 16-year-old tigress was also known as Mataram for giving birth to 29 cubs in eight litters, said Alok Mishra field director, Pench Tiger Reserve.

Mishra said, “The tigress was ill for the past two days due to old age. She was last spotted on January 14 near Bhura Dev Nullah. She was lying down there and a large number of tourists spotted her. She was under observation of veterinary doctors and was unable to walk. The tigress took last breath at 6.15 PM on Saturday.”

“The exact cause of death will be known after post mortem but prima facie it appears to be multi-organ failure due to old-age,” he added.

“The Collarwalli was the most popular tigress among tourists and got her name because she was spotted with radio collar tied around her neck. She was born to T 7, popularly known as Badimada and T 1, known as Charger in 2005. In 2008, a team of experts from Dehradun fitted radio collar. In 2008, the tigress gave birth to three cubs but all of them died. In October 2010, she delivered five cubs at a time which increased her popularity among wildlife lovers,” said Alok Kumar, principal chief conservator of forest, (wildlife).

“She lived in the wild for more than 16 years which is also a record. Her legacy is not limited to Pench as her female cub was shifted to Panna Tiger Reserve who gave birth to five cubs and contributed a lot in success of relocation project of tigers in Panna Tiger Reserve,” said Aniruddha Majumder, a scientist at the state forest research institute, Jabalpur.

Majumder said he was devastated with the news. “Collarwalli was a legend,” he added.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Shruti Tomar
I have spent over a decade chronicling Madhya Pradesh’s political and social landscape, covering politics, investigative journalism, crime, human interest, and government policy, blending sharp insight with ground‑level depth. I have closely tracked three assembly elections, three Lok Sabha elections, leadership transitions in MP while exposing governance lapses, tender irregularities, and flawed policy rollouts. My reports have revealed gaps in the Cheetah project, irregularities in medical education, rigging in recruitment exams, and loopholes in policy implementation. In crime reporting, I have moved beyond FIRs to map systemic patterns — from organised crime networks and gender‑based violence to custodial accountability — balancing urgency with sensitivity. My journalism is defined by a commitment to human interest. I have profiled the marginalised Bancchda community, documented atrocities against tribal groups, and highlighted efforts to preserve their culture through heritage liquor and revival of spiritual practices. I have reported on farmers struggling with failed MSP promises, giving voice to those often reduced to statistics in policy files. Passionate about field reporting, I have reported on rampant sand mining in Chambal and Narmada, pharmaceutical companies supplying medicines under altered names, the dire condition of schools and colleges, the plight of commercial sex workers, and skewed sex ratios in specific districts. Beyond deadlines, and as HT’s state correspondent and assistant editor in Madhya Pradesh, I engage with ministers, farmers, students, and activists, believing the best policy stories begin with a single human voice. A postgraduate in Journalism and Mass Communication, I also hold a diploma in sports journalism.Read More

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