Photographer captures final walk of Ranthambore tigress Arrowhead. Watch video
Arrowhead, officially known as T-84, passed away on June 19 due to a brain tumour, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve.
Renowned wildlife photographer Sachin Rai has shared a poignant video capturing the final moments of Arrowhead, one of Ranthambore's most iconic tigresses.
Arrowhead, officially known as T-84, passed away on June 19 due to a brain tumour, Ranthambore Tiger Reserve (RTR) officials confirmed.
In a heartfelt note accompanying the video, Rai described what he witnessed on the evening of June 17 at Padam Talab, a place Arrowhead had ruled for years. “It was heartbreaking to see her struggle, attempting to rise and take a few feeble steps before collapsing again,” he wrote. “Even walking ten steps seemed an enormous task. Eventually, she reached a tree and lay beneath it. In that quiet moment, I knew in my heart that the end was near.”
(Also Read: Ranthambore tigress Arrowhead dies of brain tumour, her daughter relocated to Mukundra)
Watch the video here:
Rai, who wrote on Instagram that he has followed Arrowhead since she was a cub, reflected on her life’s journey, from inheriting her mother's territory to raising multiple litters under challenging circumstances, including confrontations with rival males and even her own daughter Riddhi, who eventually displaced her.
“She lived a full and fiercely independent life, a true tigress in every sense,” Rai wrote. “Arrowhead was a symbol of wild grace, of power tempered by patience, of survival against all odds. Ranthambhore will never forget her.”
Arrowhead's death came just hours after her daughter Kankati (T-2507), who had killed a 7-year-old boy in April, was relocated to the Mukundra Hills Tiger Reserve.
“It is a disheartening coincidence that she passed away on the same day when her daughter was being shifted,” said RTR Field Director Anoop K R, adding that Arrowhead had been sick for a long time and her autopsy revealed multiple organ failures.
At 11 years old, Arrowhead recently made headlines when a video of her hunting a crocodile went viral, drawing comparisons to Ranthambore’s legendary tigress Machhli, famously known as the “Queen of Ranthambore” and the original “Crocodile Hunter.”
The display of strength and skill reminded many of Machhli’s iconic legacy and further cemented Arrowhead’s place among Ranthambore’s most celebrated big cats.
Following her death, forest officials and wildlife enthusiasts gathered to pay their final respects before Arrowhead was cremated, marking the end of a remarkable chapter in the reserve's history.
(Also Read: Ranthambore’s tigers and their shrinking habitats)
(With PTI inputs)
