The final walk of Ranthambore's iconic tigress Arrowhead captured on camera

Mint

21-06-2025

One of Ranthambore's most celebrated big cats, tigress Arrowhead (T-84), passed away at the age of 14 on Thursday, said officials.
According to the details, tigress Arrowhead's death took place hours after her daughter was relocated to another tiger reserve, which marked an emotional end to a storied legacy in Indian wildlife history, reported NDTV.
However, noted photographer Sachin Rai paid tribute with a poignant video capturing her final moments. He had closely followed her life since she was a cub.
Rai took to Instagram and wrote an emotional post, describing him watching her struggle to walk near Padam Talab on 17 June. He wrote that he saw tigress Arrowhead taking a few weak steps before collapsing under a tree, showing her end was near.
"On the evening of June 17th, I witnessed what would likely be the last walk of the legendary tigress 'Arrowhead' at the banks of Padam Talab, a place she had ruled with grace and strength for many years. It was heartbreaking to see her struggle, attempting to rise and take a few feeble steps before collapsing again," he wrote.
"Each movement was a visible effort; 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, just a matter of a day or two," he further mentioned.
"I have followed Arrowhead's journey since she was a tiny cub. From those early days to watching her grow into a powerful tigress who claimed her mother's territory, every chapter of her life was a testament to resilience."
Tigress Arrowhead (T-84) was born to tigress Krishna (T-19) and is the granddaughter of the legendary Machhli (T-16). She was part of a famed tiger bloodline.
Tigress Arrowhead was suffering from advanced bone cancer and had been under observation for weeks.
Her passing symbolizes the end of an era for Ranthambore, and with her death, the lineage also passed away.