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Farewell to ‘Lady of the Lake': Arrowhead, Ranthambore's fearless crocodile-hunting tigress, dies after battling tumour hours after her cubs were relocated
JAIPUR: Tigress T-84, fondly known in Ranthambore and beyond as 'Arrowhead' and who rose to fame as the fearless crocodile hunter and the 'Lady of the Lake', breathed her last near Jogi Mahal in Ranthambore on Thursday.
The 11-year-old tigress, who carried forward the legacy of her iconic grandmother 'Machhali', was battling a bone tumour for several months.
A senior forest official said, "The body of 'Arrowhead' was cremated at Rajbagh in the Ranthambore Tiger Reserve. Many people, including wildlife photographers who have for long documented her journey, nature guides, and other well-wishers, gathered to pay their final respects.
The cremation was carried out in accordance with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) protocol dated March 18, 2013."
Arrowhead, born to T-19 'Krishna' (descendant of legendary tigress Machhali) and male T-28 'Star', was first sighted in March 2014. She was named 'Arrowhead' due to the distinctive arrow-shaped marking on her left cheek. Alongside her siblings, 'Lightning' and 'Pacman', she grew up in the core wilderness of Ranthambore.
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Over the years, 'Arrowhead' emerged as the undisputed queen of zones 2, 3, 4, and 5, frequently sighted around Rajbagh Lake and Nal Ghati territories once dominated by her mother, 'Krishna'. Her commanding presence and unmatched hunting prowess earned her nationwide recognition among wildlife enthusiasts. She was particularly famed for her rare ability to kill crocodiles — an extraordinary feat that drew admiration and awe.
Environmentalist and tiger tracker Abhishek Chaudhary, said, 'Just three days before her death, she killed another crocodile. Throughout her life, she killed several of them.'
'She was an exceptionally audacious tigress who reigned over Ranthambhore's core territory for years. In the world of tigers, it is the female who chooses the dominant male. At one point, four males competed for her within her domain, but she aligned herself with T-86, supporting him in asserting dominance and driving out the others,' Chaudhary added.
A nature guide said the tigress lost her mate, T-86, and later suffered a serious hip injury. Still, she continued to raise multiple cubs. Some of them, including 'Riddhi' and 'Siddhi', went on to become stars in their own right.
A cancerous tumour on her hind leg eventually blunted her hunting prowess, which led forest officials to offer live bait to her and her three cubs. The cubs, now sub-adults, drew national attention after attacking and killing three people in May. Deemed a threat to human safety, they were relocated to Kota, Bundi, and Dholpur.
'Just hours after the last cub — 'Kankati' — was shifted, 'Arrowhead' passed away quietly—almost as if she was waiting to ensure her cubs were safely moved,' said Dalip Sharma, a wildlife enthusiast.
