Arrowhead, Ranthambore’s most legendary tigress who once dominated the core areas of the Rajasthan sanctuary, has passed away at the ripe age of 14. It is a heart-wrenching video captured by wildlife photographer Sachin Rai that reveals her last walk as she lived out the last few hours of her life.
According to NDTV, Arrowhead (T-84) died this week, a matter of hours after her daughter was translocated to another tiger reserve. Her demise has left wildlife photographers, forest officials, and regular visitors to Ranthambore heartbroken. Among them was Sachin Rai, who had known Arrowhead from the time she was a cub.
Arrowhead’s Final Walk
In a heartfelt message posted on Instagram, Rai remembered the night of June 17, when he had recorded Arrowhead’s final moments along Padam Talab. “The evening of June 17th, I saw what would probably be the last walk of the iconic tigress Arrowhead. It was sad to observe her struggling, trying to stand up and take some weak steps before falling down again,” he posted.
Rai explained how she crept along, weakened by sickness, with only short distances covered before she would rest beneath a tree. “Every movement was an effort to see. In that still moment, I knew in my heart that the end was near,” he reported.
But Rai’s obituary extended beyond her last hours. He reminisced on her progress from a small cub to a ruling tigress who took back the very land once occupied by her mother. “I have watched Arrowhead’s story unfold since she was a wee cub. From those early beginnings to seeing her become a strong tigress, every page in her life was an affirmation of staying power,” he wrote.
The video, uploaded on June 19, has moved to tears many on the web, registering more than 6.3 million views and eliciting an outpour of emotion. People on social media offered tribute to her strength and elegance even in her last moments.
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“Heartbreaking to see a tiger like this,” wrote one user. “So gentle and strong. Even in these last moments. A symbol of strength,” posted another.
“A beautiful legacy, but my heart breaks to witness this queen suffering. She now rests in peace.” “May the queen rest in eternal peace as she deserves,” another commenter added.
Who Was Arrowhead?
Arrowhead belonged to Ranthambore’s mythical tiger clan. She was Krishna (T-19)’s daughter and Machhli (T-16), the ‘Queen of Ranthambore’, was her grandmother. Her genealogy and assertive presence endeared her to wildlife enthusiasts as well as shutterbugs.
Forest officials said Arrowhead had been battling advanced bone cancer and was being closely monitored in her last days.
