Born of royalty, tempered by tragedy, and reigning with fearless grace until her final, triumphant breath.

In the storied landscape of Ranthambhore Tiger Reserve, few tigers leave behind a legacy that echoes through forest corridors and human memory alike. Among these rare icons was Arrowhead, a tigress of unmatched strength, lineage, and resilience—whose life journey mirrored the wild soul of the reserve itself.

A Royal Beginning

Arrowhead was first sighted on March 23, 2014, alongside her three siblings. She was born to the famous tigress Krishna (T19) and the majestic Star Male (T28), a pairing that produced some of Ranthambhore’s most charismatic felines. Tragically, one sibling died in early infancy. Her sister Lightning (T83) later perished in Kota, while her brother Pacman (T85) was killed in Indala, deep within the reserve.

From this challenging beginning emerged Arrowhead, who carried the regal legacy of her grandmother—the legendary Machhli—with grace and ferocity. Her name became synonymous with authority as she took over the iconic lakes and hunting grounds once ruled by her ancestors.

A Life of Resilience and Devotion

Arrowhead’s journey was marked by both triumph and tragedy. She produced four litters:

• 2018 (First litter) – Tragically lost.

• 2018 (Second litter) – Two daughters survived: Ridhi (T124) and Sidhi (T125), sired by her long-time mate T86.

• 2021 (Third litter) – Lost at an early stage.

• 2023 (Fourth litter) – Three cubs born (T-2507, T-2508, T-2509; two females and one male), fathered by T120.

Tragedy struck again when T86, her faithful partner and father to her second litter, was killed in a brutal human-wildlife conflict. The loss cast a long shadow over Arrowhead’s world, but her determination never waned.

In March 2023, we observed unusual bone protrusion over her hip and alerted forest officials. The suspected hip joint or bone-related ailment was affecting her movement. Despite the pain, Arrowhead continued to raise her last litter with an almost supernatural endurance

A Quiet Departure

Arrowhead’s final chapter was penned with the same quiet strength that defined her life. In June 2023, while at the Rajbagh lake, she was attacked by a crocodile—the attack quite intense that she was submerged in the water for nearly ten seconds. Forest officials feared her injuries too severe to allow more than a month of survival. Yet, driven by an indomitable will, she emerged, stealthy and unbroken.

Over the next two years, she reclaimed her place atop the food chain, hunting crocodiles with uncanny precision—even bringing down one just a week before her own departure on June 19, 2025.

As her last three cubs grew older, they became involved in several human-wildlife conflict incidents. In a bold conservation move, the cubs were relocated to three different reserves in Rajasthan: Dholpur, Kota, and Bundi, to safeguard both people and predators.

June 19, the very same day, just a few hours after one of her female cub (Kankati) was translocated to Mukundara Hills Tiger reserve, Arrowhead breathed her last, as though her final duty to the forest had been fulfilled. She passed on the very land where her grandmother Machhli once rose to fame, bringing the circle of legacy full-circle.

A Legacy That Lives On

Arrowhead wasn’t just a tigress; she was the very spirit of Ranthambhore incarnate—fierce protector, nurturing mother, skilled hunter, and fearless queen. Tourists held their breath at her lithe form and piercing gaze as she lounged by the lakeshore. In life and in death, she embodied the wild elegance of her realm, inspiring generations of conservationists and nature lovers to cherish and protect the fragile bonds between tiger, territory, and human stewardship.