The 'Queen of Ranthambore' is dead: Tigress Arrowhead’s last moments capture a life of strength

Arrowhead, the celebrated tigress, who once roamed the heartlands of Ranthambore National Park, has died at the age of 14. The forest officials confirmed her death earlier this week. She died just hours after her daughter was relocated to another tiger reserve. Officially known as T-84, Arrowhead was an iconic figure among wildlife photographers, researchers, and regular visitors to the park. Wildlife photographer Sachin Rai, who had tracked Arrowhead since she was a cub, captured what is now believed to be her final moments. In a video, he posted on his Instagram, Rai documented her slow, laboured walk near Padam Talab on the evening of June 17. In the caption he described it as, “Each movement was a visible effort. In that quiet moment, I knew in my heart that the end was near."

Legacy and Lineage of Ranthambore’s Queen

Born in 2014, Arrowhead was part of a legendary tiger lineage. She was the daughter of Krishna (T-19) and granddaughter of Machhli (T-16), who is one of India’s most famous tigresses. Over the years, Arrowhead established her own territory, much of which overlapped with areas once ruled by her mother and grandmother, earning her the title ‘Queen of Ranthambore’ among park regulars.

Rai wrote, “On the evening of June 17th, I witnessed what would likely be the last walk of the legendary tigress Arrowhead. It was heartbreaking to see her struggle, attempting to rise and take a few feeble steps before collapsing again.”

Her grandmother was famously known as the 'Crocodile Killer', and Arrowhead lived up to that legacy. Just days before her death, she was captured on video ambushing a crocodile despite her deteriorating health. The footage, showing her gripping the crocodile’s neck with her teeth, quickly went viral on social media.

An Iconic Tigress’s Final Moments

Forest authorities further revealed that Arrowhead had been battling advanced bone cancer since a long time and was under observation in recent weeks. According to Rai, her condition had visibly deteriorated, as shown in the final footage where she struggled to stay on her feet before she eventually collapsed under a tree.

Arrowhead was believed to be filled with valour describing her courage Rai wrote, "I watched her confront new males like T120, and raise a fourth litter (she lost her third litter too) while fending off her now-dominant daughter. She lived a full and fiercely independent life—a true tigress in every sense."

Her death has left a void in the Ranthambore landscape, the one not just of a dominant tigress, but of a symbolic presence rooted in decades of conservation history. For many, Arrowhead represented a direct link to a legacy that shaped how wild tigers are seen and protected in India.