Tributes and tears for legendary tigress Machli, the oldest tigress in the wild, who died in Ranthambore yesterday
“Whatever one writes or talks about the longest living tigress in the world would be specious, such was her legend and her lure. Machli’s most important contribution to Ranthambore was that she was such a successful reproductive tigress. When Ranthambore was struggling with a dwindling tiger population — in the years between 20003, 2004 and 2005 — Machli was renewing the population. She had cubs, and then her cubs had their cubs...
Machli was one of the most photographed tigers in the country. This picture was clicked by wildlife photographer Pranad Patil
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I have seen her so many times that I cannot put a number to it. What struck me most was her good nature, that I think, also drew so many people to her. Add to that her elegance and her graceful gait, with which she walked the core areas of Ranthambore like the Fort area and the lake. Extremely regal and majestic, the queen of her kingdom.
The author (centre) with painters Gajanand Singh and Narayan Singh
After Machli started slipping from her prime and losing her teeth — a sign of a tigress now moving on or getting on in life, as they say — she acceded her territory to her daughter and actually spent her twilight years quietly.
There are so many stories about Machli, but one that stands out is when she fought off a crocodile. She has actually killed a crocodile, and I have that picture in my books too.”
— As told to Hemal Ashar
Valmik Thapar is an author and naturalist
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