Machli, the longest surviving tigress in the wild, died on Thursday after being critically ill for more than a week. Often touted as the ‘Queen of Ranthambore’, the 19-year-old tigress was hardly moving or eating anything during the last few days. According to Tigerwala, a wildlife travel and destination movement company, a team of veterinary doctors and forest officials were “monitoring” her condition for the past week. She belongs to the Ranthambore National Park in Rajasthan.
The tigress, who reportedly gave birth to eleven tiger cubs in her lifetime, was confined to a small section of the Ranthambore park during her last few days. Also hailed as the most-photographed tigress, Machli crossed the average life expectancy of tigers which stands at 12-13 years. She was also famous for her fight with a 14-foot-long crocodile that has become one of the most remembered and memorable incidents. Guides in the Ranthambore park remarked that many tourists wished to see Machli while embarking on their trips since it was considered incomplete without catching a glimpse of the majestic tigress, reports DNA.According to Sanctuary Asia, the real Machli was her mother who gave birth to her in 1997. Another story behind her name involves a fish-shaped mark on her face. Machli’s popularity can also be gauged by the number of Facebook pages dedicated to her along with a postage stamp. Several documentaries have been done on her as well.
[Source:The Indian Express]
