Machali (tigress)

Machali (Hindi for "fish"; code name: T-16;[2] c. 1996 – 18 August 2016), also known as Machli or Machhli, was a Bengal tigress who lived in Ranthambore National Park in India. She played a key role in the regeneration of the tiger population in the park in the early 2000s, and was celebrated with titles such as Queen Mother of Tigers, Tigress Queen of Ranthambore, Lady of the Lakes, and Crocodile Killer. She was considered India's most famous tigress and on her death was considered the world's oldest tigress living in the wild.[3][4]

Machali
Machali in Ranthambore National Park
Other name(s)T-16
SpeciesBengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
SexFemale
Bornc. May 1996[1]
Sawai Madhopur, India
Died18 August 2016(2016-08-18) (aged 20)
Sawai Madhopur, India
OwnerRanthambore National Park
Parent(s)Machali I
Offspring11 (7 females and 4 males)
AppearanceSee In the media
Named afterMachali I

Life

Machali, born in 1996 or 1997, was the dominant cub in a litter of three females.[5] She inherited her name from her mother, Machali I, who was also named fish due to a fish-shaped mark on her face.[5] In her first two years, she started hunting on her own and took over a part of her mother's territory.[5]

Tigresses generally have two or three litters, however over a period of seven years, from 1999 to 2006, Machali had four litters and gave birth to eleven cubs – seven females and four males.[6][7] Machali's offspring increased the tiger population in the park significantly – from 15 tigers in 2004, to 50 tigers in 2014. Eventually more than half of the tigers in the park were of her lineage.[5] In 2008, two of her female cubs were relocated to Sariska Tiger Reserve and successfully boosted the tiger population in that park as well.[8]

In early 2014, Machali disappeared from her usual area, sparking a search by over 200 park staff. She was sighted after about a month, and appeared to be in good health. She had survived in dense forest by hunting her own prey, despite having been fed by park staff prior to her disappearance.[8][9]

She was known for her hunting skill and strength, in particular in an incident in 2003 when she fought with and killed a 11-foot-long mugger crocodile.[10] As a result of the fight, she lost two canine teeth.[1] She was also known for her ferocity in protecting her cubs from threats such as male tigers and other animals.[11]

Recognition

India reportedly earned about US$10 million per year due to tourists attracted by the tigress.[12] She won the "Lifetime Achievement Award" of Travel Operators For Tigers due to her contribution to conservation and as a tourist attraction that earned significant income for India.[13]

In 2013, the Indian government issued a commemorative postal cover and stamp to honour the tigress for her ecological and economical contributions.[14][15][16]

In the media

Machli is considered to have been the most photographed tigress in the world.[10] She was featured in a number of wildlife documentaries, including a 50-minute documentary about her life, titled Tiger Queen, which was aired on the National Geographic and Animal Planet channels.[17][18] In 2012, the story of Machli was aired on the BBC's Natural World in an episode titled "Queen of Tigers: Natural World Special".[19][20]

Later years and death

Towards the end of her life, Machali lost almost all of her teeth, sight in one eye, and much of her strength due to aging. She also lost her territory, as her daughter Sundari from her last litter drove her out of her turf.[5] As she was unable to hunt and kill for herself, park staff provided her with food.[11] This intervention became somewhat controversial; tiger expert K Ullas Karanth commented that it resulted in Machali living longer than she should have, and that truly wild animals should be born, live and die naturally.[21]

In August 2016 she became critically ill. Due to her great age, it was considered risky for Ranthambore's rangers and staff to treat and aid her as the medications needed could be harmful or fatal.[5]

Machali died on 18 August 2016.[11][22] She was 20 years old, older than the average 10- to 15-year lifespan of tigers in the wild.[23] She was cremated in observance with traditional Hindu rituals in a public ceremony.[24]

The last few years of Machali's life were captured on film by wildlife filmmaker S Nallamuthu. Titled 'The World's Most Famous Tiger', the film contains shots like a brief 2-minute showdown between Machali and her daughter Sundari that ends with the former losing control of the Ranthambore Fort and the unusual instance of a former mate joining her in what seemed an act of companionship.[25]

Phylogeny

The cladogram below shows the phylogeny (progeny or offspring) of Machali with code names and/or nicknames. From 1999 to 2006, she gave birth to at least 11 cubs.[26][27]

Machali
Male X
 

ST2 (female)

 
 

ST3 (female)

 
 
Bamboo Ram
 

Slant Ear – T0 (male)

 
 

Broken Tail (male)

 
 
Nick Ear
 

Jhumari (female)

 
 

Jhumaroo (male)

 
 
Male X
 

Bunty – T3 (male)

 
 

Bubbly – T1 (female)

 
 
Male X
 

Satra/Sundari – T17 (female)

 
 

Athara/Baghani – T18 (female)

 
 

Unnis/Krishna – T19 (female)

 
 
 

References
  1. "Machli- the Tigress matriarch of Ranthambore turns 20". Retrieved 18 August 2016.
  2. "Tigress Queen of Ranthambore- The Machli". Ranthambore National Park. Retrieved 11 August 2015.
  3. "India's beloved 'Queen mother' tiger Machli dies sparking outpouring of grief". Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  4. Safi, Michael (18 August 2016). "India mourns crocodile-wrestling 'Queen mother' of tigers". The Guardian. ISSN 0261-3077. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  5. "Machli of Ranthambore, most photographed tigress, dies".
  6. "Machli – Life stories". Tigernation. Retrieved 13 August 2015.
  7. "World's most photographed tiger 'Machli' dies at 19 in Ranthambore". Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  8. "'Tiger Queen' hale and hearty, spotted after a month". The Hindu. 6 February 2014. ISSN 0971-751X. Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  9. "Ranthambore's missing tigress Machli found after 26 days – Times of India". Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  10. "Rajasthan to immortalise world's most photographed tigress". Daily News and Analysis. 18 June 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  11. Navin M Raheja (18 August 2016). "Machhli, Queen of Ranthambore and perhaps the most photographed tigress on earth: An obituary". First Post. Retrieved 19 August 2016.
  12. "The World's Most Photographed Tigress, Machli Of Ranthambore, Turned 20 This Month".
  13. "Two wild Tigers get 'Lifetime Achievement Award'". CNN-IBN. 24 April 2009. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  14. "Take Action to Ensure the World's Most Famous Wild Tigress is NOT Stuffed & Put on Display!". 22 August 2014. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  15. "'Stamp' of honour for Ranthambhore tigress Machli". The Times of India. 18 September 2013. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  16. "Most popular Ranthambore tigress, Machli goes missing". Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  17. "Watching Machali, the Tiger Queen of yore..." The Hindu. 28 April 2012. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  18. "Tiger Dynasty – Tiger Queen". National Geography. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  19. "Queen of Tigers: Natural World Special". BBC. Retrieved 12 August 2015.
  20. The Natural World: Queen of Tigers (TV Episode 2012) at IMDb
  21. Punit, Itika Sharma. "India's famous crocodile-hunting female tiger, Machli, has died". Retrieved 20 August 2016.
  22. "Ranthambore's 'royal tigress' now too old to hunt". News18. 25 May 2015. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  23. "Basic Facts About Tigers". Basic Facts About Tigers. Retrieved 14 August 2015.
  24. "Legendary Ranthambore tigress Machhli dies, cremated with full Hindu rituals [PHOTO]".
  25. "Film captures life of Machli". The Times of India. 6 May 2018. Retrieved 7 May 2018.
  26. "Ranthambore 'Machli' on her last legs". Retrieved 23 August 2016.
  27. "Ranthambhore Diaries". Retrieved 23 August 2016.
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