Tiger Queen Dies In India

Wildlife officials in India say the country’s most famous tiger, a 19 year old named Machli has died. The tigress was known as the Queen of Ranthambore, has been described as one of the most photographed wild tigers in the world. Machli was easily recognisable due to the distinctive fish shaped markings she had on the left side of her face. She was the star of many documentaries and amazed the internet when she fought a 14-foot crocodile and killed it.

Major tourist attraction

Machli was a major tourist attraction for the thousands of visitors to the Ranthambore National Park. India serves as home to more than half the world’s wild tigers and in the latest estimate, there were 2,226 tigers roaming the country. According to officials, Machli was found starving and lying on her side near the boundary of the park in Rajasthan. Officials say she had not eaten for days.

“We were trying to provide her treatment but she died,” Ranthambore tiger project director Yogesh Kumar Sahu told AFP news agency. “It was a natural death linked to her age.”

Many fans

According to the park’s website, over the last few years, Machli had significantly slowed down and lost almost all her teeth. Rather unsurprisingly her death had made headlines in India and fans have paid their respects to the Queen of Ranthambore on social medial. Machli gets her name from the markings on her face which as we said earlier resemble a fish. Machli is the Hindi word for fish.