'Queen of Tigers' Machhli, known as crocodile hunter

Tigress Machhli, recognised for her crocodile-combating chops and foundation of a dynasty of Bengal tigers, died this week at age 19.

Machhli, first spotted in 1997, got here to worldwide reputation after she was filmed fighting and vanquishing a 14-foot-lengthy crocodile. She changed into also referred to as Machali or Machli.

Her length, energy, and calm in front of the cameras drew vacationers and photographers to Ranthambore country wide Park. She become frequently observed along the water territory of the jungle, incomes her the nickname "woman of the lake," the park stated on its website. Her name, meaning fish in Hindu, derived from the marking on her face.

Country wide Geographic made a documentary approximately the tigress, referred to as Tiger Queen, and the BBC additionally aired an episode at the animal, making her the most well-known face of the tiger conservation attempt.

She gave delivery to several litters of cubs, supporting regenerate the park's tiger network at a time whilst the massive cat's populations have been threatened by using poaching and shrinking habitats.

In recent years her health declined. She lost her canine enamel preventing a crocodile, and the park periodically presented her bait. Park officials determined her lifeless in the park on Thursday morning.

"We had been looking to offer her remedy however she died. It was a natural dying linked to her age," Yogesh Kumar Sahu, Ranthambore tiger challenge director, told news agency AFP.

She changed into cremated in a Hindu ritual, in line with a tweet through news business enterprise ANI.