'Supermom' Tiger Given Beautiful Burial After Birthing 29 Tiger Cubs

Animal lovers around the world are mourning a “supermom” tiger that recently passed away in India.

Photographs posted by the Department of Forest in Madhya Pradesh on Twitter show a female tiger laid on a funeral pyre and covered with pink and orange flowers.

The tiger was officially called T15 but was known to locals as Collarwali. She reportedly gave birth to dozens of tiger cubs, which earned her the moniker of “supermom.”

The Department of Forest in Madhya Pradesh said that several key officials, including Forest Minister Dr. Kunwar Vijar Shah, had traveled to attend the tiger’s funeral at the Tiger Reserve In Pench National Park.

On Twitter, the organization explained that the tiger had passed away from old age. She was estimated to be about 16 and a half years old. Between 2008 and 2018, she reportedly gave birth to eight litters and produced a staggering total of 29 cubs.

Collarwali “made an unforgettable contribution in increasing the family of tigers in Pench,” they said.

Chief Minister for the state, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, paid tribute to the late tiger mom on Twitter, writing, “The forests of Madhya Pradesh will always resonate with the roar of the cubs of the 'Queen' of Pench Tiger Reserve.”

According to Newsweek, tiger numbers are rebounding in India after facing a record low. According to a 2018 report by Status of Tigers in India, there are only 2,967 tigers in India, which makes up more than 80 percent of the total number of tigers in the world.

In 2010, the tiger population was only estimated to be around 1,706 tigers, which means that Collarwali’s frequent litters made a major influence in helping to restore the tiger population in the country.

According to the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), tigers are still classified as a Red List Endangered Species. Current estimates suggest that there are only about 3,500 tigers left in the wild. Although the World Wildlife Fund is working on conservation efforts in India, the organization has said that poaching and the destruction of habitats continue to pose a threat to the tiger community.

In late December, an eight-year-old Malayan tiger named Eko was tragically shot to death after it grabbed the arm of a cleaning service worker who was attempting to pet him. The man did not work for the zoo and was hired by a third-party company to clean the guest restrooms and public areas. The man climbed a 4.5-foot fence and entered an unauthorized area in order to try to pet Eko.

When authorities arrived, bystanders revealed that there were no tranquilizers available, prompting the deputy to shoot the tiger once. Although the man was taken to the hospital to recover from his injuries, Eko passed away.

The zoo’s website used to read “Eko is a great ambassador for his species. When guests see him, we hope they fall in love and want to learn how they can do their part to save his cousins in the wild.” Malayan tigers are critically endangered, with only about 200 members of their species alive in the wild.

Shortly after the news went viral online, a Change.org petition called “Justice For Eko” appeared online, demanding that Rosenquist be held criminally responsible for the death of the endangered tiger. Although it only had 5,000 signatures as of New Year’s Eve, that number has quickly skyrocketed to over 90,000 signatures in just a few weeks.

“Fewer than 200 of the animals remain in the wild, according to the World Wildlife Fund,” the petition stated. “There is now 1 less beautiful creature on the planet, thanks to the irresponsible and ignorant actions of this man.”

“Eko’s death is 100% the result of this man’s actions. He worked for a 3rd party cleaning company and was not authorized to be in that area,” they continued. “Charges of criminal nature MUST be filed, and while the man has suffered medical consequences he must be held accountable for the loss.”

An update to the petition from last week revealed that petition organizers sent out an email to the United States Fish and Wildlife services, addressed to Florida State Attorney Ashli Moody. However, they had yet to receive an official response to the petition.

“The stupid action of this idiot of a human should NEVER have resulted in the death of this magnificent and endangered animal!” one person commented on the petition. “Prosecute this cretin for harassing an animal, causing its death, and make him pay for all the ensuing costs, including help to pay for the breeding of a tiger!”

One New Jersey resident commented, “Next time shoot the idiot, not the animal!”