Man Raised Tigress Khairi: A Tale of Unlikely Bonds

In 1974, forest officer Saroj Raj Choudhury found an abandoned tigress cub near the Khairi river in Odisha's Similipal Tiger Reserve. Named Khairi, the Royal Bengal tigress was raised not in a cage, but as a member of Choudhury's household. She lived freely within his bungalow, developing a unique bond with Choudhury and his wife, Nihar Nalini Swain, who hand-fed her. Khairi reportedly refused nourishment from anyone else, showcasing a profound connection.

Beyond this extraordinary companionship, Choudhury, a pioneer in wildlife conservation, utilized his unique access to Khairi for groundbreaking research on tiger behavior. He is also credited with developing India's pugmark census technique, a vital method for tiger population counting until the advent of camera traps. His experiences were documented in the 1977 book "Khairi: The Beloved Tigress."

Choudhury's attempts to reintroduce Khairi into the wild were unsuccessful, as she was rejected by other tigers. Tragically, Khairi contracted rabies in 1981 after being bitten by a rabid dog and was euthanized in 1983. Choudhury, deeply affected by her death, passed away just two years later. He was posthumously honored with the Padma Shri for his conservation efforts, while his wife passed away in 2021.