Romeo T-6 Ranthambore
Romeo (T-6) is a male of the zone 2 and zone 3 side of Ranthambore who earned his name the obvious way: guides watched him trail tigresses across his range season after season with a persistence that became a running joke. He is one of the more entertaining characters in the park. His current range and status should be checked against recent sighting reports.
Romeo is a long-bodied male with a narrower face than the heavy lakes males, and guides identify him by the stripe pattern on his cheeks and by his behaviour as much as his looks. A male walking steadily along a track with his nose down, some distance behind a tigress who is plainly not interested, is very often Romeo. The nickname "the yearning lover" is a guide's phrase and it has stuck because it describes him better than any mark on his coat would.
His T-number is low, which means he was catalogued early, but his period of fame came later, when he became a regular on the zone 2 and 3 side and guides began to notice the pattern in his movements. He has been reported in recent seasons. Males of his age are gradually displaced by younger ones, and where he stands in that cycle now is not something we can state with confidence. Guides who work zones 2 and 3 will have a current view; ask them.
Romeo's range is described as the zone 2 and zone 3 side, which puts him next to and overlapping the lakes. Zone 2 has hills, ravines and a series of waterholes along its tracks; zone 3 is the lakes. His following of tigresses takes him across both and, as with any male, beyond the tourism routes. Zone boundaries are set by forest department notifications and both zones have had routes adjusted over the years, so treat any zone number in an older report as approximate.
Romeo's parentage is not well documented in the popular record, and paternity of wild cubs is inferred from which male held the ground rather than confirmed, so we do not attach particular tigers to him as offspring. Given how much of his time he spends near tigresses, guides assume he has fathered litters on his side of the park, and they will have opinions about which. Treat those as informed guesses. For the tigresses of zones 2 and 3 and their cubs, recent sighting reports are the reliable source.
Romeo's famous moments are all the same moment repeated: a tigress walking a track, and Romeo behind her at a respectful distance, for hours. Guides and drivers have their own favourite versions, usually involving a tigress who turned round and saw him off. He is popular with photographers because a male following a female tends to walk in the open and to keep going, which gives long, predictable sightings in a park where most encounters are brief. He is also popular because he is funny, and there is nothing wrong with that.
Ask us to request zone 2 or zone 3; the forest department allocates zones and neither can be promised, and zone 3 in particular is heavily requested. Zone 2 is a good alternative if you want Romeo's side without the lakes crowds: it has a varied drive with several waterholes and is often productive in the hotter months. If a tigress on that side has been reported in season, Romeo is more likely to be about, so tell us your dates and we will check recent reports before recommending a slot.
Romeo goes where the tigresses go, and the tigresses do not consult the tourism routes. He can be on the far side of the hills for a week, out of reach of every jeep. Recent sighting reports tell you where he was, not where he will be. We give guests realistic odds and suggest enough safaris to make them worthwhile, and if you do see Romeo trailing a tigress along a zone 2 track, you will have seen the best of him.
Want zones 2 and 3, where Romeo ranges? Share your dates and we will request them and tell you what guides have seen there lately. Sending a request costs nothing.
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| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Nickname | Romeo, the yearning lover |
| Side of the park | Zones 2 and 3, overlapping the lakes |
| Known for | Persistently following tigresses across his range |
| Why photographers like him | Long, predictable sightings in the open when trailing a tigress |
| Offspring | Not confirmed; guides have informed views |
| Status | Reported present in recent seasons; confirm locally |
Guides watched him trail tigresses across the zone 2 and 3 side season after season, usually without success, and the name followed. "The yearning lover" is the longer version.
Zones 2 and 3, overlapping the lakes. Zone boundaries are set by the forest department and have changed over time, so check recent sighting reports for his current range.
He has been reported in recent seasons, but ageing males are gradually displaced by younger ones. Ask a guide or check recent sighting reports before planning around him.
It is often productive, with hills, ravines and several waterholes along the tracks, and it is less crowded than zone 3. Results vary by season, so ask for recent reports.
Almost certainly, given how much time he spends near tigresses, but wild paternity is inferred rather than confirmed and we do not attach specific tigers to him.
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