One of India’s oldest tigers, Raja, dies at 25 in North Bengal
India Today
One of India’s oldest big cats in captivity, Raja, died at 25 in West Bengal’s Alipurduar district on Monday.
One of the country’s oldest tigers in captivity, Royal Bengal Tiger Raja, died at 25 in the Jaldapara forest of West Bengal’s Alipurduar district.
The forest department celebrated the big cat’s 25th birthday at his shelter on August 23 last year.
Raja had sustained serious injuries after a crocodile attacked him while crossing the Matla River in the Sundarbans in 2008. Raja, who had been taken to the South Khayerbari Tiger Rescue Centre since 2008, walked on a prosthetic limb after surviving the attack, Chief Wildlife Warden Debal Roy said.
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Raja did not show any symptoms of serious illness and the vets diagnosed the cause of his death as old-age-related problems, Roy said.
According to the forest official, the carnivore died late on Sunday at the age of 25 years and 10 months, the oldest for any Royal Bengal Tiger.
However, the official could not confirm if Raja was the oldest Royal Bengal Tiger in the country. He said big cats don't usually live beyond 20 years.
