Country’s oldest tiger ‘Raja’ dies at the age of 25 in Dooars
The last rites were performed as per Hindu rituals
KOLKATA: The oldest surviving tiger in the country lodged at South Khairbari Leopard Rehabilitation Centre under Jaldapara Forest division in Dooars died in the wee hours on Monday. The Royal Bengal tiger, christened as ‘Raja’, was 25 years and 10 months old.
District Magistrate Alipurduar, Surendra Kumar Meena along with senior officials of the forest department in the district paid tribute to Raja by offering flower wreaths and then his last rites was performed as per Hindu rituals post guard of honour.
“We will be keeping a picture of the tiger in front of the enclosure so that tourists visiting the zoo know about Raja. On the occasion of Tiger Day – July 29, we will organise a small function as a mark of respect to him,” Saurabh Chaudhuri, Member Secretary of West Bengal Zoo Authority said.
Originally hailing from the Sunderbans, Raja was rescued from Sajnekhali in August 2008 with bleeding injuries sustained after a sudden crocodile attack.
He lost a part of his left hind leg in the incident and was initially treated in Alipore Zoo hospital.
Following this, he was sent to South Khairbari Rescue centre where he reached on August 23 , 2008.
Veterinary doctor Pralay Mandal along with wildlife guard Partha Sarathi Sinha took care of the tiger with utmost dedication and after nine months of prolonged treatment, he was able to walk.
“The nature of his injuries were so grave that few hoped for his recovery and survival. But he has been a fighter and the department salutes his fighting spirit. We have no record of any wild tiger that has lived for so many years. Usually a tiger lives upto a maximum of 15 years,” a senior official of the state Forest department said.
In August last year, the Forest department had celebrated his 25th birth anniversary in a grand manner.
The department under the direction and encouragement of state Forest minister Jyotipriya Mallick has made two short videos focusing upon the life history of Raja which was uploaded in the Facebook page of WBZA, South Khairbari and Jaldapara National Park.
“The success story of ‘Raja’ will always be remembered as one of the greatest and rarest examples of ex-situ conservation in the history of Directorate of Forests, West Bengal,” District Magistrate Meena posted in his Facebook page.