India's longest surviving tiger passes away

Alipurduar (West Bengal): India's longest surviving tiger, Raja, who was more than 25 years old, passed away on Monday at SKB Rescue Centre here, officials said.

"With a very sad heart, this is to inform you that 'Raja' the tiger from SKB Rescue Center, died today morning around 3 a.m. He died at the age of 25 years and 10 months making him one of the longest surviving tigers in the country," forest department officials said. In August 2008, 'Raja' was brought to the South Khairbari Tiger Rescue Center in North Bengal, after being injured by a crocodile in a territorial fight with more than 10 injuries.

Veterinary doctor Pralay Mandal along with Wildlife Guard Partha Sarthi Sinha and other staff members, with utmost dedication and labour, had then healed the magnificent beast at South Khairbari, the official said.

He was almost 11 years old when he was bought to the South Khairbari rescue centre, and there he survived for another 15 years, making him one of the oldest surviving tigers in the country.

"We all are in a state of mourning," officials said. District Magistrate of Alipurduar, Surendra Kumar Meena, Directorate of Forests in Jaldapara, Dipak M and other officers of the forest department and district administration along with zoo staff paid homage to Raja.

In January 2014, the then oldest tiger living in a captive environment, 26-year-old Guddu, died at the Kanpur zoo in Uttar Pradesh.