Mangaluru, May 23: Raja, a 21-year-old Tiger in Pilikula Dr Shivaram Karanth Nisargadhama wildlife park, expired on Friday May 22nd. Tiger Raja died of heart attack.
In the year 2003, Tiger Raja had been shifted to Pilikula from Tiger Safari Centre in Shivamogga. Tiger Raja weighed about 280 kg, and consumed an average of 10 kg meat and two kg chicken daily. The tiger was strong and stout.
Due to ageing the tiger was weak since a year and had reduced his movements and quantity of food intake.
In 2012, Tiger Raja suffered from illness. While an attendant Kushalappa Gowda, at the wildlife park, was applying medicine, the tiger had suddenly attacked him. Kushalappa had later died of bleeding.
Autopsy of the mortal remains of the tiger was conducted and it was confirmed that the Tiger had expired due to cardiac arrest. Its mortal remains were burnt at the grave yard meant for animals in Pilikula, informed Jayaprakash Bhandary, the director of Dr Pilikula Nisarga Dhama Biological Park.
12 to 18 years is the normal life span of a free living tiger. Tiger Raja lived for 21 years, he said.
In order to trace whether the Tiger suffered from any other ailments, the organs of the Tiger have been sent to Veterinary laboratory in Bengaluru, he informed.
It is learnt that, at present there are one female and six male Tiger’s in Pilikula.
