Mangaluru: One of the oldest tigers of Pilikula Biological Park at Moodushedde here died on Thursday, May 21 night due cardiac arrest. ‘Raja’, a 21-year-old male Bengal tiger, he was fondly known was popular among visitors for his majestic gait. His diet? 12 kgs of meat everyday.
The normal life span of tigers in the forest is upto 12 years and in the zoo upto 18 years.
“Raja had outlived his average life expectancy and during the last couple of days the zoo staff had been monitoring his medical condition round the clock taking all possible steps to help the ailing tiger. Following a massive cardiac arrest it passed away last night,” sad the director of the Zoo.
Raja was brought to the zoo here from Shimoga in 2004. It may be recalled that Raja had killed his caretaker Kushalappa Gowda on August 1, 2012. He had mauled Gowda who died due to heavy bleeding caused by the injury.
