The forest department 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.”

Meanwhile, a homage was paid to Raja by the District Magistrate of Alipuraduar, Surendra Kumar Meena, Directorate of Forests in Jaldapara, Dipak M and other officers of the forest department and district administration, along with zoo staff.

“Well, all are in a state of mourning,” officials said.

Moreover, Raja was brought to the South Khairbari Tiger Rescue Center in North Bengal in August 2008 at the age of 11and there; he survived for another 15 years. However, he had ten injuries in a territorial fight with a crocodile when he was brought.

With the help of veterinary doctor Pralay Mandal, Wildlife Guard Partha Sarthi Sinha, and other staff members, the beast was healed at South Khairbari.

Notably, in 2014 at the Kanpur zoo in Uttar Pradesh, the oldest tiger, who was 26-year-old Guddu, died in a captive environment.