Pedda Puli Raja No More!

Tigers are an endangered species and today was a sad day for all tiger conservationists, wildlife enthusiasts, and tiger lovers as Raja, the oldest Royal Bengal tiger, died in captivity at the age of 25 years, ten months. Raja passed away yesterday at SKB Rescue Centre in West Bengal.

Raja was the oldest living tiger in the world in captivity. He was at the rescue center in Jaldapara for many years now, following a crocodile attack. He was saved and has been in captivity ever since. In 2008, Raja was brought to South Khaibari Tiger Rescue Centre in North Bengal following a territorial fight with more than ten injuries. At the time, he was 11 years old and survived for another 15 years, making him one of the oldest surviving tigers in the country.

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