Info4Now (Jalpaiguri)- The famous Royal Bengal Tiger ‘Raja’ of South Khairbari Tiger Rehabilitation Center is turning 25 years old. The state forest department thinks that the survival of this species of tiger for 25 years is a precedent. And that is why Raja’s birthday is celebrated in a royal way at Khairbari.
On the occasion of the Raja’s birthday on 23 August, the South Khairbari Tiger Rehabilitation Center in Jaldapara National Park was well decorated. Jaldapara National Park Authority has organized an online quiz and other stuffs on Raja’s birthday. Deepak M, DFO, Jaldapara National Park, said, “This time we celebrated Raja’s birthday in a royal way. There were posters and placards about Raja. A brief history of the Raja’s life was also published. We wanted to create awareness among the people about the forest and forest life. That’s why so many arrangements. Usually, no tiger lives for so many years. By living 25 years, Raja has set an example.”
It is learned that 19 Royal Bengal Tigers from the two famous circuses, ‘Olympic’ and ‘Natraj’, were brought to that tiger rehabilitation center in 2005. None of them has survived. On 23 August 2008, the 12-year-old wild tiger was brought from the Jharkhali forest of Sundarbans to the South Khairbari Tiger Rehabilitation Center. Since then, the Jaldapara National Park Authority has considered August 23 as Raja’s birthday. Raja is going to record the survival rate. According to wildlife experts, wild tigers usually live for 15 to 16 years. But Raja is the exception.
What is the secret of this long life of Raja? In fact, Raja was kept at the Khairbari Tiger Rehabilitation Center in very good condition. According to Jaldapara National Park sources, a crocodile ate the tiger’s back in the Jharkhali river. Somehow Raja survived the crocodile attack. After that, he was brought to Khairbari Tiger Rehabilitation Center. At first, he didn’t eat anything for a few days. But since then, Partha Sarathy Sinha, ‘care taker’ of Khairbari Tiger Rehabilitation Center, has been slowly teaching him to eat. The name ‘Raja’ is also given by Partha Sarathy Sinha.
Raja now eats 6 kg of beef every day. 60% of the meat must be without bones. And 40% meat with bones. Raja fasts every Thursday. He spends his days lying down in silence. He weighs 150 to 180 kg. He lost a little weight with age. Every three months a medical team led by Pralay Mandal, a prominent veterinarian from Kolkata, comes to check his health condition. Three iron cages 10 feet by 15 feet are allocated for him, which are also 10 feet high. The forest department has recently tested Raja’s DNA. Many want to unravel the mystery of Raja’s longevity.
By Amir Uddin Ahammad
Read More: Mysterious death of Rhinoceros in Jaldapara National Park.