Mangaluru, Oct 26: Royal Bengal Tiger ‘Vikram’, the star attraction of Dr Shivaram Karanth Biological Park at Pilikula on the outskirts of Mangaluru, died today due to age-related illness. He was 21.
Vikram was among the first lot of tigers to arrive at this park managed by from the Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari in Shivamogga in 2003. He was just 4-year-old.
According to Park Director H Jayaprakash Bhandary, Vikram had fathered ‘Kadamba’ ‘Krishna’ ‘Vinaya’ ‘Oliver’ ‘Akshay’ ‘Manju’ ‘Amar’ ‘Akbar’ ‘Antony’ and Nisha during its life-span. These cubs have found new homes at zoos in Rajasthan, Gujarat, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Mysuru.
Bhandary said that Vikram was confined to treatment for the last two months and was under treatment with drips and supplements.
“Vikram had stopped eating food for the last week. He was also suffering from a kidney-related ailment and lack of sight. The tiger was cremated and tissue samples have been sent to a lab in Bengaluru,” he added.
While tigers on an average live for 16 to 18-years in zoos, Vikram, the third tiger to die at the park lived for 21-years. Raja and Sharavathi, other two big cats to pre-decease Vikram also lived for more than two-decades.
All three tigers succumbed to age-related illness. The loss of Vikram is painful in that it was among the most visible and spotted Tiger in the enclosure, Bhandary said.
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