A 19-year-old tiger died at the Kanpur Zoo on Wednesday due to age-related ailments, leaving staff and visitors in mourning. The majestic feline, Prashant, spent 11 years at the zoo, where he became a beloved member of the family. Zoo staff and school children gathered on Thursday to offer flowers and pay their last respects to the tiger.
Dr Anurag Singh, Veterinary Officer at Kanpur Zoological Park, shared insights into Prashant's extraordinary journey. "Tiger Prashant was rescued from Farrukhabad district on October 14, 2010, when he was about five years old. At the time, he had a fearsome reputation, having killed nine people, but he gradually settled into zoo life," Dr Singh told NDTV. "In 2010, Prashant was paired with Tigress Trusha, brought from Shakkarbagh Zoo in Gujarat, and together they had seven cubs."
Prashant's lineage earned national recognition when one of its cubs, Badshah, became a star during a wildlife exchange. In 2016, Prime Minister Narendra Modi shared a photograph with Badshah during the inauguration of Asia's largest jungle safari in New Raipur, Chhattisgarh. "When Prime Minister Narendra Modi ji visited for the inauguration of Nandan Van Jungle Safari, its photo with Badshaah spread on Twitter and brought widespread attention," Dr Singh told NDTV.
Prashant's other cubs found homes across the country, including Delhi Zoo and Jodhpur Zoo, with some continuing to reside in Kanpur. Over the years, its cubs Akbar, Amar, Ambika, and Anthony became icons themselves, carrying forward their father's legacy.
Despite the best efforts of the veterinary team, Prashant died due to its illness after prolonged treatment. Its post-mortem, conducted by a panel of four veterinarians, confirmed age-related complications as the cause of death. The tiger's viscera samples have been sent to IVRI Bareilly for further analysis.
The final rites of the tiger were performed at the zoo hospital on November 14.
With inputs from Arun Agarwal.
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