The male tiger ‘Vikram’, kept in the rescue center of Dhela Range of Jim Corbett National Park located in Nainital, Uttarakhand, who was counted among the oldest tigers of the country, has died. Vikram created a unique record by surviving till the age of 21 years. Generally the lifespan of tigers is considered limited. Whereas Vikram crossed this limit and created his own identity in the wildlife world. According to the Corbett administration, prima facie the cause of his death is believed to be old age. Vikram, who has been living in the rescue center for a long time, has now become a part of history, but his story will always be remembered. Vikram was recognized not only as an aging tiger but also as a ‘dreaded hunter’. In the year 2019, this tiger had made three forest workers its prey in Dhikala zone. At that time the grass in the area was extremely tall and many tigers were present. Due to which it became very difficult to identify the real attacker, but he was identified on the basis of Vikram’s giant body and activities. After this, after a lot of effort, the Corbett administration tranquilized and arrested him. Leaving Vikram in the open forest after hunting three forest personnel was not without danger. In such a situation, he was kept in the rescue center only. He spent his life in captivity for about 7 years. During this period he was taken very good care of. In his diet, he was given fresh meat, vitamin and mineral supplements. His samples were sent to IVRI (Indian Veterinary Research Institute) in Bareilly for regular health check-up. The dreaded hunter was caught on 15 November 2019. Director of Corbett Tiger Reserve, Dr. Saket Badola said that Vikram was rescued from Dhikala Range on 15 November 2019. After this he was sent to Nainital Zoo. Vikram, who was physically strong, broke the cage in the zoo and came out. On 20 April 2021, he was shifted back to the rescue center at Dhela Range in Corbett, where he was being looked after under special observation. In the rescue center, he was kept in a large enclosure of 600 square meters, in which a water pool and natural environment was created. In the year 2025, due to old age, Vikram was suffering from a serious tumor. Corbett’s senior wildlife medical officer Dr. Dushyant Sharma and his team operated on him. His condition remained stable for some time after the operation, but the effects of age gradually increased and after a year he finally died. After the death, postmortem was conducted as per the guidelines of NTCA and then the body was destroyed on the spot. Age also became a hindrance in the release of Vikram. Many questions were raised regarding the release of Vikram, but according to experts, a tiger that once hunted a human can become a threat to humans again. Apart from this, his age also became a hindrance in his release. Vikram, who had crossed the age of 20, had lost many teeth and the rest had worn out. In such a situation, he could neither hunt himself nor compete with other tigers in the forest. This was the reason why he was kept in the rescue center for the rest of his life. Vikram lived peacefully in the rescue center. He was synonymous with fear in his past, but his life in the rescue center was quite calm and safe. He was often seen playing and having fun in the water in the 600 square meter enclosure. His every activity was monitored. Despite his age, his body was so strong and huge that people were surprised to see him. According to wildlife experts, the age of captive tigers in the country is usually up to 18 years. In such a situation, Vikram’s survival for 21 years is a record in itself. This is also proof that the care she received at the rescue center was of a high standard.
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