Mangaluru : The male tiger Raja, which killed one of its caretakers at Pilikula Biological Park two-and-half years ago, died at the park early on Friday.

According to the director of the park H Jayaprakash Bhandary, the 21-year-old beast died of “heart attack’ due to aging at about 5 a.m. on Friday. With this the number of tigers at the park has been reduced to seven — six males and a female.

“Its viscera has been sent to Institute of Animal Health and Veterinary Biologicals, Hebbal, Bengaluru, for examination,” he said.

The beast had killed its caretaker Kushalappa Gowda on August 1, 2012, when Mr. Gowda reportedly entered its enclosure around 8.30 p.m. as it was not well. The animal probably panicked on the sudden appearance of the caretaker as it was not the time to enter the enclosure. It pounced on him and slashed him in the back and stomach. A bleeding Mr. Gowda lay there till a fellow caretaker and security guard entered the enclosure at 9.30 p.m. He died on the way to hospital.

Mr. Bhandary said that the animal had been brought to Pilikula in 2003 from Tyavarekoppa Lion and Tiger Safari, Shivamogga. At the time of death it did not have any disease, he said.

The director said that tigers in captivity usually lived up to 18 years. With good health facility and care in captivity they lived for some more years. In natural forest, they usually lived up to 12 years.

He said that Raja ate 10 kg meat and two kg chicken six days a week. When it was brought to the park in 2003 it weighed 280 kg.

“We have video graphed the entire process and cremated the carcass as per norms of the Central Zoo Authority to prevent trophy hunters from stealing away the parts,” he said.