Mysuru: Bandipur forest reserve has lost one of its most prized attraction, Prince, the legendary tiger.

While the tiger had reportedly gone missing two weeks ago, it is now learnt that a carcass of a tiger discovered on Sunday matches the profile of Prince as per the reserve’s database.

Speaking to mediapersons here, Bandipur Tiger Reserve director and forest conservator, T Heeralal said that while the profile results of Prince and that of the dead animal happen to be a 90% match, they will await for 3-4 days to locate Prince in his territory before declaring the animal dead.

As per reports the tiger had presumably died a week ago possibly out of starvation and age-related issues.

12-yr-old Prince, who is said to have marked his territory in the Bandipur range in 2009, was shy in the initial days and didn’t like vehicular movement in his turf. In the past four years, he gained – and later accustomed to -the celebrity status he built on his own tourist-friendly appeal. A video of Prince taking on a Gaur had gone viral on the social media in 2013.

Prince remained the undisputed boss of his range by killing a tiger that tried to add its footprint until last year, when he faced threat from Mahadesha, who carved out his territory in the same range. This restricted Prince’s movement, and he had moved away from the territory he once lorded over.

Prince was a prime attraction for tourists, who loved to spend hours waiting for him in his abode –an 18-km spread. For the past four years, tigerwatchers would troop into Bandipur to watch him in action.