Post News Network
Bhubaneswar, Nov 29: Authorities at the Nandankanan Zoological Park (NZP) plan to keep a tigress close to the wild tiger that had walked into the zoological park more than one-and-a-half years ago.
The move is aimed at increasing the wild gene pool of the Royal Bengal tiger in the zoo through the mating of a captive tigress and the seven-year-old wild tiger that had sneaked into the zoo April 30, 2013.
A foreign gene would help genetic variation and production of healthy tigers, a source said.
As soon as a captive tigress is placed near the wild tiger’s off-exhibit enclosure (31-D), zoo authorities will examine the behavioral pattern of both the big cats for the next six to seven months to prepare them for mating. The enclosure has four infra-red CCTV cameras to monitor movement of the big cats.
“Once the tigers get acquainted with each other, arrangements for mating would be made,” an official said, adding that the high chance of fighting between the two prompts them to remain vigilant.
The zoo authorities, however, are worried about the aggressiveness of the robust wild tiger, which may harm the captive tigress while mating. The wild tiger is still aggressive, despite being in captivity for more than a year-and-a-half, thus prompting the authorities to keep a close watch on its behaviour, said principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) SS Srivastav. “Mating would definitely take place with all the requisite protocols,” he said.
Till date no carnivore or caretaker has been allowed to go near the wild tiger’s enclosure as the feline has not yet got used to human smell.
This is not the first time that a wild tiger has sneaked into NZP. A tigress had walked into the zoo premises 1967 and remained in captivity.
