CCTV footage of the tiger when it was at large in Nandankanan

Bhubaneswar, April 29: The seven-year-old Royal Bengal tiger, which had strayed into Nandankanan, completed a year at the zoo today amid demands from wildlife activists to release it into the wild and protests by local residents who want it to remain in the zoo.

Though the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) has approved the state government’s proposal to release the big cat into its natural habitat, the funds needed to fix a radio collar on the tiger is yet to be released by NTCA.

“We have constituted a six-member committee to locate the area where tiger has to be freed. Besides, we are waiting for funds to be released by NTCA to radio collar the tiger,” said principal chief conservator of forests (wildlife) S.S. Srivastava.

The tiger, which had strayed into the zoo on April 29 last year after the zoo officials had opened the emergency gates to facilitate its entry, had drawn the attention of wildlife activists as it was the second big cat sneaking into the zoo on its own.

The previous incident had taken place in 1960 when another Royal Bengal tiger from Chandaka had jumped into an enclosure on its own to mate. It ended up being confined to the zoo.

During its one-year stay at the zoo, the tiger had also managed to escape from its enclosure on June 1 last year after scaling an 18-feet fence. However, the zoo authorities managed to bring it back into captivity on June 24. Since then, the fate of the tiger has been lying with the NTCA and the state government.

“The tiger has been in the zoo for a year now and neither the state government, nor the NTCA have so far been able to release it in the wild. Despite protests from the wildlife activists, the authorities seem to be indifferent,” said member secretary of People For Animal Sanjib Kumar Das.

Earlier, the state government had decided to release the wild cat in Satakosia Tiger Reserve. But the authorities there had expressed unwillingness to keep the tiger in the forest citing inadequate manpower and destruction of habitat by cyclone Phailin.

The field director of Satkosia had shot off a letter to the chief wildlife warden last month expressing apprehension about its move to relocate the tiger in Satkosia citing lack of manpower and Phailin, which had uprooted some 30,000 trees, and causes serious damage to the tiger habitation. Later the authorities decided to release it in Similipal Tiger Reserve.

Forest and environment secretary R.K. Sharma said the tiger could only be freed with instructions and consultation with NTCA.

Injured tusker

Forest officials are yet to extend medical care to a 50-year-old tusker with an injury on its right hind leg that has been moving inside Satkosia forest over the past few days.

Though a team of forest officials of Satkosia sanctuary and Angul forest division are keeping a vigil on movement of the elephant to minimise threat from poachers, the elephant is not allowing anyone to go near it.

The elephant is now on the border of Satkosia and Angul forest divisions. Divisional forest officer of Angul G. Panda said they would seek the help of Nandankanan officials for its treatment.