A CCTV footage of the tiger inside Nandankanan before the big cat was captured

Bhubaneswar, Nov. 16: Authorities will allow the wild tiger that had strayed into Nandankanan on April 30 last year to come in contact with the tigresses at the zoo to check its compatibility for captive breeding.

The tiger has been kept in an off-exhibit enclosure since June 24 last year after it returned to the zoo.

On May 31 last year, the big cat managed to escape the zoo by jumping over an 18-feet wired fence.

Following debates over whether it should be allowed to live in the wild or kept in captivity, it was decided in September that the Royal Bengal tiger should be kept for further six or seven months for captive breeding.

An official said the decision to allow the tiger to mate with the tigress of its choice had been made to introduce foreign gene to the captive tiger population.

The introduction of foreign gene would help in genetic variation and production of healthy tigers.

In spite of the tiger being in captivity for one-and-a-half years, its behaviour has not changed and it still shows aggression — which is uncommon to animals of its species in captivity here.

The zoo authorities have been keeping a watch on its behaviour through infrared closed-circuit television cameras installed in its enclosure.

Fearing that it may hurt the tigress during mating or one of the partners may back out, the zoo authorities have not yet brought it close to any of the tigresses.

Till date, neither any animal, nor any caretaker has been allowed to go near it.

The caretakers feed the tiger from a distance. It has not yet got used to the human smell.

“We are planning to bring a few tigresses one by one closer to this tiger by keeping them in two different enclosures separated by wired barriers. That way, they can see and smell each other but not attack,” said principal chief conservator of forest (wildlife) S.S. Srivastava.

Till recently, the authorities had been at loggerheads to decide on the tiger’s fate. It was believed then that the tiger was attracted to the tigress Sara, but the authorities were not sure after it had strayed into the zoo twice.

“The future of this tiger will be decided after a successful captive breeding. If its aggressive nature mellows down like the other captive ones, it may be allowed to stay here,” said an official.