‘Love-struck’ tiger returns to Orissa zoo, captured
Love-struck Nandan, the wild tiger which was first caught by the Nandankanan Zoo authorities near here on April 28 night and escaped the trap on May 31 by jumping over an 18-foot-high barbed enclosure, has been caught again.
The six-year-old Nandan was trapped late on Sunday night as he tried to walk into a female tiger’s enclosure.
The development has brought relief to the worried zoo authorities and residents of at least 100 local villages. They were apprehending that the tiger, believed to have come from Satkosia reserved tiger forest, might attack human beings or cattle population after his escape.
Known as a “gentleman” tiger, Nandan has, however, not any record of attacking any one.
“Nandan has been caught again on Sunday night. Now, we have fully covered the roof of the enclosure, thereby sealing the possibility of his escape,” principal conservator of forest J.D. Sharma said.
Before his April 28 capture, Nandan used to walk into tigress Sarah’s enclosure regularity at night. During the day, he would retreat to the nearby forests. After some visitors and villagers knew his presence in and around the zoo, they informed authorities who captured him after monitoring his movement for nearly a week. He was named Nandan and kept in a special enclosure.
However on May 31, the wild animal managed to give a slip to the zoo authorities by jumping an 18-feet barbed fence, claimed to be highest ever leap by a big cat.
Mad in love, Nandan did not leave the place and kept visiting the enclosures of Sarah, a female tiger. The zoo authorities, who re-installed close-circuit cameras, found that besides Sarah, the male tiger loitering near the enclosures a few other female tigers such as Rishi, Manisha, Megha and Ragini.
He was even caught in the camera exchanging kisses with Ragini passionately from across the barbed fence.
Realising that the wild tiger was mad to meet with a female partner and would keep visiting the zoo, the Nandankanan authorities laid a trap. They opened a new passage leading to the female tigers’ enclosures. The passage with a highly automated gate was shut when the tiger walked into one of the enclosures.
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