Wild tiger on visit, Odisha zoo closes white tiger safari

Odisha's only white tiger safari would be closed to visitors again from Tuesday for an indefinite period, as a wild Royal Bengal tiger, which had visited earlier and then escaped, returned to the zoo, an official said Monday.

The tiger safari at Nandankanan Biological Park on the outskirts of state capital Bhubaneswar was closed to tourists after the wild cat walked into the zoo April 29, in probable search of a mate.

It was opened after the tiger returned to the wild May 31, jumping over an 18-foot-high wire fencing.

The tiger again walked into the safari Sunday night at 11.48 p.m., park director Sudarsan Panda told IANS. The park, which houses the safari, normally remains closed Monday.

While another area of the park would continue to remain open to visitors as usual, the tiger safari would remain closed from Tuesday for safety of visitors, he said.

Nandankanan Biological Park, literally meaning "The Garden of Heaven", is spread over 425 hectares. It has over 1,200 animals and offers a first-of-its-kind white tiger safari.

The safari would remain shut, and its re-opening would depend on how long the wild cat stays, an official said.