'Mischievous' Bengal tiger released in enclosure after 6 years of 'punishment'

Ten-year-old Bengal tiger Bittu spent six years in a c in Delhi Zoo before he could step out in his enclosure and brea fresh air. But Christmas Day was t first time Zoo ministration let B2 or Bittu out of c.

He was released in enclosure twice before, so that he could take a stroll and relax in sun. But his "mischievous" behaviour cost him his "freedom", Zoo Director Suneesh Buxy says. B2 or Bittu was 4-year-old when he was brought to Delhi from Bhopal's Van Vihar National Park under an animal exchange programme in 2014.

Range Officer Saurabh Vashishtha says when Bittu was first released in enclosure, he climbed a tree. "It could have been a security threat to visitors," he says.

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"We released him in enclosure again after a few days, but he tried to climb over c. Sensing danger, we put him inside c again," Vashishtha says.

Bittu was released in enclosure again on December 25. This time, zoo ministration has raised height of fences, pruned branches of trees inside enclosure so that he cant climb m and ded an extra layer of barricing for visitors. zoo also got a 3-year-old white tiger, Vijay, recently. Though Vijay was brought from Luckw in July in exchange of a female tiger named Geeta, he was released in enclosure on Wednesday, Buxy says.

" aggressive, 9-feet tiger was observed closely for 6 months before he was released in enclosure," he says. At present, zoo has seven white tigers three female and four male and two male Royal Bengal tigers. zoo is likely to acquire a pair of ostrich from Chandigarh's Chhatbir Zoo and a chimpanzee within next three months.

It h in September lost an eight-year-old Bengal tiger, Rama, due to kidney failure. In October, it lost India's “oldest” chimpanzee, Rita, 59, following multiple organ failure.  

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