A Siberian tiger that killed a zookeeper is being kept in isolation in the northern province of Heilongjiang, the Siberian Tiger Park announced yesterday.

The wildlife park, a popular tourist attraction, made the decision at a plenary staff meeting after receiving suggestions from the public on how to punish the tiger.

The park will open a special outdoor area for the 6-year-old tiger.

He will be provided nutritious food and may also be given opportunity to reproduce if he remains in stable condition. A DNA sample proved the tiger to be a purebred Siberian with high-standard genetic diversity.

Zoo workers said they worked hard to raise the tiger and cannot bear to hurt the creature, even as a punishment.

The tiger escaped from his cage and attacked Zheng Wei, an electric gate operator, on October 3, puncturing Zheng's jugular artery. The victim died on the way to hospital.

(eastday.com October 29, 2002)