The Siberian tiger that escaped from a park and injured one farmer in the Changbai Mountains in northeastern China is now recovering after receiving surgery.

"The tiger is expected to rehabilitated completely in about half a month," said Sun Tiandong, director in charge of the Siberian Tiger Park in northeast China's Jilin province, in Changchun Sunday. He added that the tiger now has a good appetite and is able to eat five kilograms of meat every day.

The tiger was shot and injured after being surrounded in a forest near the park. Later, it returned to the park and received a surgical operation.

The park has been closed for safety checks after the accident.

Sun said they are planning to rebuild the safety facilities in the tiger park, raise the fence height and build a second-layer fence.

"Whether or not it will reopen to tourists will hinges on the check after the reconstruction," noted Sun.

Last Saturday, the tiger stepped onto a pine tree to jump over the park's four-meter-high wire fence and assault Jiang Fengbo, a farmer who was picking pine nuts outside the park.

Jiang suffered injuries to his trachea and thigh, and fractures to his cervical vertebra during the attack.

Established in July 2002 with the approval of the local forestry bureau, the park in the forested Changbai Mountains is home to 12 adult tigers and four tiger cubs.

The Siberian tiger is among the world's 10 most endangered species, with only about 400 living in wilderness in Russia's Far East region and China's northeast area, a number far less than giant pandas.

(Xinhua News Agency September 28, 2003)