A Siberian tiger cub raised in an eastern China zoo has started a new life on a wild mountain after fully recovering from a cataract removal over two months ago.

The five-month-old cub, the first Siberian tiger in the world to undergo such an operation, was discharged Wednesday from her cozy tiger house that was becoming too small for her to a mountain where dozens of other tigers of the Hangzhou Wildlife Park were roaming in the wild.

She weighs 25 kg and is as strong as a calf.

"I really miss her. I haven't seen her for two months," said a zoo keeper who had taken care of the tiger shortly after she was born. "I'm here to say 'good-bye' to her and I am so happy she still recognizes me."

The keeper, who gave only her surname as Song, said the tiger had come up to her for cuddling.

Life in the wild mountain was going to be tough for the tiger, Song said. "No one will take care of her there. She has to learn to prey for food in order to survive in the wild nature."

The zoo releases all artificially bred tiger cubs to the mountain so that they will not lose their wild nature.

To start with, zoo workers have arranged a separate pen for the tiger cub, which they hope would provide refuge for her in case other tigers attack her.

"She's still not strong enough after all," said a zoo keeper.

He said the tiger had to leave behind a pair of lenses that had been tailored for her after the operation. "Her eyesight is becoming normal and the lenses may be a nuisance in the wild."

The tiger cub was born in the wildlife park and was raised on dog milk powder. Zoo keepers found she often walked into the wall and her eyes appeared foggy and white.

Prof. Yao Ke, a noted doctor with the No. 2 Hospital of the Medical Institute of Zhejiang University, diagnosed her problem as congenital cataracts. The professor operated on the tiger and his students volunteered to give her post-operative care at the park.

The park, located in Fuyang, 15 kilometers from downtown Hangzhou, is the largest of its kind in east China and covers an area of 233 hectares. It is home to over 4,300 animals of some 160species.

(Xinhua News Agency March 12, 2004)