The Orissa forest department is holding on to a wild tiger that strayed inside Nandankanan Zoo over a week ago, saying they don't know its original habitat and therefore cannot release it.

Sources in the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA), however, said Nandankanan authorities planned to use the tiger for breeding inside the zoo, which was illegal. NTCA has asked Chief Wildlife Warden J D Sharma to immediately release the tiger.