Nainital Zoo officials have approached the higher authorities to procure a pair of Siberian tiger and tigress as the lone Siberian tiger in the zoo has almost completed its average life expectancy age. According to zoo incharge Manoj Shah, there are only two Siberian tigers in India. Other than Nainital Zoo, one is in Padma Naidu Zoological Park in Darjeeling. Both the big cats are male and have crossed their average age limit of survival. There used to be a female Siberian tiger in Darjeeling, but it died long back. The tiger in Nainital Zoo was brought from Padma Naidu Zoological Park in 1996. He is now 15-year old. At present, it is hale and hearty as it eats 11 kg cattle meat every day. The tiger in Darjeeling is also healthy, Shah added. Siberian Tiger, which is the one of the rare wild animals, is a major attraction of the zoo along with snow leopard. The zoo authorities are concerned as both the zoos have been left with just male representatives of the species and moreover both animals have reached their average life. Siberian tiger was once populated from the stretch of Siberia South through China to North & South Korea. Despite their large and heavily built body, they are expert in tree climbing. The big cats were brought to India under a captive breeding programme in high altitude zoos of Darjeeling and Nainital in the early nineties but this conservation programme could not achieve desired result. Divisional Forest Officer of Nainital and Director of Nainital Zoo Bijulal said, "We are looking for a pair of Siberian Tiger. We are in contact with officials concerned with Siberian tiger Conservation in Russia. Since last five months we are making efforts to obtain a pair of Siberian tiger." Siberian tiger was on the brink of extinction in 1940. Thereafter with the vigorous anti-poaching and conservation efforts by the Russians, the population of Siberian tigers increased from 395 to 406 in wild with 95 per cent of them in Siberian Far East.