JOHANNESBURG, SOUTH AFRICA (AFP) - South African wildlife authorities mounted a fresh search Wednesday for a 140-kilo (300-pound) Bengal tiger named Panjo, the day after he escaped from the back of his owner's truck.

"We are yet to find the tiger. Inspectors are still in the field looking for the tiger," said Brenda Santon, national wildlife manager for the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

"There have been a few leads on the field but they could not lead us to find the tiger."

Wildlife authorities are hoping to get close enough to the tiger to fire a tranquiliser dart, but were unable to even locate the animal after a full day's search Tuesday.

His owner Rose Fernandes told South African media that anyone who sees Panjo must point a stick at him and say "No", or toss him a chicken to eat.

The tiger was being kept as a pet in the mining town of Springs outside Johannesburg, and was reportedly being taken to a veterinarian in nearby Mpumalanga province when he escaped.

Wildlife authorities say they have been unable to trace a licence for Panjo.

Tigers are not native to Africa, but South Africa hosts conservation projects to breed rare species of big cats.