A tiger on the loose, new panic near Johannesburg

A tiger that escaped from private property near Johannesburg caused panic for a few hours on Monday, less than two weeks after the escapade of a Bengal tigress, who attacked a man and killed several animals on her way.

This time the animal was captured before any incident was reported: “The tiger was sedated and taken to an animal sanctuary,” AFP told AFP. Gary Wilson of the private security company S.W.A.T who participated in the hunt.

Security camera footage shared on social media showed the feline, spotted in Edenvale about 10 miles east of Johannesburg, wandering around a parked car in the early morning.

Reports that a tiger has been spotted in Cabot Road, Eastleigh Ridge, Edenvale, JHB, this morning. If spotted please call the SPCA +27721839794. pic.twitter.com/8gJvnvkC6N

— Yusuf Abramjee (@Abramjee) January 30, 2023

No details were given on the owner of the animal or the property from which it escaped.

A threatened species, the tiger is not endemic to South Africa, but l he controversial breeding of the big cat in the country, including for sale to zoos, has spread in recent years much to the chagrin of animal rights organisations.

In mid-January, Sheba, an eight-year-old tigress kept as a pet, escaped her owner. After prowling for four days near Johannesburg, she was shot dead by the search party. She injured a 39-year-old man and killed several dogs in particular.

In South Africa, it is illegal to own a lion as a pet, but tigers are allowed. Legislation prohibits the keeping of native species, but the tiger is considered an exotic animal.

Animal protection NGOs are calling for a new law, because the breeding of tigers in South Africa supplies the black market with skins and bones, particularly prized in Asia for luxury goods and in traditional medicine.

The country has no official census of its feline population, but according to animal rights NGO Four Paws, nearly 10% of the world's tiger population (359 specimens) were exported from South Africa between 2011 and 2020.

The African country australe is also known for allowing the controversial breeding of lions to satisfy wealthy trophy hunters.