UPDATE: Escaped Mexican Bengal Tiger Crosses Border, Now in Texas
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South Texas residents have been on edge since the news broke about a 220-pound Bengal tiger being on the loose just across the Mexican border. The tiger has been roaming the border since September 4th after it escaped from the Quinta La Fauna Zoo in Mexico. US and Mexican authorities had been tracking the elusive animal for some time. Many feared it would swim across the Rio Grande and make its way into Texas.
Despite 'sightings', South Texas authorities could not confirm it ever crossed the river.
Reynosa, Mexico officials have confirmed that the Bengal tiger is once again back in captivity. The tiger was caught early Tuesday morning near the border community of Los Longoria right across the border from Granjeno, Texas.
He was captured in one of the three cages that Mexican authorities placed in the area after reports of various attacks on other nearby animals. City officials say this tiger will now be moved from the Quinta La Fauna Zoo to the Tamatan Zoo in Cuidad Victoria, Tamaulipas. He will now be housed in appropriate facilities with the right personnel to protect him.
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A Bengal tiger that escaped from a Mexican Zoo was last seen on The Rio Grande and could be on the loose here in Texas.
El Financiero, a Mexican newspaper, reports that on Wednesday morning, staff at the Quinta La Fauna zoo in Reynosa, Mexico, realized the tiger had escaped.
Now the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) has warned residents to keep an eye out after a Bengal tiger escaped from its enclosure according to a report from CBS 4 News.
Reynosa police told the HSCO that the tiger escaped along the banks of the Rio Grande. "We have not been to assist Reynosa, but we have advised our deputies to remain vigilant," Lt. Enrique Longoria with the HCSO told CBS 4. On social media, the zoo announced they would be closed until further notice as the search for the cat continues. The zoo did not offer further details.
In a post to social media, the zoo warned residents to stay vigilant, "TIGER ESCAPE IN WESTERN SECTOR OF CITY. Attention, we ask you to take extreme precautions in the area of the West Sector... at this moment, we are in coordination with Civil Protection and state authorities in the search for the animal."
Bengal tigers are an endangered species despite being the most common tiger. These big cats make up about half of all tigers found in the wild, according to National Geographic. They face significant threats of poaching and habitat destruction. The tigers can weigh up to 500 pounds and measure up to 10 feet long.