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Rogue S. Africa Tiger Killed


FILE: Members of a private anti-poaching unit company prepares a cage on January 17, 2023 as the search for a missing female tiger who escaped from an exotic farm near Johannesburg in South Africa,
FILE: Members of a private anti-poaching unit company prepares a cage on January 17, 2023 as the search for a missing female tiger who escaped from an exotic farm near Johannesburg in South Africa,

A tiger who escaped from a farm and roamed the countryside outside of Johannesburg for four days, attacking a man and killing several animals, was euthanised on Wednesday, a local community leader said.

Following its escape, the tiger named Sheba, attacked a 39-year-old man, who survived the assault and was hospitalized with injuries to his legs

The eight-year-old female Bengal tiger was put down just before dawn after it killed a dog.

That was the latest in a series of attacks that followed its escape from an enclosure at a private farm on Saturday, Gresham Mandy, a member of a local safety volunteer group in Walkerville, 30 kilometers south of Johannesburg, told AFP.

"She killed the dog in a private farm with dwellings where six families reside, it was becoming too much of a risk," Mandy said.

"In that moment there was no other option but to put her down," said Mandy.

Tigers are not native to South Africa, but in recent years their breeding has become common in the country.

Following its escape, the tiger named Sheba, attacked a 39-year-old man, who survived the assault and was hospitalized with injuries to his legs.

Dozens of people, including animal experts and members of the community group tracked the big cat using drones and helicopters.

The decision to put her down was made after her latest kill.

A report by global animal rights charity, Four Paws, said that 359 tigers -- almost a tenth of the world's population -- were exported from South Africa from 2011-2020, most of them sold to zoos.

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