Sheba the tiger shot dead

The tiger which escaped its enclosure at the weekend in the south of Johannesburg has reportedly been shot dead.

A search was underway for Sheba the tiger in Walkerville after the animal attacked a 39-year-old man, a dog and a deer.

Authorities recently tracked and spotted her near a waterhole in Kliprivier.

The Midvaal Local Municipality MMC for Corporate Services, Chantal Gomes says, “There isn’t a huge amount of legislation. So, it is generally governed by the Department of Environmental Affairs. But each province basically is responsible for regulating, the owning and movement of exotic pets. Unfortunately [it] is not one of those that has any legislation surrounding it. So, yesterday our mayor tasked us to look into by-laws surrounding us.”

Meanwhile, animal rights group, Four Paws South Africa, has warned that South Africa is becoming a breeding ground for illicit big cats.

“While they are not native to South Africa, unfortunately, tigers are bred and kept in captivity in concerning numbers across the country. And the reason for that is commercial purposes and profit. Cases such as this really highlight the need for government to take action to address the private keeping of big cats and also to end the trade of big cats from South Africa,” Four Paws South Africa’s Sarah Locke elaborates.

The video below is reporting on the search for the tiger: