The search for an 8-year-old female tiger that escaped from its enclosure on a smallholding in the south of Johannesburg over the weekend came to an end when it was found and euthanised.
Community policing forum representative Gresham Mandy said reports were received of activity on the Arboretum Farm at Walkers Fruit Farms on Wednesday at around 01:55.
The location is about 2km from where Sheba was last known to have been roaming around, Mandy said.
“She had entered a farm area with six dwellings and with families living there. Sheba attacked and killed one of the domestic animals, and a call was made for urgent assistance. Members responded to the scene, and began to track the tiger,” Mandy added.
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He said Rassie Erasmus, the owner of Sheba, was present during the search. The teams managed to locate Sheba near one of the houses on the farm.
“Due to the terrain and area, it was not possible to contain her or secure her safely.
“At 03:45, the decision was made to euthanise her while it was still safe to do so. Unfortunately, at that moment in time, darting her was not an option. Sheba had moved during the night across the hills to the west side of Fruit Farms, bringing her close to livestock and other residents in a more densely populated area.
“This was not an easy decision to make at the time, and the safety of the community of Walkers Fruit Farms was a priority,” Mandy said.
Since its escape, Sheba has attacked 39-year-old William Mokoena, a pig and two dogs. Both dogs had to be put down due to the severity of their injuries.
Mokoena received treatment at a hospital. News24 reported earlier Mokoena is considering taking legal action against the owners of the tiger.
News24
