/ 27 July 2010

Tiger on the run in Mpumalanga

The Mpumalanga Wildlife Management Unit and the province's SPCA were investigating the reported escape of a tiger on Tuesday morning.

The Mpumalanga Wildlife Management Unit and the province’s SPCA were investigating the reported escape of a tiger on Tuesday morning, a provincial wildlife manager said.

“I just got a report from the SPCA that the animal escaped from the vehicle. It comes out of the Mpumalanga province and it’s not supposed to be there,” said Louw Steyn.

Steyn said if the tiger was being kept in Mpumalanga, it was there illegally.

“I have checked, and there is no tiger registered in our province. We have checked with Gauteng and that tiger is also not registered there,” said Steyn.

Eyewitness News reported that the animal broke out of a bakkie on the R25 between Groblersdal and Delmas while being taken to a vet in Springs.

“The Mpumalanga Nature Conservation Act states very clearly that you may not import an animal into the province,” said Steyn.

The radio station reported that the 17-month-old Tiger called Panjo was tame. – Sapa