Investigation of a shooting led the Albuquerque Police Department to a tiger cub
January 12, 2023 By Omal J
(Image Credit Google)
On Tuesday, while police in Albuquerque, New Mexico, looked into a shooting near a convenience store, they were shocked to discover a tiger cub. According to a Facebook post from the Albuquerque Police Department, ShotSpotter, a gunshot detection system, informed officers that bullets had been fired at 304 Indiana Street.
Additionally, they were informed that someone had been shot outside the Allsup's convenience shop when they arrived. And while they were looking into the shooting, they heard further gunfire coming from a trailer where they discovered Kevin Gerardo Vargas Mercado, who was allegedly carrying a semiautomatic weapon. He was detained by the police.
Furthermore, officers searched a trailer in the vicinity after following a trail of blood that indicated a person had recently been shot. Instead, they discovered a Bengal tiger inside a dog crate. The tiger didn't appear to be hurt, according to
KTLA.
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Image credit: PEOPLE[/caption]
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish captured the tiger and took it into custody. The baby tiger was checked and appeared to be in good health, the organization said in a Facebook post.
Moreover, until the investigation is over and a permanent home is found, the tiger will remain at the ABQ BioPark, a zoo in Albuquerque. It weighs 20 pounds and is only a few months old.
On another note, owning a tiger is illegal in New Mexico. According to the New Mexico Department of Game and Fish, they can only be kept in zoos.
In other news, a Bengal tiger has an eight to ten-year lifespan on average. In addition, they can weigh between 240 and 500 pounds and grow to be between 5 and 6 feet long. According to
National Geographic, there are fewer than 2,500 Bengal tigers left in the wild, found throughout India.
By Omal J
I worked for both print and electronic media as a feature journalist. Writing, traveling, and DIY sum up her life.