On Monday, a tiger that was seen prowling through a neighborhood, east of the country’s capital Johannesburg was tranquilized and captured by South African animal welfare officers.
The big cat was captured using sedative-filled darts, according to guards watching security footage from an office building in the Edenvale neighborhood of Johannesburg. They claim to have seen the big cat early on Monday.
Animal owners were advised to confine all of their pets inside and to remain vigilant.
It is the second incident of a tiger on the loose in South Africa in as many weeks. It is not known where the latest tiger came from or when but authorities believe it to be an escaped pet.
Two weeks ago another escaped tiger was euthanized after being on the loose for about four days in Walkerville, to the south of Johannesburg.
The death of Sheba, the Walkerville tiger, has sparked calls by animal welfare groups for the government to ban citizens from being allowed to keep wild animals as pets.
A man who was attacked by the tiger survived his injuries, while two dogs were killed.
“Keeping wild animals in captivity undeniably places people at risk of an attack as well. Due to basic legislation and no inspections by authorities, it has become far too easy for laypeople to own and breed dangerous and exotic wild animals,” the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals said.