Sheba’s escape ‘calls into question the overall conditions the animal was kept in’

While the Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development and the Department of Environmental affairs passed the buck of accountability regarding the tiger by refusing to comment, the National Council of Societies for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (NSPCA) will investigate the incident.

NSPCA spokesperson Keshvi Nair said the association will investigate the shooting of the tiger escapee.

Nair said authorities attempted to lure her back into her enclosure over the past few days but were unsuccessful.

‘Wild animals belong in the wild’

“It is alleged that Sheba wandered into a dwelling that housed many people. Given that she has attacked people and animals over the past few days, it was decided that it was in the interests of the people’s safety to shoot Sheba,” she said.

Nair said neither the local SPCA nor the NSPCA was contacted when Sheba was sighted and shot.

“The silver lining in this very dark cloud is that, at the very least, Sheba will never have to face living her life as a prisoner in a cage again. Tigers are not native to South Africa. They are brought here solely for the entertainment and profit of humans, and at the end of the day, it’s always the animal that ends up paying the price. Wild animals belong in the wild,” she said.

Midvaal Executive Mayor spokesperson Idah Satikhe said the decision to euthanise Sheba followed an intense three-day search for the tiger.

Sheba escaped from a property in the Walkerville area over the weekend and attacked and killed a domestic animal.

“The decision to euthanise her was not taken lightly as tigers are listed as “Endangered” on the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List of Threatened Species. Many efforts and resources were used to capture the tiger safely and alive. The decision to euthanise Sheba was taken to protect the lives of residents as the tiger had become increasingly dangerous,” Satikhe said.

WATCH: Sheba the escaped tiger killed

Dr Gabriella Leighton from the University of Cape Town and the Caracal Project said they didn’t support keeping animals as pets.

“Keeping wild animals in captivity is unethical for many reasons, but mainly because the animal cannot exhibit its natural behaviours and usually suffers from physical and mental health issues,” she said.

“It seems that the enclosure wasn’t secure which calls into question the overall conditions in which this tiger was being kept, as well as the level of training of the people keeping it,” she said.

Four paws spokesperson Elize Parker said they drew up a petition already signed by 130 000 South Africans against big cats in captivity.

“This is the sort of incident that shows us that this should not be the case for South Africa. Big cats in captivity pose a danger to society, individuals and livestock and other animals. It also poses a danger to the animal itself. It is a wild animal,” she said.

Tiger farming

Parker said the petition was to put an end to big cats in captivity and the commercial breeding of big cats.

She added this would not have happened if there was no access to buy a tiger in South Africa.

“Another concern was the spike and increase in big cat farming in South Africa and especially in tiger farming,” she said.

Parker said the organisation has filed a submission to parliament to stop the exploitation of big cats.

“What worried us was in the proposed bill was that there was only a recommendation made for lions. We want the government to include tigers because they are part of this vicious cycle that needs to end,” she said.

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Parkers said tigers were endangered.

“Information from the Department of Forestry and Fishery suggested 51 permits for granted for live tigers or tiger parts from SA since January 2016,” she said.

Parker said 359 tigers were exported from South Africa from 2011 to 2020 of which most of them sold to zoos.

Sheba’s owner could not be reached for comment.

– marizkac@citizen.co.za