A Bengal tiger that escaped from a zoo near the U.S.-Mexico border has been safely captured after being on the loose for almost a week, causing alarm in the border city of Reynosa.
Reynosa Mayor Carlos Peña Ortiz announced the recapture of the 220-pound tiger in a Facebook post on Tuesday. The city official stated that the large feline was caught overnight thanks to a collaborative effort between the Environmental Directorate and Protección Civil y Bomberos Reynosa (Civil Protection and Firefighters). Authorities had set traps in the area where the tiger was last seen, following reports of sightings and attacks on local animals.
“The tiger is in good health, and the Federal Prosecutor’s Office for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) has been informed,” Mayor Peña Ortiz stated. He added that the escaped tiger is expected to be transferred to the Victoria City Zoo, where it will receive specialized care. The mayor highlighted that the operation was conducted to ensure the safety of citizens and praised the “ingenious strategy” used to capture the animal without harm.
The tiger’s escape from Quinta La Fauna Zoo in Reynosa was first noticed around 8:30 a.m. on Wednesday, September 4th, when zoo staff discovered damage to its enclosure’s mesh, according to reports from the Mexican newspaper El Financiero. This incident prompted warnings to residents and travelers in Texas, as officials feared the tiger could cross the Rio Grande, which is relatively narrow in the border region. Tigers are known to be strong swimmers, capable of crossing rivers several miles wide and swimming up to seven miles in a single day. The Rio Grande is less than 50 yards wide between Reynosa and Hidalgo, Texas, raising concerns about a potential cross-border incident.
Following the tiger escape, multiple government agencies, including Reynosa Emergency Management, McAllen Fire Department, and U.S. Customs and Border Protection, coordinated efforts to locate the animal. Reynosa Emergency Management Coordinator Ernesto Gómez alerted U.S. officials about the situation immediately after the escape. The zoo’s location, near the Rio Grande in Reynosa and just south of Hidalgo, Texas, made cross-border vigilance a priority.
The successful capture of the Bengal tiger brings relief to the Reynosa community and neighboring areas, ending days of uncertainty and potential danger posed by the escaped zoo animal.
