Remember during quarantine when collectively we all watched Tiger King? Stuck inside our houses, we were shocked to discover that many tigers were bred and kept in captivity almost as pets for roadside attractions, such as Joe Exotic’s Greater Wynnewood Exotic Animal Park. Apparently, Mexico also has its share of pet tigers.
One of these, a 5-year-old male Bengal tiger named Baluma, was stolen from his home in Hermosillo on Monday, March 27, 2023. Authorities are now searching for the animal and canvassing the neighborhood.
The tiger was legally owned. His owners were able to show authorities all the proper paperwork for the big cat. It is unknown why he was stolen.
Authorities are working hard to locate him, not only for the owner’s sake but also for public safety. CBS News reported that neighbors were shown photographs of the tiger in an effort to find him. In some of these photos, the tiger was seen in a fenced area with a dog.
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Mexico has a long history of people keeping big cats as pets. This often leads to problems, as they have a tendency to get loose. Drug traffickers also enjoy exotic pets.
In 2022, a 450-pound tiger got loose in Nayarit, Mexico. That same year another man was horrifically mauled when he tried to pet a captive tiger in Michoacán, which is a state in Mexico that is controlled by drug cartels. Tigers are wild animals and unpredictable.
Sometimes these tigers are smuggled across the border, as well. In May 2021, a 9-month-old male tiger named India roamed the streets of Houston, Texas. Naturally, this made headlines.
India’s owners gave him up when they realized they could not handle the big cat. This majestic creature was taken to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch, a sanctuary located in Murchison, Texas. There India will safely live out the rest of his days.
Kitty Block, CEO of the Humane Society of the United States, hopes India’s story helps the public learn that big cats are not meant to be pets. "We cannot have dangerous wild animals roaming neighborhoods or confined inside of a house. Forcing animals like India to be treated as a 'pet' is inhumane and a serious public safety risk — no matter how 'cute' or 'tame' the animal may seem,” she stated.
“Big cats express natural, unpredictable behaviors that can occur at any moment,” she went on to say. “Thankfully, we can provide permanent sanctuary for India, but that is not going to stop the problem. Situations like this are why we are working to pass federal legislation. The Big Cat Public Safety Act would prohibit keeping big cats as pets."
