Authorities must take tiger issue by the tail

BARELY a month after Sheba the tigress was on the loose, another tiger was seen on the prowl on the streets of Edenvale, putting more lives in grave danger.

The increasing incidents of wild animals roaming free in residential areas continue to raise concerns about safety and the domestication of these animals.

Why do people continue to keep these animals as pets when it is clear that they don’t belong in a human environment?

The recent news ought to have compelled government to put in place strict measures to ensure wild animals are kept in secure spaces and that animal owners are held accountable.

The reports about the tigers have commanded the public’s attention, with many expressing their outrage on the issue.

Sheba, who escaped from a private property in Walkerville, became a household name in South Africa.

The question of how she managed to escape remains unanswered.

Since Sheba’s ordeal, many of us have been asking what other dangerous animal are being kept as pets, putting our lives at risk should they escape.

Aftr the Sheba saga ended in tragedy when the 8-year-old tigress was found and shot dead after injuring a man and killing other pets, there has been a chorus of calls to tighten laws on wild animals in domestic areas.

Why are wild animals being kept in residential areas? What are the owners doing to ensure the animals are secure on their properties? What happened after a man found himself in a hospital bed after being bitten by a tiger? Was the owner held accountable?

Social media users might have been amused by the unusual incient, but these questions demand earnest responses.

Edith Kabesiime, wildlife campaign manager at World Animal Protection, shared insights on animal cruelty that are worth considering.

“Sheba the tigress’s life has been ended prematurely due to human actions that would have totally been avoided … Wild animals are not pets and should not be kept as such. They have specific needs and behaviours that are difficult to meet in captivity.

“They are sentient beings and have wildlife rights. We call upon the Republic of South Africa … to reconsider their captive wildlife policies and adopt laws that do not promote animal cruelty and exploitation.”