Police in New Mexico responded to a shooting incident and followed a trail of blood to discover a Bengal tiger cub in a dog crate.
Albuquerque Police responded to shots fired at 304 Indiana Street SE at around 2:15 p.m. on Tuesday. While on scene, officers heard a gunshot coming from a nearby mobile home. Kevin Gerardo Vargas Mercado, armed with a semiautomatic handgun and extended magazine, was arrested without incident, police said.
A trail of blood led to the trailer but there was no one inside. Instead, officers found a tiger cub.
The New Mexico Department of Game and Fish took custody of the tiger cub and transferred it to the ABQ BioPark. A video shared by the agency shows the tiny tiger, which is just a few months old and weighs about 20 pounds. The cub playfully nips at a humans legs.
Veterinarians at ABQ BioPark say the cub is in good health. It will remain at the park while the investigation is completed, and a permanent home is found.
The agency said the tiger cub is not the same as a previously reported illegal tiger cub authorities were searching for in August 2022.
“In recent years the Department of Game and Fish has noted a substantial increase in inquiries about permits to import or possess tigers associated with the practice on popular television shows,” the agency said in a statement. “As a Group IV prohibited species, tigers may only be possessed by a permitted zoo in New Mexico.”
