Gauteng Rogue tiger spotted near waterhole

17 January 2023 - 09:34
By Ernest Mabuza
Members of the community policing forum attempt to track a tiger on January 16 2023 in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg, where the eight-year-old female escaped on Friday evening. The tiger was spotted near a water hole on Monday evening.
Image: Alaister Russell/Sunday Times Members of the community policing forum attempt to track a tiger on January 16 2023 in Walkerville, south of Johannesburg, where the eight-year-old female escaped on Friday evening. The tiger was spotted near a water hole on Monday evening.

Sheba, the missing female tiger that escaped from her enclosure at Walker’s Fruit Farm, south of Johannesburg, was spotted via drone thermal imaging at a waterhole in the area on Monday evening.

Tracking teams on foot later saw paw prints around the waterhole and her scent was also picked up. 

“She was very close but the bush was too thick and risky for them to enter,” Walker’s Fruit Farm community policing forum member Gresham Mandy said. 

The team was going to put out meat laced with a tranquiliser to entice the tiger to eat. It was hoped this would make her drowsy and easy for the team to capture her.

“We will be baiting tonight and hopefully the morning will yield some positive results,” Mandy said.

Since she escaped, the tiger has mauled two dogs, a pig, a deer and a man who is being treated in hospital.

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