Officers with U.S. Customs and Border Protection rescued a baby tiger Wednesday morning after two travelers tried to smuggle the wild animal into California from Mexico, the federal agency announced in a statement Thursday.
An 18-year-old male with U.S. citizenship driving a 2017 Chevy Camaro and a 21-year-old male passenger whose citizenship was not disclosed were stopped for further inspection after they tried to pass through the Otay Mesa port of entry around 1:30 a.m. Pacific time Wednesday.
During the inspection, CBP officers found a tiger cub lying on the floor of the front passenger side. The cub was taken out of the truck and put into an animal crate until U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service agents arrived.
“CBP officers are often faced with unusual situations,” said Pete Flores, director of field operations for CBP in San Diego. “The CBP officers at the Otay Mesa port of entry met the challenge head on and assisted in preserving the life of this endangered species.”
The driver was taken into custody for attempting to illegally traffic a wild animal into the U.S. and was sent to the Metropolitan Correctional Center as he awaits arraignment.
The tiger is now being cared for by federal agents and San Diego Zoo Global officials.
Two decades ago, a similar incident took place at the San Ysidro port of entry when officers uncovered someone trying to smuggle a tiger cub from California to Mexico. “Blanca,” the tiger, went on to spend years at the San Diego Safari Park.
