Escaped Mexican Bengal Tiger Crosses Border, Now Loose in Texas

A Bengal tiger that escaped from a Mexican Zoo was last seen on The Rio Grande and could be on the loose here in Texas.

El Financiero, a Mexican newspaper, reports that on Wednesday morning, staff at the Quinta La Fauna zoo in Reynosa, Mexico, realized the tiger had escaped.

Now the Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office (HCSO) has warned residents to keep an eye out after a Bengal tiger escaped from its enclosure according to a report from CBS 4 News.

Reynosa police told the HSCO that the tiger escaped along the banks of the Rio Grande. "We have not been to assist Reynosa, but we have advised our deputies to remain vigilant," Lt. Enrique Longoria with the HCSO told CBS 4. On social media, the zoo announced they would be closed until further notice as the search for the cat continues. The zoo did not offer further details.

In a post to social media, the zoo warned residents to stay vigilant, "TIGER ESCAPE IN WESTERN SECTOR OF CITY. Attention, we ask you to take extreme precautions in the area of the West Sector... at this moment, we are in coordination with Civil Protection and state authorities in the search for the animal."

Bengal tigers are an endangered species despite being the most common tiger. These big cats make up about half of all tigers found in the wild, according to National Geographic. They face significant threats of poaching and habitat destruction. The tigers can weigh up to 500 pounds and measure up to 10 feet long.