The recent escape and terrible demise of the tiger in the Walkerville neighborhood of Johannesburg captivated the public’s attention in South Africa.
The research undertaken by Derek Watts and the Carte Blanche crew revealed that there may be more to this story than meets the eye (of the tiger).
Sheba was an eight-year-old Bengal tiger that was hand-raised and cherished.
However, tigers are apex predators, so when this fully-grown female escaped from her enclosure in the southern part of Johannesburg, residents panicked.
Rassie Erasmus, her owner, was aware of the risk she posed and was among them.
As word spread that Sheba was preying on household animals, neighbors became increasingly worried, afraid that they could be next.
Erasmus understood what needed to be done: Sheba needed to be slain.
SPCA believes the Sheba the tiger incident demonstrates the dangers of keeping wild animals as pets.
It is a narrative that provoked both anger and confusion.
Why is the government reluctant to prohibit the ownership of exotic cats as pets?
Was her death the only viable alternative?
»Investigative carte blanche: a tiger is on the loose – WATCH!«