The Alligator Was Found. The Tiger, Not So Much

An alligator, drugs, guns, and money were seized during a raid at two homes in Albuquerque last month, but New Mexico wildlife officials said Saturday they are still searching for a young tiger they believe is being illegally kept as a pet. Investigators think the tiger is with someone “in New Mexico or a nearby state,” New Mexico Department of Game and Fish conservation officers said in a statement, per the AP. The animal was believed to be less than 1 year old and under 60 pounds, but tigers can grow to 600 pounds and are clearly a danger to the public, the department warned.

Wild tigers are listed globally as an endangered species. Alligators were listed as endangered in the US from 1967 to 1987, but today thrive in the wild. The alligator seized by authorities is about 3 feet long. It was taken to a wildlife facility after state conservation officers and federal, state, and local police served search warrants Aug. 12. Albuquerque police reported a 26-year-old man was arrested and investigators seized 2 pounds of heroin, 10.5 pounds of cocaine, 49 pounds of marijuana, 17 rifles and pistols, fentanyl and Xanax pills, and nearly $42,000.

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