HOUSTON – India, the tiger who was spotted roaming around a Houston-area neighborhood in 2021, died at just three years old.
Caretakers from the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch released the news on their Facebook page on Thursday.
Recommended Videos
Although the cause of death is unofficial at this time, caretakers said India passed away naturally during sedation after it was determined he was “not acting like himself.”
RELATED: Read the initial KPRC 2 tiger in Houston report
“Our vet and care staff monitored him closely, offering him his usually irresistible treats to entice him to take medications,” the sanctuary said in the Facebook post. “He was clearly losing any interest and not feeling right. We made the decision to sedate him so the vet team could examine and investigate what was causing his sudden change in behavior.”
Veterinary staff believe India’s cause of death indicated India’s intestinal tract “had an abnormal portion that is suggestive of cancer and his system went septic.”
“We at Black Beauty Ranch were truly honored to provide him with the best care and life he deserved and the freedom to be a tiger and flourish into a wild animal. RIP amazing India. You will always be in our hearts,” the sanctuary wrote.
How did India made national headlines?
On May 10. 2021, India was spotted on the front lawn of a west Houston home, sending shockwaves to neighbors nearby.
RELATED: GALLERY: India the Tiger and friends get in the Halloween spirit
A Waller County deputy who lives in the neighborhood was notified of the tiger by other residents. The deputy, Wes Manion, said he pulled out his service weapon and a man came out from a nearby home, saying, “Don’t shoot, don’t shoot!”
The tiger’s owner, Victor Cuevas, took the animal inside the home.
Later that day, Houston police said Cuevas fled the scene with the tiger in a Jeep Cherokee, leading police on a short police chase before officers lost sight of him.
He was arrested shortly after, but India was missing.
On May 16, 2021, India was found in a Houston neighborhood. Linda McIngvale, the wife of Jim ‘Mattress Mack’ McIngvale, said she helped with the safe recovery of India. He was transferred to the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch.
After India was transferred to the sanctuary, Cuevas penned a letter in a now-deleted Instagram post one month later.
India had a smooth transition at Black Beauty Ranch, where caretakers say he’s starting to revert to his wild instincts now that he’s no longer in human hands.
For Cuevas, a year later, a jury sentenced him to 18 years in prison and fined him $10,000. He was found guilty in the death of Oseikhuemen Omobhude, 20, who prosecutors say was shot several times on July 14, 2017, in a restaurant parking lot near Richmond.
MORE COVERAGE: