This week, the California Highway Patrol received a report about a potential newborn tiger that had become stuck on a highway in San Luis Obispo County.
In reality, however, they found something more feathery and less feline.
According to a CHP traffic record, the alleged cub was seen on a secluded section of Highway 166, which links the southern San Joaquin Valley with the Central Coast. On Thursday afternoon, a motorist who was traveling through the region reported seeing what looked to be a newborn tiger by the side of the road.
Instead of finding a tiger cub, a CHP officer dispatched to look into the incident discovered a dead hawk. The dead bird was reported to the California Department of Transportation, which is in charge of clearing dead wildlife from state highways.
The cause of the caller’s zoological confusion is unknown.
According to the state Department of Fish and Wildlife, owning exotic animals like tigers is illegal in California because they endanger both local wildlife and public safety.Only zoos, shelters, research institutes, and educational institutions are permitted.
A federal law known as the Big Cat Public Safety Act was passed in 2022 and forbids unauthorized individuals from owning, breeding, or transporting large cats.
After buying a jaguar cub and moving it from Texas to California for business purposes, a man and woman were accused in 2022.
