A runaway tiger sparked fear in Msallatah, northwestern Libya, prompting intensified patrols by city security forces. Local sources reported that the tiger escaped during a photoshoot session with its owner on the second day of Eid al-Fitr, on Thursday.
The Msallatah Agricultural Police Branch stated that due to numerous complaints from citizens and witnesses about sighting the predator, patrols were deployed to locations where the tiger was reportedly spotted.
These patrols, accompanied by units from the Criminal Investigation Department (CID) and the Internal Security Apparatus (ISA), scoured the area, but the runaway tiger remains elusive, according to a statement from the Msallatah Agricultural Police.
Authorities urged citizens to exercise caution and promptly report any sightings of the predator.
Breeding tigers and other wild animals has become somewhat common in Libya in recent years.
In December 2022, a Sudanese guard was fatally mauled by lions he was caring for in a lodge in the Sidi Khalifa area east of Benghazi. The owner subsequently killed all his lions.
The incident involving the young Sudanese guard, Najmuddin Musa, stirred widespread debate about the proliferation of ownership and sale of wild animals, especially predators, in Libya, prompting calls for action to address it. In turn, activist Ibrahim Al-Jazwi said that such wild animals must be kept in public zoos not inside homes and private spaces, calling on the authorities to issue laws that prevent the breeding of predatory animals and impose penalties on violators.
On her part, Zainab Salem called for confiscating all predatory animals that some families raise in their farms and homes without any means of safety, in order to avoid such terrible incidents occur again in the future.
The wildlife of Libya is spread over the Mediterranean coastline and encompasses large areas of the Saharan desert.
The protection of wildlife is provided through appropriate legislation in seven national parks, five reserves, 24 protected areas, two wetlands under Ramsar Convention, and also in other areas.
Apart from these, there are also five UNESCO World Heritage Sites related to culture. The most important national parks are the El-Kouf National Park and Karabolli National Park. The well-known nature reserves are the Benghazi Reserve and the Zellaf Reserve.
