Tiger escapes in Qatar traffic

  • 09/03/2016
Tiger escapes in Qatar traffic

An escaped tiger has been caught on camera in Qatar's main city of Doha, running through traffic on one of the city's busiest roads.

The footage shows the tiger cub with a broken chain around its neck, roaming the Doha expressway.

Other images show a man dragging the animal from beneath a stationary vehicle.

Sky News reports he may be the large cat's owner. Having a tiger as a pet is illegal in Qatar.

The interior ministry told Sky News it is investigating after the footage appeared on YouTube and Twitter.

It is relatively common in Qatar to have wild animals like tigers and cheetahs as pets, despite a maximum sentence of six months' jail.

A man seen retrieving the tiger in one of the videos can be heard saying he would be in "big trouble" if the footage was seen.

The sighting is said to have happened on Tuesday morning. Since then, a spoof 'Doha Tiger' Twitter account (created several years ago after a similar incident) has posted a photo showing the tiger back with its apparent owner.

Newshub.