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Tiger Winning Game of Hide-And-Seek

Posted on: Thursday, 2 September 2004, 06:00 CDT

FORT POLK, La. - A Bengal tiger on the loose in the thick brush surrounding an Army base was winning a game of hide-and-seek for the second day Wednesday, despite efforts to entice the animal with raw chicken.

About 100 soldiers and sheriff's deputies searched the woods in Fort Polk for the cat, believed to be about a year old and 100 pounds.

"We're trying to flush the little rascal out, but he's not cooperating," said Scott Heinrich, owner of a wild animal consultancy that was brought in to track the tiger.

Soldiers set up nets with raw chicken and used helicopters in the search.

It was unclear where the animal came from, but it's likely a pet that escaped or was set free, said Leslie Whitt, director of the Alexandria Zoo, which assisted in the search. No one has claimed the animal, but several witnesses said it was wearing a collar.

The Army more than doubled the size of the search team, which began with 40 deputies and soldiers on Tuesday. The searchers will try to capture the animal in a trap or with a tranquilizer dart, but will kill it if it attacks, said Maj. Ron Elliott, a Fort Polk spokesman.

"If there's imminent danger, we'll have to take the tiger down," Elliott said.

Heinrich said that's unlikely. Unless cornered, the animal's first instinct will be to run away, he said.

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