The search for an escaped tiger from a Mexico zoo that worried residents in South Texas has come to a conclusion. The large feline was captured earlier today. Having been on the loose for almost a week after slipping out from Quinta La Fauna Zoo in Reynosa, Mexico, the tiger's disappearance triggered alerts on both sides of the border, as reported by Reynosa Environmental Protection to MySanAntonio.

The drama unfolded when the zoo, located just across the Rio Grande from McAllen and Mission, Texas, reported the tiger missing on September 3. The Hidalgo County Sheriff's Office, while not actively involved in the pursuit across the border, remained on alert and cautioned residents about the possible presence of the tiger. "We have not been to assist Reynosa, but we have advised our deputies to remain vigilant," Lt. Enrique Longoria told KGBT-TV in a statement obtained by UPI, drenched by anxieties over the potential dangers of a wild tiger roaming freely nearby.

The animal was finally located at midnight in the rural community of Los Longoria, south of Granjeno, Texas, where it was captured, as MySanAntonio reported. Civil Protection and Firefighters Reynosa confirmed they successfully trapped the tiger, which was found to be unharmed during the operation. The capture brings an end to the community's fears of an apex predator lurking in the shadows, an event that underscored the porous nature of borders, and not just for human travelers.

Quinta La Fauna Zoo, which had introduced a new tiger named Fíona in a July 6 Instagram post, often receives criticism for housing exotic animals. According to MySanAntonio, many of the zoo's wildlife are donations. The fate of the captured tiger is currently uncertain, sparking discussions on wildlife management and the ethics of exotic animal captivity.