Perris Man Charged with Smuggling Tiger Cub

[nitpicker]

https://www.justice.gov/usao-sdca/pr/perris-man-charged-smuggling-tiger-cub

Department of Justice
U.S. Attorney’s Office
Southern District of California

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Thursday, August 24, 2017

Perris Man Charged with Smuggling Tiger Cub

SAN DIEGO – Luis Eudoro Valencia, of Perris, California, was charged yesterday with smuggling a Bengal tiger cub into the United States from Mexico. According to the complaint, Valencia drove into the Otay Mesa Port of Entry with the tiger cub on the floor of the vehicle. It is alleged that Valencia failed to declare the tiger cub to Customs and Border Protection officers. The tiger cub was discovered in the secondary inspection area.

According to the complaint, the defendant stated that he had purchased the tiger for $300 from an individual he encountered walking a full-sized tiger on a leash in Tijuana. All species of tigers are listed as endangered under the Endangered Species Act, and are protected under Appendix I of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species. To legally import an endangered species into the United States requires a permit from the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service, and the importation must be accompanied by a Declaration Form 3-177 filed with Fish & Wildlife. According to the complaint, the defendant lacked the required permit and did not file the required declaration.

The Bengal tiger (Panthera tigris tigris) is the most populous subspecies of tiger. The Bengal tiger is native to India, Bangladesh, Nepal and Bhutan. According to the World Tiger Recovery Project, there are only 2,500 wild specimens on earth and the population of Bengal tigers is decreasing.

Valencia was released on a $10,000 personal surety bond and ordered to appear for a preliminary hearing on September 5, 2017, at 1:30 pm before U.S. Magistrate Judge Bernard Skomal.
(snip)

((A wrong way to get a pet AND a wrong pet...))

[Bluepinky]

1. I hope the little guy (cub) is placed somewhere where he can be treated well.

The man who bought the tiger cub is an idiot.

[JayhawkSD]

3. Right now he's at Safari Wild Animal Park, which is a great place to be.

Part of and run by the San Diego Zoo.

[Bluepinky]

6. I'm 😁

[JayhawkSD]

2. I saw this on the local news last night (San Diego)

The border guy said that all of the border personnel were having a great time and that everyone wanted to get in on the bust. Every member of the Border Patrol who came within fifty yards fell in love with the tiger cub. I can picture that.

We got pictures, and it was cute as all go to hell.

[catbyte]

4. Goddamned moron. I'm glad the little guy is safe & in good hands.

[Judi Lynn]

5. It's important that tigrito is going to be safe, given the right food, protected.

What kind of idiot thinks he/she can handle a growing big cat?

If they hadn't caught Valencia when they did, god knows what would have happened to this wee beastie.

[JayhawkSD]

7. Well, as I usually do, I got the name of the place wrong

He's at San Diego Zoo Safari Park.

It used to be Wild Animal Park, owned and operated by the San Diego Zoo. They changed it a decade or so ago, but I had been going to Wild Animal Park for too many years, and that name is planted in my aging brain. It is a wonderful place, even better that the Zoo itself.

My wife and I have had annual membership in San Diego Zoo for more than forty years. We thought about a lifetime membershi, which would cost a lot less, but we decided we would rather they get more money from our annual memberships.