Fire consumes trailer in same mobile park where tiger cub was found

ALBUQUERQUE, N.M. – An overnight fire burned down a trailer in the same park where a tiger cub was found, according to Albuquerque fire crews. It was the second tiger case in the metro in just a few months. 

No one is confirming if it was the same trailer on fire or not. 

This past week a call about a bystander shot at a convenience store led to a trail of blood and a tiger cub inside a trailer. 

“I don’t know who’s that crazy to keep a tiger in one of the trailers.”

“That’s an exotic animal, and they shouldn’t have it.”

Police say they arrested someone on Zuni, but didn’t say if the tiger is connected when we asked again this weekend.

Now, the 20-pound Bengal tiger cub is safe and healthy at the Albuquerque zoo. It will eventually go to a reputable sanctuary. 

But another tiger is still missing.

This week we saw new body camera video from a search in August.

Officials think this one-year-old weighing 50-or-more pounds was in this northwest Albuquerque home.

Body camera shows the suspect talk to officers about the cub. 

“So, you guys are just looking for the tiger, basically? We’re looking for information on the tiger. He’s not here anymore, man. He’s gone.”

Officials wanted a tiger, but they got an alligator, guns, and pounds of heroin and cocaine.

Experts say you can trace the cute cubs directly to powerful drug cartels which use some as killing machines.

“They would use animals to torture or kill their rival gang members,” said Mike Vigil, a former DEA agent. 

Vigil says these cases are definitely tied to cartel members, and there are probably more tigers hiding in homes in the metro.