MURCHISON, Texas — India, the tiger who made national headlines in 2021 after he was spotted walking around a yard in a west Houston neighborhood, has died, according to the ranch where India was living.
"We wanted to share this heartbreaking news with our incredible supporters who have been following India’s story from the day we took him in from the streets of Houston in 2021 where he was roaming in the neighborhood where he was kept as a pet," the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch posted to Facebook.
According to the ranch, India had not been acting like himself so a veterinarian, along with other staff members, started to closely monitor him, even offering him his usually irresistible treats to get him to take some medications.
When that didn't work, the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch said staff members agreed to sedate him so a veterinarian team could examine and investigate what was causing his behavior change, but before India started sedation, he passed away naturally.
"The initial findings for his cause of death indicated that India's intestinal tract had an abnormal portion that is suggestive of cancer and his system went septic. We will not know for sure whether cancer was the ultimate cause until final lab results come back to us in several weeks," the ranch said.
India has been living at the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in Murchison, Texas since May 2021.
Before making his way to the ranch, there was a manhunt for India after he was spotted roaming the front yard of a west Houston neighborhood.
India's owner at the time, Victor Cuevas, allegedly took off with him after police were called, which led to India being missing for six days.
Even Tiger King star Carole Baskin joined the hunt for India. She offered a $5,000 reward to help find him.
Eventually, India was turned over to the police, with the help of Mattress Mack's wife, Linda McIngvale, who assisted in arranging the transfer. India was unharmed and in good health. He was then taken to Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch where we were told he was adjusting fine to his new home.