By Miriam Raftery

July 2, 2018 (Boulevard) – East County Magazine spoke with two officials from California Fish & Wildlife Service today regarding their investigation into reported tiger sightings in San Diego’s East County. 

“We took the report very seriously,” says media specialist Peter Tira. “We believe it is a hoax.” 

Tira says U.S. Customs and Immigration Enforcement (ICE) notified the state Fish & Wildlife agency last week about a report of a possible full-grown tiger just north of the border.  Sheriff’s representatives previously told ECM that undocumented immigrants apprehended by Border Patrol agents under ICE claimed to have seen a tiger.