Couple receives tiger cub after online ordering special kitten

A couple got a shock of their life when they discovered what they received was a tiger cub after they ordered the kitten through an online advertisement and paid for it on delivery.

They paid 6,000 euros (£5,450) to buy a ‘Savannah cat’. The French couple said they grew suspicious about the animal after taking care of it for a week. When they called the cops, investigation revealed the animal was a Sumatran tiger cub.

The Sumatran tiger (Panthera tigris sondaica) is a protected species of big cat and is prohibited for private ownership. The Savannah, on the other hand, can be accepted as a pet. According to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) a tiger cannot even be transported without paperwork.

After the case has come to the light, the couple and nine other suspects have been arrested for trafficking of protected species. While others who were involved in this incident are facing the charge of being involved in organised crime.

The cub is in good health and was handed over to the French Biodiversity Office, however, the location was not revealed.