Tiger Spotting In Knoxville, Tennessee Results In Lookout Alert For Residents

Knoxville, Tennessee residents are on a lookout alert for a big cat. A tiger is on the loose.

A tiger that was spotted by a Knox County Sheriff’s Office Deputy in the Forks of the River Industrial Park on Wednesday night. The Sherriff’s Office announced that their patrol units are working with Animal Control, Air Watch, Tenessee Wildlife Resources Agency, and representatives from Tiger Haven, a big cat sanctuary.

The Sheriff’s Office announced the lookout alert late Wednesday night. At the time, they said no other sightings had been reported, but they have received plenty of overnight calls.

Multiple calls were made overnight claiming the tiger was seen around John Sevier Highway near Thorngrove Pike and on Bales Lane. At 7 a.m. on Thursday morning, a tiger sighting was reported near Thorngrove Pike in Knoxville, WVLT reports.

It isn’t clear where the tiger came from. The Knox County Sheriff’s Office asked anyone with information on a missing tiger or who spots the animal to contact their office at 865-215-2243.

According to WFMY, Zoo Knoxville has confirmed that all of its tigers are accounted for.

The tiger had not been captured by 8 a.m. The Sheriff’s Office said the Tenessee Wildlife Resources Agency was leading the search.

Commenters on the Sheriff’s Facebook couldn’t help but make references to Netflix’s hit show “Tiger King.” The reality series followed the dramatic story of several big cat owners, including Joe Exotic and Carole Baskin.

“Is this another Joe Exotic stunt? Gonna need him out to capture the tiger?” one reader speculated.

“Someone call Carole Baskin!” one commenter wrote.

Another suggested that the deputy might get a nickname if a mistake was made. “That deputy had better hope that it wasn't just a big ol bobcat, or else he can expect a nickname like Tiger King throughout the rest of his law enforcement career,” he wrote.