'White Tiger' Sitting On Maryland Highway Turns Out To Be A Lifelike Figurine Of The Predator

Authorities in Maryland received several reports from frantic motorists about a white tiger lounging on a wall near a highway over the weekend. But upon checking, they found out that it was actually a large, lifelike figurine of the big cat.

The figurine was first spotted on Saturday, perched atop a jersey wall near Montrose Road, which is near the highway in Rockville. A man who was driving on the interstate 270 dialed 911 to report the sighting, the Montgomery County Department of Police said in a statement.

The figurine, which sparked fear among locals, displayed the tiger's signature stripes and wore a relaxed expression on its face staring blithely at the passerby.

A Rockville City Police officer who responded to the site found that the tiger on the loose was "a large, lifelike, figurine," the department said in the statement.

How the figurine ended up near the highway remains unknown. Montgomery County Police Department already removed it from the site and took it to the police station, where it will stay from now on.

"How and why the tiger came to find himself on the interstate remains a mystery. We're happy to report that the tiger has been adopted by MCP's 1st District officers and has found a new perch at the station - where he is sure to only interrupt foot traffic," the department wrote in a tweet.

In December 2020, a coyote caused a wave of fear among officials at a Florida fire station after it was found wandering near a fire truck parked outside their office. The coyote got scared and ran its way back into the wild after the panicked firefighters ran in different directions upon spotting it.

The officials shared a photo of the coyote on Twitter, in which the animal can be seen strolling near the fire truck.