Remembering 'India': Tiger that briefly put Houston on edge dies

MURCHISON, Texas (KTRK) -- India the tiger, the feline known for wandering a west Houston neighborhood in 2021, has died, according to a statement from the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch.

The video above is from a previous report.
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According to the ranch, earlier this week, the 3-year-old tiger began not acting like himself and was less active, not reacting to his caregivers, or exploring his large habitat.

His vet and caregivers began closely monitoring him, even offering typically-attractive treats to entice him to take certain medications.

The ranch said its team made the decision to sedate India so the vet could investigate what caused the sudden change in his behavior. As the team gathered to begin the sedation, India passed away naturally before the procedure started.
Initial examinations revealed that India's intestinal tract allegedly contained an "abnormal portion" that is suggestive of cancer, causing his system to go septic. However, the ranch is awaiting the final lab results to determine if cancer was the ultimate cause or not.

"All who knew India are deeply saddened by this loss. We at Black Beauty Ranch were truly honored to provide him with the best care and life he deserved and the freedom to be a tiger and flourish into a wild animal. RIP amazing India. You will always be in our hearts," the ranch shared in a statement on Thursday.



Eyewitness News closely followed India's custodial saga ever since a video showing him roaming went viral in 2021.

Texas allows exotic animal ownership, but it's prohibited within Houston city limits.

Police identified Victor Cuevas as India's owner. Cuevas has since been sentenced to prison for shooting and killing a man at a shopping center in Fort Bend County back in July 2017.

ORIGINAL STORY: Murder suspect who was linked to tiger in west Houston has been arrested on evading charges
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At the time of the May 2021 video, Cuevas was out on a $125,000 bond for the murder charge.



After the viral video, Houstonians were put on alert because the tiger's whereabouts were unknown. Cuevas left the west Houston neighborhood, but was later found by police and arrested for evading. India, however, was nowhere to be found.

RELATED: 'Tiger man' Victor Cuevas sentenced to 18 years in prison for 2017 Fort Bend County murder


The saga ended when Cuevas' wife turned the tiger over to authorities. After that, India was transferred to his permanent home at the Cleveland Amory Black Beauty Ranch in east Texas.

Meanwhile, Cuevas is serving an 18-year sentence for the murder. Cuevas' attorney insisted his client didn't outright own India.

MORE ON VICTOR CUEVAS AND INDIA THE TIGER:
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How is India the tiger adapting to his new north Texas home?

Tiger's handler, who is accused of murder, reveals plans if he kept animal

How Linda McIngvale helped murder suspect's wife lead tiger to authorities

India the tiger safely transferred to North Texas animal sanctuary