Bengal tiger on the loose eludes police

Soldiers, sheriff’s deputies hunt La. woods for second day

Get weird & wonderful news on Twitter

Looking for more strange and fun stories and oddball videos? Follow @msnbc_wow.

Video: Weird news

Yes Virginia, there is a Santa penguin
Dec. 9: Japanese Santa penguins, Polish Santa bikers and Hungarian Santa bathers take to the streets in celebration of the holiday season. Msnbc's David Schuster has the latest.

$1 million home raffle winner ruffled by tax bill

Tiny dancers trapped in fractured float

Phony hydrant hoses fireplug painters

Razorbacks busted for selling gators

Lost dog is deserted isle survivor

Cops turn robbers in Paris

Slideshow

Guinness World Records
See the biggest rubber band ball, oldest bungee jumper, longest ear hair and much more.

more photos

Discuss odd news on Newsvine

Man found on couch with teddy bear, gets DUI

Two Romance Language Instructors caught by janitor having naked romp in Highschool Classroom

Sexual rights group renames female hymen

Here's a tip, Starbucks: Praise a courageous employee

Florida Woman Accused of Attacking Boyfriend With Raw Meat

Get even more oddness on Newsvine!

updated 11:57 a.m. ET Sept. 1, 2004

FORT POLK, La. - A Bengal tiger on the loose in the thick brush surrounding an Army base is winning a game of hide and seek.

About 40 soldiers and sheriff’s deputies searched the woods in Fort Polk for a second day Wednesday.

It was unclear where the animal came from, but it’s likely that it was a pet that escaped or was set free, said Leslie Whitt, director of the Alexandria Zoo, who assisted in the search. Several witnesses said the animal was wearing a collar.

Story continues below ↓

advertisement | your ad here

Scott Heinrich, a consultant who was brought in to track the tiger, said he and others scanned the woods from a helicopter Tuesday but did not see the tiger. They continued their search on the ground, he said.

Based on witness descriptions, the tiger is probably about 100 pounds and a year old, Whitt said.

“It probably has no experience whatsoever in killing anything, catching it and eating it,” Whitt said. “It’s probably just freaked out and looking for a way back to where it belongs.”

Heinrich said he was armed with a dart gun and would try to tranquilize the animal.

The tiger was first spotted Friday near a Fort Polk gas station by Robert McElroy, who is retired from the Army. McElroy said he first thought it was a bobcat, but then recognized it as a tiger and saw its collar.

McElroy said he immediately reported it to military police.

“At first I didn’t believe it, and I am not sure if they did, but they did call for someone to come and look for it,” McElroy said.