DOHA, Qatar, March 9 (UPI) -- Motorists on a busy stretch of highway in the capital of Qatar were shocked to discover an unusual traveler in traffic -- a tiger.
Highway travelers in Doha shared video and photos of the tiger on social media after the big cat, which had a chain around its neck, fell from the back of a truck traveling on the Doha Expressway during the Tuesday morning commute.
The photos and videos showed the tiger running through the lines of stopped cars in an apparent attempt to find its way off of the road.
One video shows the tiger being recaptured by its apparent owners and returned to the back of the truck. One of the men capturing the tiger pats it on the head like a house cat.
تظهر لقطات جديدة أن النمر سقط من شاحنةNew footage shows that the #tiger fell off from a truck :O poor thing 3:) #DohaTiger #Qatar Does anyone else know about the incident? تظهر لقطات جديدة أن النمر سقط من شاحنةVideo: @ilqlive #QatarDay
Posted by Qatar Day on Tuesday, March 8, 2016
#بالفيديو.. صاحب النمر الذي كان طليقا في طريق 22 فبراير يسيطر عليه بعد سحبه من تحت إحدى السيارات#قطر #الدوحة #الوطن pic.twitter.com/6yoNirbkQv
— الوطن (@al_watanQatar) March 8, 2016
Qatar's Interior Ministry tweeted in Arabic that the incident is under investigation.
The country's laws prohibit the keeping of wild animals as pets, but there has recently been a spike in complaints about illegal exotic pets including tigers, lions and cheetahs.
Okay ... now this is abnormal situation ... pic.twitter.com/Smv4rkzN6n
— محمد بن سعيد (@Swaiidz) March 8, 2016
@Adel__Almalki @AlrayyanTV @alsharq_portal @Qatar_Weather #هروب #نمر على خط #الشمال في #قطر pic.twitter.com/Yk3IG5Fksx
— عادل علي المالكي (@Adel__Almalki) March 8, 2016
