Officials take tiger from Centennial home

Man charged with possessing wildlife illegally

By Berny Morson, Rocky Mountain News (Contact)

Friday, December 21, 2007

Sonja Frick / Special to the Rocky

Officials from the Division of Wildlife and the Arapahoe County sheriff's office remove a Bengal tiger cub from the home of Patrick Michael on South Fillmore Circle in Centennial on Wednesday. The cat was taken to a licensed wildlife sanctuary at an undisclosed location.

Residents of a quiet block in Centennial suspected something that growls was living behind their neighbor's fence.

Wednesday afternoon, Division of Wildlife officers, backed by an Arapahoe County sheriff's office SWAT team, removed a Bengal tiger cub from the home of Patrick Michael on South Fillmore Circle.

The 4-month-old male weighed about 40 to 60 pounds, said Division of Wildlife spokeswoman Jennifer Churchill.

"It was a little guy," Churchill said.

It wouldn't have stayed that way. Tigers can grow to more than 400 pounds.

Churchill said the animal is considered dangerous to humans. They eat people only when other prey is not available, according to the World Book Encyclopedia.

Officers weren't sure where Michael got the tiger or why he was keeping it, but it might have been an exotic pet, Churchill said.

Michael is being charged with illegal possession of wildlife, which carries a fine of up to $1,000. He also faces up to $150 on lesser related charges. Michael could not be reached for comment.

The cat was taken to a licensed wildlife sanctuary at an undisclosed location.

Division of Wildlife officers had been watching Michael's house since November, when they first were contacted. Neighbors had sent a cell phone photo of the tiger. On Wednesday, police set up a perimeter around Michael's house. The DOW officers caged the cat without tranquilizing it.

Two veterinarians and the owner of the licensed wildlife facility helped, Churchill said.

morsonb@RockyMountainNews.com or 303 954-5209

About the Bengal

* Size: 240 to 500 pounds; head and body 5 to 6 feet long, tail 2 to 3 feet long

* Life span: eight to 10 years average in the wild

* Roar: can be heard as far as two miles

* Diet: carnivore

* Cubs: Females give birth to litters of two to six cubs, which they raise with little or no help from the male. Cubs cannot hunt until they are 18 months old and remain with their mothers for two to three years, then disperse to find their own territory.

• December 21, 2007

  8:18 a.m.

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