SAN ANTONIO — A Facebook post claiming a tiger was spotted at Espada Park in south San Antonio has been shared nearly a thousand times Tuesday, but it isn't true—and the photos included in the post were in fact circulated in other similar false claims.
The post is by a Facebook user who says he lives in San Antonio and includes three photos clearly taken at a distance that appear to show a tiger lying in shallow water next to tall vegetation.
"Tiger spotted at Espada Park (San Antonio TX), y'all be careful out there," the post reads, adding there's a $10,000 reward for anyone "who ever can catch it or have information on where this tiger is located."
A simple reverse image search, however, reveals the photo has been shared in multiple similar posts over the last few years, each alleging there's a $10,000 reward but providing no official confirmation from local authorities. By right-clicking on the photo and selecting "Search image with Google" on your desktop, you're also able to see various headlines debunking the alleged tiger sighting.
In May 2019, for instance, various local news media in Laredo confirmed there had been no sightings of tigers in the area after someone claimed to have seen one in the Rio Grande.
The user who created the new Facebook post centered on San Antonio even admits he just shared the post and hadn't taken the pictures himself. Many who have commented are also calling it out for recycling false photos shared out of Laredo in 2019.
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