Philanthropist Sylivia Mantella (pictured), from Canada, co-founded the zoo alongside the Tabraues in 2010
Posted on 10/07/2014 8:14:48 AM PDT by dennisw
The owner of the facility, Mario Tabraue, has an up-to-date permit to keep wild animals in captivity.
The big cat that mauled the worker remained secure in his cage during the incident.
‘He approached the cage and put his hand in, and the tiger bit his thumb off,’ property manager Whitney Burbank told WESH-TV. ‘There are signs on the cage that say, “Do not approach the cage."’
Happened at Zoological Wildlife Foundation west of Jupiter, Florida
Privately owned zoo is home to at least nine big cats, four tigers; visitors are allowed to interact with the animals
The habitat was founded by Mario Tabraue who was sentenced in 1989 to 100 years in prison, but he served only 12 after turning informant Tabraue and his father were arrested in 1987 by the FBI as part of Operation Cobra targeting his cocaine and cannabis smuggling ring
According to Florida Fish and Wildlife, the incident took place just before 2pm Monday when the victim allegedly stuck his hand into a cage housing a tiger at the Zoological Wildlife Foundation west of Jupiter.
Palm Beach County Fire and Rescue responded and found the construction worker with severed thumb.
The state wildlife agency said they have never received any complaints about the privately funded and operated zoo, which is home to at least nine big cats, four of them tigers.
Visitors to the zoo are encouraged to interact with the animals in the vast collection, which includes an alligator, different types of monkeys, birds, two different kinds of anteater, a fox and other exotic creatures.
One visitor to the zoo, 'Jen B', wrote on review website Yelp that she got to play with two monkeys, feed two baby tigers and even had a baby grizzly bear suck on her thumb
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
Here kitty kitty...nice kitty kitty ..... Took place in Florida where temperatures are high and IQs low
Ouch , just like voting Democrat
Obviously the worker cannot read....
Who would have guessed that putting your hand in a tiger’s cage would turn out badly?
Human devolution in action.
Idiots seem to believe caged big cats are ‘tame’ for some reason and try to pet them.
Maybe this is him.
Did the tiger eat it or spit it out?
Likely sign not written in Cuban/Spanish or whatever.
“Palm Beach County Fire and Rescue responded and found the construction worker with severed thumb.”
They “found” him?!? Was he hard to spot...
Not to be Captain Obvious here but I would assume one would just look for for the guy with the really stupid expression on his face and a pool of blood beneath him going, eeeeewwwww, oooowwww, eeeeewwwww, oooowwww. But then again...
Philanthropist Sylivia Mantella (pictured), from Canada, co-founded the zoo alongside the Tabraues in 2010
Hold my beer and watch this...
Put him on the wait list for a Darwin.
Depends on if the Tiger was named Daumer!
Tiger is OK..
he spat out the thumb in time..
So many unusual stories come out of Florida.
“Keep the tip!”
Well, thatz cute, Darwin.
Why not put the thing in his eye too?
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