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Trail of blood apparently led escaped tiger to victims
San Francisco Chronicle ^ | Dec 27, 2007 | Kevin Fagen, Jaxon Van Derbeken, Steve Rubenstein, Cecila Vega

Posted on 12/27/2007 6:35:20 AM PST by fignewton

San Francisco police are investigating the possibility that one of the victims in the fatal tiger mauling on Christmas Day climbed over a waist-high fence and then dangled a leg or other body part over the edge of a moat that kept the big cat away from the public, sources close to the investigation said Wednesday.

(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...


TOPICS: Local News; Pets/Animals
KEYWORDS: darwinawards; holdmuhbeer; sf; tiger; zoo
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To: Tijeras_Slim

Yeah, I was responding to someone else who brought up the “weak and sick” scenario when it comes to big cats. The tiger is a lot more aggressive than other big cats though, and it will look for any opening of any other creature.

I think I read Corbett’s book several (ok, many... man I’m old) years ago in college. He had a good understanding of the cats before he went out there. Kipling’s version of nature, not Disney’s.


181 posted on 12/27/2007 1:48:10 PM PST by Anitius Severinus Boethius
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To: driftdiver; All

Hearing on the radio the wall is only 12.5 feet tall. Add a leg hanging down and the tiger wouldn’t even have to jump.


182 posted on 12/27/2007 1:48:29 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: antivenom

You beat me.


183 posted on 12/27/2007 1:49:20 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: Krankor
These three guys drove 50 miles on Christmas day to go to the zoo?

I agree, this sounds like some stupid gang initiation rite. If so, the survivors should be sued for $1 million by the zoo.

184 posted on 12/27/2007 1:56:47 PM PST by Veto! (Opinions freely dispensed as advice)
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To: Tijeras_Slim; RedMonqey
"Well, long pig is slow, stupid, easy to catch, and doesn’t fight back well."

Yep. A pro shows how it's done.

185 posted on 12/27/2007 1:59:41 PM PST by spunkets ("Freedom is about authority", Rudy Giuliani, gun grabber)
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To: Judith Anne

Here’s an example of how a tiger can jump. The guy is riding an elephant.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HsD4h9IBGZs


186 posted on 12/27/2007 2:29:34 PM PST by driftdiver
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To: driftdiver

wow


187 posted on 12/27/2007 3:34:51 PM PST by RDTF
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To: Tammy8

Regards madam.


188 posted on 12/27/2007 5:00:09 PM PST by redstateconfidential (If you are the smartest person in the room,you are hanging out with the wrong people.)
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To: BurbankKarl

Harry Callahan partnered up with a Tiger, now thats Street Justice!


189 posted on 12/27/2007 5:11:07 PM PST by redstateconfidential (If you are the smartest person in the room,you are hanging out with the wrong people.)
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To: Go Gordon
re: As a parent, I'd hate to think that an indiscretion would cost someone's son his life. Its not like the kid raped a girl, knocked over a bank, or murdered someone. From all indications, he was teasing a tiger. Dumb - yes. Should it result in a death sentence - no.)))

As a consequence of nature's rough justice, as in the "sin of being stupid"--he got what was expected. But that's the same whether it's a tiger or driving too fast.

But if we're talking important justice and morality, I really cringe at some of the stuff I hear, like being mean to an animal ought to result in a death sentence.

People here show a reality disconnect, a Disneyfied fantasy. We use animals in many ways, to eat and wear, to hunt and fish, and even walk on in our homes.

Hey, we even trap and imprison them for our amusement!

This True Animal Love is, IMO, puerile, and an excuse to justify misanthropy. "If only people could be more like animals, who are pure and noble."

I also see it in people reluctant for whatever reason (like, they just can't stand children?) to have kids, so they lavish this exaggerated parenting on pets.

If the Tiger's taste of human blood meant a much more dangerous inhabitant of a zoo, then it should have been put down earlier. I don't know this to be true, it'd take someone who knows more about the big cats.

I think it more likely that the tiger had never chased or killed his own dinner, and jumped at the chance.

190 posted on 12/27/2007 5:21:33 PM PST by Mamzelle
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To: Mr. Brightside

“Remember that dramatic, tragic news involving animals can upset young children.”

Better not read them any stories like Red Riding Hood, Goldilocks, Billy Goats Gruff, The Three Little Pigs, and all of the Grimm Brothers’ tales.

By all means avoid exposure to the old Bugs Bunny Cartoons!


191 posted on 12/27/2007 5:27:22 PM PST by Palladin (Cackle..cackle..cackle. Hillary laid another egg.)
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To: Mamzelle

Once again, I think you’re projecting a lot of argument that just isn’t here. No one is saying we should should have just pushed the kids in with the cats as punishment for taunting, practically no one is even arguing the cat killing wasn’t justified. As for people not liking children and loving animals more?? Seems you’re carrying some baggage around looking for someone to dump it on... hope you find the right target but he/she isn’t here.


192 posted on 12/27/2007 5:31:57 PM PST by HairOfTheDog
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To: spunkets

It will make a good case to fictionalize for the CSI TV show.


193 posted on 12/27/2007 5:32:18 PM PST by Palladin (Cackle..cackle..cackle. Hillary laid another egg.)
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To: Go Gordon

“From all indications, he was teasing a tiger. Dumb - yes. Should it result in a death sentence - no.”

Just goes to show one cannot choose the consequences of a choice.

If one does not want to get burnt - don’t play with fire.


194 posted on 12/27/2007 6:52:14 PM PST by dynoman (Objectivity is the essence of intelligence. - Marylin vos Savant)
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To: fignewton

When I see the news footage I find it interesting that the dead tiger is laying there covered up. Why is the tiger’s body covered up? Did they think we can’t handle seeing it?


195 posted on 12/27/2007 7:01:18 PM PST by A knight without armor
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To: driftdiver
Don’t know about tigers, but i personally witnessed a bobcat jump on a house. It was 10 ft from where the cat was standing to the edge of the roof. He was after one of my peacocks. Seen leopards on TV jump 10+ ft up into a tree, with 80 to 100 pounds of impala in it’s jaws. it would surprise me to see a cat as big as a tiger make a 20ft jump.
196 posted on 12/27/2007 7:59:10 PM PST by Dusty Road
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To: driftdiver
I understand, but he would have to jump over 15 feet of moat plus 20 feet of wall, in one leap. The 15 feet is the width of the moat, not the depth.

That kid was at one time on ground level with the cat, according to tracks found in the enclosure. Yet he made it back up the wall and a cats a damn sight better climber than a man.

197 posted on 12/27/2007 8:04:28 PM PST by Dusty Road
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To: Badeye
The Zoo has a responsibility here that cannot be avoided. Where were the Zoo keepers? The security staff? How did they GET INTO the ‘pen’ without being noticed? Thats 100% on the Zoo.

The keepers were probably working--cleaning, feeding, training( themselves and the animals), attending meetings, giving lectures, building and repairing things and generaly filling an eight hour day with manual labor. They do not have the time to stand around gaurding exhibits. As for security--most zoos have none at all. Those that do have generally one or two cops on duty on a normal day.

198 posted on 12/27/2007 8:06:16 PM PST by Americanchild
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To: Judith Anne
Millions of people probably walked by that enclosure and saw the tiger safely.

No. They were not safe.

They only had the illusion of safety

What we saw demonstrated was that the only reason the tiger had not gotten out before was that it hadn't wanted to badly enough

199 posted on 12/27/2007 8:45:05 PM PST by PapaBear3625
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To: muawiyah

The Old testament says that any animal that kills a man must be put to death...good thing there weren’t some of these goofy animal-loving Freepers around then, they’d have told the Priests how wrong they were for listening to God’s Law and killing an animal that killed a man!

Sheesh!

Ed


200 posted on 12/27/2007 9:32:01 PM PST by Sir_Ed
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