Posted on 12/25/2007 6:56:38 PM PST by Shermy
SAN FRANCISCO - A tiger escaped its cage at the San Francisco Zoo on Tuesday, killing one person and injuring two others, a newspaper reported.
The tiger was shot, San Francisco Fire Department spokesman Lt. Ken Smith told the San Francisco Chronicle. It was not immediately clear how the tiger escaped.
The zoo, which had been scheduled to close at 5 p.m. PST, was evacuated.
It was unclear whether the victim was a visitor or a zoo worker.
Police officers and firefighters are investigating.
Officials at first worried that four tigers had escaped, but only one escaped its pen, Smith said.
Last December, one of the zoo's tigers mauled a zookeeper during a regular public feeding. The 350-pound animal reached through the cage's iron bars and badly lacerated her arm. The zoo's Lion House was temporarily closed during an investigation.
Obviously, the tiger thought it was safe because it was in a gun free city. I'll refrain from further humor.
It’s the same tiger that attacked the keeper a year ago:
“The tiger that killed man and injured two others at the San Francisco Zoo today is the same big cat that attacked a zookeeper last year.
“Police say the Siberian tiger, named Tatiana, escaped from its pen and attacked three men outside a cafe at the east end of the zoo. The attack happened shortly after closing time.
“It’s not immediately clear how the tiger escaped.
“When officers arrived, they saw Tatiana on top of a victim. As they approached, the tiger moved towards them, and they shot and killed it.
“A year ago, Tatiana mauled a zookeeper during a regular public feeding. The 350-pound animal reached through the cage’s iron bars and badly lacerated her arm.
http://www.kron4.com/Global/story.asp?S=7541951&nav=menu130_2
A couple of years ago, a bunch of monkeys got drunk in the Los Angeles zoo. Those monkeys also smoke ciggies and pot. Guys just roll beer cans in there and joints and a cigarette lighters. Lazy ass monkeys.
“They encountered the tiger mauling a man who was covered in blood, said San Francisco Police Department Sgt. Steve Mannina. When officers tried to intervene, the tiger turned and headed toward them, prompting several officers to fire numerous shots at the tiger.”
So they weren’t going to shoot the tiger just because it was mauling someone, it had to turn on the cops themselves before they opened up on it.
WTF is that?
Dang, and here I was with the old Mod. 70 locked and loaded, with a can of 9 Lives in a bowl on t he front deck.
At least I have new respect for the S/W .40 round.
Imagine being a vibrant 20 something year old male, in the prime of life, cruising the SF zoo on Christmas when like a bolt from the blue what should appear and eat you alive? A Tiger, a Siberian Tiger.
This is Golden Compass material. What does it mean? Surely it’s a sign!
>> ...the tiger crouched in the corner of his exhibit, and when my sister tapped the glass he pounced at her hand. He’s the only one in there and I think he gets bored. <<
Maybe so, but actually, the cat is doing exactly what it is programmed to do - stalk the weakest among us, drag it by the face to a hiding place, rip its throat out, then kill and eat it. Google up “my niece vs a mountain lion” on YouTube. Read the post by “zimmerking”.
>> House cats...super sized.<<
Yeah, except your sister is the canary.
then a few minutes later a zoo spokesperson said "they have never had any problems with this tiger before"
.....then another zoo-keeper said they think it jumped over the moat and climbed a fence
And my wife is worried about me on visit to South Africa. Unreal indeed.
“Ban all tigers now!”
As far as I know ownership of Tigers is already highly restricted.
Go to the diner, then you’re the dinner!
Talk about a bad hair day...
“Tiger did what Tigers do! Shot him? SHAME ON THE HUMANS”
I’m glad you posted this. I was feeling guilty about my first response. The victims, I believe they were visitors to the zoo, were innocent of course but the tiger was doing what comes naturally.Very, very sad situation all around.
WTF is that?”
I think the SFPD was a little bit stunned to actually see a 300+ lb tiger out of its cage in the open. They self corrected fairly rapidly. The news story makes it sound like they wanted to try and negotiate with it. Poor writing on the reporters part.
I would not be surprised if a looney employee set the tiger free thinking he was doing what was morally right. SF and all of CA is such a lost cause and way beyond help.
I’m sure that some left-wing animal rights types will have something obnoxious to say about this, so I’m not ashamed of some of the humor expressed here.
San Francisco has a reputation as a messed up city.
I’m surprised the cops shot the tiger with bullets.
Will the cops get in trouble for doing it considering the leftist nonsense that prevails in SF?
He started with what he already knew, the gorilla habitat. it is still considered one of the best in the world.
He was proceeding with the rest of the zoo when DiFi decided she needed the money more for bribes to buy votes, particularly in the Castro, and confiscated much of the zoo’s money for the city general fund.
Sol fought back and was eventually forced out. The majority of the zoo, particularly the large cat facility, was never updated, at least not as Sol planned. Therefore this death can be laid at DiFi’s corrupt feet.
The only thing that surprised me when I read the story in the Chron was that the zoo itself doesn’t seem to have any weapons or way of dealing with an escaped dangerous animal. The employees had to call the police and otherwise couldn’t do anything but lock themselves into the gift shop.
Course, hole?
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