Human Role Not Ruled Out in Tiger Attack

MyWay/Drudge ^ | 12-26-2007 | robertson

[wardaddy]

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The big cat exhibit at the San Francisco Zoo was cordoned off as a crime scene Wednesday as investigators tried to determine whether a Siberian tiger that killed a visitor escaped from its high-walled pen on its own or got help from someone, inadvertent or otherwise.

Police shot the 300-pound animal to death after a Christmas Day rampage that began when the tiger escaped from an enclosure surrounded by what zoo officials said are an 18-foot wall and a 20-foot moat. Two brothers who also were visiting the zoo were severely mauled.

Police Chief Heather Fong said the department has opened a criminal investigation to "determine if there was human involvement in the tiger getting out or if the tiger was able to get out on its own."

Police said they have not ruled anything out, including whether the escape was the result of carelessness or a deliberate act.

(AP) Tatiana, a female Siberian tiger that killed one person and injured two others, is seen in the lion... Full Image

Fong said officers were gathering evidence from the tiger's enclosure as well as accounts from witnesses and others.

One zoo official insisted the tiger did not get out through an open door and must have climbed or leaped out. But Jack Hanna, former director of the Columbus Zoo and a frequent guest on TV, said such a leap would be an unbelievable feat, and "virtually impossible."

"There's something going on here. It just doesn't feel right to me," he said. "It just doesn't add up to me."

[Raebie]

That was my point. While I feel terrible that this beautiful animal was killed, she was in the act of mauling a man. Which is why she was justifiably shot dead.

[Fawn]

I’ll have to get back to you on that.

[HairOfTheDog]

Even my fat old blind tom cat could jump up onto my desk, so if it’s just a question of scale, I imagine a tiger would have quite a leap on her.

But I’d also think zoos have been designed with that in mind... and it would still be a remarkable feat, or a remarkable design flaw in the compound.

[kaycee]

My son’s family recently adopted a small dog and took him to my daughter’s yesterday. She has had a cat for some time and when the dog and cat met, I told them to be very careful, because that cat could have done serious damage to the dog. They did put a leash on the dog. Whoopee!
Never understood the people who don’t realize animals are just that. Never know what they may do.

[wardaddy]

Sorry...I don’t place humans above animals as a rule...call me Old School

if someone let that cat loose, they deserve the second degree murder charges or worse

a nervous scared tiger will kill anyone ...not just someone alleged to have taunted it

[cinives]

Becaus the cat would have had to leap 18 ft out of a (I believe) 4 ft deep moat, or leap 20 ft across and up 18 ft.

Imagine your normal jump - 3-4 ft ? Then imagine jumping the same height from a 4 ft deep pool. Could you jump the same 3-4 ft ? No.

There are safety standards for the construction of tiger enclosures, and this one was apparently built to these standards.

[RGSpincich]

There is a vegetation lined wall that wraps around the exhibit, it skirts the moat and highwall safety feature. If the tiger was able to scale it and negotiate a lightweight railing, it would lead to tiger to the main people walkway.

[StormEye]

""There's something going on here. It just doesn't feel right to me," he said. "It just doesn't add up to me."

There is something going on here. The Zoo is trying cover it's A$$.

[razorback-bert]

If the big cats could jump out, you would think that they would have done so sooner.

[wardaddy]

Fox is just saying blood trail inside wall and footprint...and whoever upthread who said at the time the cat may have grabbed that kid to propel over the wall might be the case

but how did that kid get back out?

hmmmm

[wardaddy]

Blaming the victim is lib media creed...even if the perp isn’t a biped

[Smittie]

>>Were the kids allegedly reckless? yes if they taunted the cat

Did they deserve to die for that?<<

The tiger thought so. Actions have consequences & these punks learned the hard way. Unfortunately the tiger lost its' life as well, but it was just being a tiger.

I guess you can list me as one of the heartless on here. I felt for the kids until the real story started to come out. They brought this on themselves, why should anyone feel sorry for them?

[kaycee]

Never liked zoos. Unnatural for any animal. Have memories of seeing lions crowded into small cages which I suppose they don’t do anymore. Elephants in zoos really bother me, so I avoid ever going.

[wardaddy]

71 posts and you are the first who appears to be roughly on same page as I

unusual forum here..lol

[Defiant]

There are almost no threads at FR anymore that don’t become about firearms, illegal immigrants or the Clintons. Not that I mind.

[Badeye]

Yep, same here, and Cincinnati has a world class Zoo.

I felt the same way this past summer at the MGM Grand in Vegas, with their Lion exhibit in the lobby.

[HairOfTheDog]

but how did that kid get back out?

I think that's the biggest mystery so far. If under his own power, who follows a tiger out who just used you as an escape ladder? If dragged by the cat, there'd be much more than just a shoe left behind and what caused the cat to abandon him? The other kids, perhaps? Were these three the only ones in the park? Are there no other witnesses?

[wardaddy]

My white cat I mentioned used to bully the next door neighbor’s Lab.

not so with our Dobie....we had to “keep em separated”

[wardaddy]

added to heartless list as per request

but you’re not completely heartless, you do mourn the poor kitty cat..

[Girlene]

It’s almost phyla and class species-speak meant to sound clinical and keep “humans” at no better than par with lions and tigers and bears, oh my. Good one.