Posted on 12/27/2007 2:35:00 PM PST by Shermy
The wall of a moat that surrounds the enclosure from which a 350-pound tiger escaped on Christmas Day was actually far shorter than San Francisco Zoo officials thought and what national standards recommend, authorities said today.
Zoo officials have gone back and forth on the grotto's measurements since Tuesday's attack, which killed 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. and seriously injured his friends. Relatives and public records identify the friends as brothers Paul Dhaliwal, 19, and Kulbir Dhaliwal, 23.
Earlier this week, zoo officials said the moat's wall was at least 20 feet tall. Today they said it was little over 12 feet. Officials have given at least five different measurements for the enclosure, which is surrounded by a moat, two walls on either side of the moat, a small patch of grass and then another waist-high fence. Experts say that the depth of the moat and height of the walls could have a large impact on the animal's ability to escape the enclosure...
..Zoo officials and police authorities today are backing off earlier statements to The Chronicle that the victims may have dangled a limb over the animal's enclosure, helping the 350-pound cat escape. But they would not rule it out.
At a news conference this morning at the zoo, officials said there was no shoe found in the enclosure. On Wednesday, unnamed sources had said that authorities found a shoe and blood on the grass inside the enclosure; today, Police Chief Heather Fong said there was no shoe found in the grotto. A shoe was discovered near where the third victim was attacked, she said; and a shoeprint was also found on the railing of the waist-high fence surrounding the grotto.
...An examination of the tiger's body also revealed a significant amount of concrete in its back paws..
(Excerpt) Read more at sfgate.com ...
Our goverment at work.
John
Wow, I'm so glad this guy pointed out how Bush is responsible. It's a relief to know the federal government is that concerned about all standards, even the fence high and moot distance of a tiger enclosure at a city Zoo and is willing to pay for it with our tax dollars.
Bush should be impeached over it.
I can sleep so much better now.
Is a < / S > tag even needed?
Yes, but can they stand on and jump off of water?? :^)
The picture I just saw, of the zoo’s tiger pit, shows a moat, but it has no water in it.
Gee....All NBA players can jump 12 ft :-)
You’re pushing the envelope on that call.
San Franciscans will lie about anything. Even things that are easily proven otherwise.
Yep. Looks like the zoo officials are struggling to come up with a legal defense.
I thought maybe they used New Orleans or Boston contracting standards.
That’s exactly what I thought. How hard is it to go in and measure a fence? It’s not exactly rocket science.
“San Franciscans will lie about anything.”
Except for the law enforcement who apparently would not play along with the zoo’s “shoe in the moat” alibi..
In the story it mentions the other two kids aren’t talking to the public. I wouldn’t, seeing how the zoo was trying to frame them, of sorts, via insinuation.
It reads like that they still exceeded government standards.
Another story mentioned that the moat was dry, NOT filled with water.
I figure these guys picked Xmas because they thought they could pull their jackass-esque stunt when there was a light staff and crowd. I’m sure there were laughs a plenty on the cell phone vid the SF detectives are sure to be passing around for laughs. Laughs and screams as the surviving two ran down the hall to the snack bar. This was stunt. My 2 cents.
Darwin gets his allotment and all is good. Except the tiger got short shrifted. But oh what a way for a lifetime imprisoned tiger to go.
By saying that the wall was only 12 feet high, they are denigrating the accomplishment of the tiger in jumping over it. They should be ashamed of themselves.
I don’t know about tigers, but full-grown deer have no trouble with a 12 foot wall.
The victims deny that account. They only dangled a limb over the crocodile enclosure....
Yes, and what harm is it to have the zoo open on Christmas Day, compelling workers to deal with an emergency instead of being with family?..... /sarc
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.