Tiger grotto wall shorter than thought, may have contributed to escape and fatal attack (SF Zoo)

sfgate.com ^ | December 27, 2007

[sierrahome]

I wonder if my mother in law likes zoos...

[Diggity]

Our goverment at work.

John

[HairOfTheDog]

Posted on another thread... obviously the quoted numbers are now up for debate...

[Popman]

A caller stated that George Bush cut back on fencing expense at this zoo, so thereby Bush is responsible.

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?

[UCANSEE2]

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.

[Recon Dad]

Gee....All NBA players can jump 12 ft :-)

You’re pushing the envelope on that call.

[RGSpincich]

The confusion over the height of the wall probably stems from the fact that there aree two walls in question. One at the front of the exhibit that seperates the dry moat from the visitors, a straight wall. The other wall surrounds the exhibit on three sides and could be used by the tiger to access the visitor area if it could be scaled.

[Brilliant]

San Franciscans will lie about anything. Even things that are easily proven otherwise.

[Brilliant]

Yep. Looks like the zoo officials are struggling to come up with a legal defense.

[PAR35]

Come on folks, this is San Francisco. 20 feet or 12 feet, it is more important that the construction crew felt good about their work. Imposing rigid standard of measurements are counterproductive to producing a modern ego. And isn’t that what counts theses days? /snide

I thought maybe they used New Orleans or Boston contracting standards.

[Xenalyte]

That’s exactly what I thought. How hard is it to go in and measure a fence? It’s not exactly rocket science.

[Shermy]

“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.

[CindyDawg]

It reads like that they still exceeded government standards.

[Mr. Brightside]

They also found that, contrary to numbers they had on file, the moat was 33 feet wide, which is sufficient to meet national standards.

Another story mentioned that the moat was dry, NOT filled with water.

[BerryDingle]

shoeprint was also found on the railing of the waist-high fence surrounding the grotto

And the zoo was already closed. Almost a classic "hey bubba, hold mah beer and watch me tick off this tiger" alert.
Reminds me of that video from Africa: "Never poke A Big Cat in the Face with a Stick" title.

[kinghorse]

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.

[Brilliant]

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.

[Fresh Wind]

I don’t know about tigers, but full-grown deer have no trouble with a 12 foot wall.

[michigander]

... statements to The Chronicle that the victims may have dangled a limb over the animal's enclosure, helping the 350-pound cat escape.

The victims deny that account. They only dangled a limb over the crocodile enclosure....

[Albion Wilde]

Come on folks, this is San Francisco. 20 feet or 12 feet, it is more important that the construction crew felt good about their work. Imposing rigid standard of measurements are counterproductive to producing a modern ego....

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