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Tiger grotto wall shorter than thought, may have contributed to escape and fatal attack (SF Zoo)
sfgate.com ^ | December 27, 2007

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 ...


TOPICS: Local News
KEYWORDS: tiger; zoo
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To: CindyDawg

To San Franciscans, the only issue is whether they exceed government standards. Afterall, the government is always right.


41 posted on 12/27/2007 3:11:48 PM PST by Brilliant
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To: Shermy

John Edwards has channeled the deceased tiger—and, if he wasn’t running for president, there would be SF zoo that would pay for the wrongful death of a tiger!


42 posted on 12/27/2007 3:12:14 PM PST by Keli Kilohana (Editor, ZARR CHASM CHRONICAL [sic], Sore, WV)
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To: All
Look at this. The guy who "wrote the book" on zoo animal barrier heights, Ronald Reuther, was a former director of the SF Zoo.
43 posted on 12/27/2007 3:12:35 PM PST by Royal Wulff
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To: Shermy

“Hey Bob, is that wall 12 feet or 20 feet? Looks kinda short from here.”

“So, you wanna go in and measure it?”

“You’re right. Looks like 20 feet.”


44 posted on 12/27/2007 3:13:49 PM PST by Larry Lucido (Hunter 2008)
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To: alisasny

Who cares how wide the moat is? It’s dry, for one thing. And for another, there’s a set of stairs leding down into it.


45 posted on 12/27/2007 3:13:49 PM PST by Royal Wulff
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To: Berlin_Freeper
The people of SF can’t even run a zoo, yet they insist on trying to dictate how to run the country.

Annals of Great Taglines nomination!

46 posted on 12/27/2007 3:14:22 PM PST by Albion Wilde ("Whatever enables us to go to war, secures our peace." —Thomas Jefferson)
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To: michigander

“statements to The Chronicle that the victims may have dangled a limb over the animal’s enclosure,”

“may have”

Zoo cover story.

I wonder if the moat was 20 feet deep in the past, but the moat was filled in over the years for some water drainage problems or the like..


47 posted on 12/27/2007 3:16:01 PM PST by Shermy
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To: RGSpincich

That tiger was thinking outside the bun and ran for the border.


48 posted on 12/27/2007 3:16:23 PM PST by Zuben Elgenubi
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To: BerryDingle

“Messin’ with Sasquatch”


49 posted on 12/27/2007 3:16:54 PM PST by Diggity
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To: 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.

The American Feline Liberties Association is incensed by this attack on feral self-esteem.

50 posted on 12/27/2007 3:17:33 PM PST by Albion Wilde ("Whatever enables us to go to war, secures our peace." —Thomas Jefferson)
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To: Popman; Zuben Elgenubi

A follow up caller said to vote for Ron Paul as he would get us out of Africa and tigers would have no reason to attack.

(I know, tigers are from Asia. I SAID it was a Ron Paul supporter!)


51 posted on 12/27/2007 3:18:02 PM PST by Larry Lucido (Hunter 2008)
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To: HairOfTheDog
looking at the photo, why couldn't the cat jump up on the ridge at the side and amble over to the viewing area? It looks like there's a metal fencing or braces on the side to prevent that, but right at the corner by the tree I wonder if it could've made a jump then got out.

too bad there's no security video.

52 posted on 12/27/2007 3:22:16 PM PST by Dick Vomer (liberals suck....... but it depends on what your definition of the word "suck" is.,)
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To: Brilliant
Well I'm trying not to place much emphasis on where the zoo is located since there are probably still a few kids there that like to go "see the animals", but you will most likely get to see the Zoo punished.

Maybe there is a design flaw. Maybe someone tried to retrieve something dropped or was goofing around. Right or wrong the zoo will still end up paying. I've never seen or heard of OSHA coming out and not fining for something. Then there will be damage claims. Finally, the "for the children" scardy cats will try to ban Tigers probably. 1 dead and 2 injured. The cat put down. It's sad all around.

53 posted on 12/27/2007 3:22:41 PM PST by CindyDawg (.)
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To: Joe 6-pack
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.

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.

An examination of the tiger's body also revealed a significant amount of concrete in its back paws..

The minimum standard for a tiger enclosure is 16'-4".

SF zoo officials in huge trouble.

Deservedly so.

54 posted on 12/27/2007 3:23:35 PM PST by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: Shermy

” 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,”


As a contractor, I know how hard it can be to pin a measurement down, sometimes we argue for hours, is it 12’ or 20 feet? I have seen grown men cry, it is soooo hard.


55 posted on 12/27/2007 3:28:03 PM PST by ansel12 (Washington:I cannot tell a lie,Clinton:I cannot tell the truth,Romney:I cannot tell the difference.)
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To: Xenalyte
That’s exactly what I thought. How hard is it to go in and measure a fence? It’s not exactly rocket science.

Reporters don't carry tape measures.

Because they don't know how to use them...

56 posted on 12/27/2007 3:32:58 PM PST by okie01 (THE MAINSTREAM MEDIA: Ignorance on Parade)
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To: okie01; HairOfTheDog

Huh. Maybe they got their data from FreeRepublic .;’) We have numbers flying all over the place. We have a diagram. We have a tape measure. Now we just need someone to go into the “Tiger’s” den and measure. Oh, Mz. Hair........:’)


57 posted on 12/27/2007 3:41:51 PM PST by CindyDawg (.)
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To: heywoodubuzzoff

*** 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 the Titanic had just the legal number of boats required.


58 posted on 12/27/2007 3:51:06 PM PST by Ruy Dias de Bivar (Only infidel blood can quench Muslim thirst-- Abdul-Jalil Nazeer al-Karouri)
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To: Larry Lucido; FNG
"wanna go in and measure it?”

That's why there's no I in team. Crew/team mentality is that everyone has to be involved in the process and while they're dickering around for a plan, the FNG lowers a plumb line and counts off the measurement.

Later, the FNG is let go during his probationary period. Common sense will not be tolerated.

59 posted on 12/27/2007 3:51:48 PM PST by Deaf Smith
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To: Shermy

I feel better now. I’m not the only one explaining why it’s shorter than expected.


60 posted on 12/27/2007 4:06:10 PM PST by MARTIAL MONK
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