Police examining items for signs tiger was taunted

CNN ^ | 1/3/2008 | CNN

[Red in Blue PA]

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- Police are investigating whether several items found in the enclosure of a tiger who fatally mauled a 17-year-old man show that the animal was attacked or taunted, San Francisco Zoo spokesman Sam Singer said Wednesday.

Police are examining a large rock, a tree branch and other items, Singer said.

"They [police] are trying to make a determination that those items or any other things that happened on Christmas Day were part of some attack on the tiger or something that angered Tatiana, causing her to come out of her cage," the spokesman said.

San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong has said that a shoe print found on the railing at the tiger enclosure is being examined to determine if one of the victims climbed over the rail or threw their leg over the side.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“why did they have the moat?”
Read my #109. It sorta makes the fence/wall higher. Moat is more of a convenient word than an accurate word.

[Cheburashka]

There are other zoos with 12.5 feet. One bit of advice is you dont use a slingshot to whip stones at a tiger while standing on an enclosure rail while drunk on vodka. For example.

---

If a tiger can get out of a 12.5 foot moat, the enclosure is unsafe. What if one day the tiger is watching and decides he wants to have a four-year-old as a snack for no more reason than he can?

No sympathy for the punks in this case.

[brothers4thID]

Disturbingly enough, the walls at the national Zoo in DC are only 9 feet. Here, however, the moat has eight feet of water in it...

[dmz]

“why did they have the moat?”
Read my #109. It sorta makes the fence/wall higher. Moat is more of a convenient word than an accurate word.
_________

Moat sounds much better than pit.

[microgood]

If those kids hadn’t taunted this animal, nothing would have happened - regardless of the height of the enclosure. For that Hanna is an expert and you are NOT.

Are you saying that Hanna can predict the behavior of a wild animal in advance? If Hanna is right, there must no longer be a difference between domesticated and wild animals. There sure was when I was growing up.

[New Girl]

I think the time and place for zoos has come and gone. Many people aren’t respectful towards the animals or even the other patrons. At the zoo here in DC, half of the patrons belong in the cages based on their behavior. Why subject the animals to this?

[LYSandra]

I heard on Fox they had slingshots on them and that a bottle of vodka was in their car. The two are gearing up for a lawsuit. The ambulance chaser Geragos called them to represent them! I was wondering if the dead kid fell in and the other two opened a door to help get him out. If they had been drinking he may have fell in or something,.

[knuthom]

I suspect that these men did taunt the tiger. But I don’t think it should have been a capital crime. No matter what they did, the tiger should not have been able to escape.

[Mad Dawgg]

"As for “recommended”r “suggested guidelines” they are just that - NOT REQUIREMENTS. With the CRIMINAL track record and their hostility towards those trying to help them in the ambulance and later not cooperating even after they knew one was dead .... tell me something. They’re no “victims”."

Well those are alleged facts not facts (Unless there is video or audio evidence then its "he said/she said" Not saying it isn't true its just not concrete being that witnesses testimony is flakey even at the best of times)

However, everyone should consider this, say these guys DID taunt the Tiger and it thusly escaped the supposedly adequate enclosure, and further place yourself at the scene with a young child who is under your care, and you happen to walk by not knowing someone has taunted the Tiger and it proceeds to get out and dicides that other humans besides the taunters look tasty also.

Do you think a Higher Fence/Enclosure is in order? Or do you want to continue to roll the dice for innocent bystanders who don't taunt Tigers but can be near some idiiots who do?

My vote is higher/better enclosures because not only are animals unpredictable but so are Humans!

[MizSterious]

Sometimes stupidity IS a capital crime. It would have been so if they had played chicken with a freight train. Few here would blame the freight train and the railroad as they have the tiger, though.

[Dr. Bogus Pachysandra]

“the other two opened a door “
I can’t imagine that there’s unlocked public access into a tiger “pit!”
Two of them have very muslim-sounding names, btw.

[SpringheelJack]

This lady was there with her husband and two kids. She said her kids were disturbed by the thugs’ behavior.

No she didn't, as it happens. What the kids themselves thought about it she didn't say. Precision may not matter to you, but it does to me, and you can't claim "witnesses" when only one witness is coming forward to vouch for it.

This never would have happened had the zoo done their job and maintained an enclosure the tiger could not escape from. It's the fact too many people are trying to escape from.

[SALChamps03]

I don’t think it matters whether the tiger was taunted. He escaped. Someone didn’t do their job.

[SpringheelJack]

If you beleiev it was, you need a better dictionary.

My dictionary spells "believe" correctly, so I think I have a lead on you.

[SALChamps03]

Rumor is these jerks used a sling shot to taunt the tigers.

Rumors are not facts.

[CDHart]

None from me either. They sowed what they reaped, IMO.

Carolyn

[CDHart]

The tigers and the enclosure have been there for many years without incident. If these guys had left the animal alone, this wouldn't have happened.

Carolyn

[MizSterious]

Try reading the article. "The lion was bristling, so I just said, 'Come on, let's get out of here' because my kids were disturbed by it."

[microgood]

Animals attack when they're provoked. Since you have no idea what in your behavior may provoke them, it's better to stay away from them.

I would characterize that as saying they are unpredictable, at least by humans.

Here is an example:

Five of America's Most Dangerous Wild Animals - How to Beware!

[poinq]

Two of the victims were eating in a cafeteria 100 yards away. Inside. This tiger is not a homing tiger that mauls anyone the taunts him and leaves the rest alone. Remember this is the same tiger that took off the hand that fed him.

The zoo is at fault. It did not protect its patrons, or the citizens of the city, or its employees, or the tiger itself which is now dead.

Taunt or no taunt, the tiger should not be able to get over the wall. And the zoo should protect the tiger against abuse anyway.