Re: It’s only within guidelines if it prevents the tiger from getting out
Huh?
If the height was within the guidelines, the guideline may have been wrong, but said height was still within the prescribed height so it would be in fact “within the guidelines”
Get it?
You're missing the point of why these guidelines exist: to prevent the tiger from escaping and hurting somebody. Recommended height is 16.5 feet, because tigers can potentially clear something lower. You can get away with something lower if you do something else to limit the tiger. In this case, the SF zoo had a moat. Ever tried jumping out of a swimming pool? The water really limits how far you can go.
The SF zoo's moat was unfilled.
If the tiger got out, the enclosure was ipso facto substandard and inadequate.