LAS VEGAS (AP) -- The tiger that injured Roy Horn of the duo "Siegfried & Roy" had been trying to help the illusionist after he slipped and accidentally harmed him by using too much force, says Horn's partner, Siegfried Fischbacher.
"A cat is a tiger and when he wants to protect his pal he does it the way a tiger does, with his strength," Fischbacher said in an interview broadcast Thursday on ABC's "Good Morning America." "But we are human; we are a little more fragile."
"The cat realized there was something wrong," he said. "Roy slipped, I run after, all my animal handlers run after, so he was just confused."
Fischbacher said Wednesday on CNN's "Larry King Live" that he had been standing backstage when Horn was wounded by the Royal White tiger named Montecore.
The illusionist tripped and the tiger lunged, grabbing Horn's arm, Fischbacher said. After Horn tried to free himself by hitting the tiger on the head with a microphone, the 600-pound animal took hold of his neck and then dragged him offstage. Show workers set off fire extinguishers backstage to distract the tiger, which then scurried to his cage.
Fischbacher said the tiger didn't intend to kill Horn. If that was the case, he said, "I wouldn't be here, Roy wouldn't be here."
Fischbacher hinted at a return to the stage if Horn recovers, saying the duo would "take a different path, I'm sure, but ... the show is our life."
The duo's manager Bernie Yuman told The Associated Press early Thursday that Siegfried would never continue to perform without his longtime partner. "It is Siegfried and Roy and that's the way it began and that's the way it will always be," he said.
"Siegfried & Roy" debuted in 1990 at The Mirage and earned the hotel-casino about $44 million in annual revenue. The show's 267 employees have been told to find new jobs.
Wednesday's interview with CNN was the first time that Fischbacher had talked to the American media since Horn, 59, was injured Friday before a sellout performance of 1,500. He gave an interview to the German daily Bild that was published Tuesday.
Fischbacher, 64, said Horn still can't talk but is communicating through hand signals - one gesture for "yes," two for "no."
"So we talk. ... and also with eye contact," he said. "When you are that long together ... he understood exactly what I was saying. I could see it in his face."
Horn remained in critical condition Wednesday at University Medical Center but has shown signs of improvement. Doctors said he moved his hands and feet during the weekend.
In an interview with The Associated Press, Fischbacher confirmed that Horn suffered a stroke after the attack but did not discuss Horn's injuries or whether Horn is expected to recover fully.
"We take it hour by hour, day by day," Fischbacher said.
Fischbacher spoke inside the "Jungle Palace," one of his Las Vegas homes that's dotted with exotic animal statues and filled with magic books.
No exotic animals were visible, just some house cats, a black palm Cockatoo and a 10-year-old French bulldog named Piaf.
The cat remains quarantined at the casino. The federal Agriculture Department is investigating.
You beat me too it. I was going to suggest they hire that friendly Alaskan Bear for their act.
Kind of reminds me of how my dad's finger "slipped" when he just happened to be pointing his gun at a dog that viciously attacked and mauled me when I was little.
I'm starting to wonder if all these over the board animal freaks grew up never having pets or animals around.
Oh Sure - Smack the Tiger on the nose with a microphone and he gets very helpful! What an idiot! If I got smacked on the nose with a microphone I would lash out too.
The guy's right. If the tiger wanted to kill the guy, he'd be dead.
"Fischbacher said the tiger didn't intend to kill Horn. If that was the case, he said, "I wouldn't be here, Roy wouldn't be here."
There is truth in this statement. Although all tigers are wild animals, this was a long-time companion and work mate which was raised from captivity. As another animal trainer pointed out on the O'Reilly Factor, Siegfried had gone through this routine thousands and thousands of times. But when working in a dangerous occupation, eventually the odds catch up with you.
Given the choice between a bear and a tiger, I'd take the tiger any day. They are far more predictable and less aggressive, in most situations - read "The Man-Eaters of Kumoun" by Jim Corbett. Corbett worked as a big game hunter in India killing man-eating tigers. He pointed out in his narrative that the animals he had to dispatch were, in effect, freaks - abberations. The overwhelming majority of tigers avoid people and fear us.
Not so grizzly bears.
http://www.circuses.com/cattacks.html Animal Attacks: Captive Felines
The following is a partial listing of incidents involving captive big cats since 1990. These incidents have resulted in the killing of 87 big cats, 53 human deaths, and more than 180 human injuries. Contact PETA for documentation.
October 3, 2003/Las Vegas, Nev.: While walking a tiger across the stage on a leash, Roy Horn of the Siegfried & Roy casino act was mauled and critically injured by a tiger during a show. The tiger bit Horn on the right arm, then lunged at him, bit him on the neck, and dragged him across the stage in front of more than 1,500 horrified tourists. Horn suffered bite wounds and massive blood loss. The 7-year-old tiger had been performing in the show since he was 6 months old.
September 20, 2003/Baghad, Iraq: A U.S. soldier shot and killed a tiger at the Baghdad Zoo after the tiger bit off the finger and clawed the arm of another soldier who was feeding him through the bars of the cage.
September 4, 2003/Alexandria, Egypt: A tiger pounced on a circus trainer during an act, causing deep cuts to his face and a broken jaw.
August 21, 2003/Whetstone Township, Ohio: A chained 180-pound "pet" cougar snapped his collar, escaped, and attacked a neighbor's dog, causing more than 100 lacerations.
August 14, 2003/St. Louis, Mo.: A cheetah at the St. Louis Zoo escaped from her enclosure--by going through a 12-foot wide moat and over a 12-foot high wall--and walked among visitors before being recaptured.
August 8, 2003/Dhaka, Bangladesh: A zookeeper fainted when a tiger escaped from his cage at the Bangladesh Zoo. The tiger roamed freely for an hour.
July 29, 2003/Chisinau, Moldova: A tiger at a zoo bit off a 10-year-old girl's arm when she reached into the tiger's cage and tried to pet him.
July 18, 2003/Chihuahua, Mexico: A 12-year-old New Mexico boy, vacationing in Mexico, nearly lost his finger when he was bitten by a jaguar at a petting zoo. The child's finger received 42 stitches.
July 3, 2003/La Crosse, Wis.: A tiger mauled circus trainer Bruno Blaszak in front of 400 people during his show at a festival. The tiger charged at Blaszak, knocked him down, and clawed him. His right leg required 30 to 40 stitches.
June 30, 2003/Calhan, Colo.: Two tigers severely mauled an employee of Big Cats of Serenity Springs as he entered their cage. The employee was knocked down by one tiger and suffered a mangled leg and scalp injuries. As a result, the tigers were beaten with shovels and later killed.
June 23, 2003/Crossett, Ark.: A firefighter visiting the Crossett Zoo suffered a deep laceration and lost part of his thumb when he was bitten by a tiger.
May 28, 2003/Nampa, Idaho: At a roadside zoo called For the Birds, where visitors are allowed to pet tigers, a toddler was jumped on and licked by a 170-pound tiger. Other zoo visitors and employees have been jumped on and bitten by tigers.
April 28, 2003/Russia: Two lions escaped from their cage, which had been left open, and killed a circus trainer. Police shot and killed the lions.
April 23, 2003/Colmenar Viejo, Spain: A tiger with the Italian-owned International Circus bit off the right arm and caused serious injury to the left arm of a man who approached the his cage.
April 23, 2003/Tokyo, Japan: Several lions attacked and killed an animal handler who was patrolling the grounds at a drive-through facility called African Safari Park.
April 6, 2003/San Antonio, Texas: A lion from Wild Animal Orphanage escaped and roamed through a northwest area neighborhood for several hours. An employee required hospital treatment for a fractured pelvic bone and bruised rib when the lion charged and knocked her down as she attempted to shoot the animal with a tranquilizer dart. The lion was shot and killed by four police officers armed with handguns and shotguns.
April 2, 2003/Adair, Okla.: Several tigers belonging to the International Wildlife Center of Texas and boarded at Safari Joe's Rock Creek Exotic Animal Park attacked and killed a handler. One tiger grabbed her arm and pulled her into the cage as she was giving them water, and other tigers in the cage pounced on her. Another worker beat the tigers with a shovel to break up the attack and to retrieve the woman's body and her severed arm. The tigers were displayed at fairs and used in photo ops with the public.
March 31, 2003/Hennepin, Ill.: As he entered their pen to shift them to another enclosure, a man was mauled to death by two tigers he kept in a backyard menagerie. Police shot and killed both tigers in order to retrieve the body. This was the second incident at the Second Nature Exotic Cats Sanctuary (see May 26, 2002/Hennepin, Ill.).
March 23, 2003/Sacramento, Calif.: A keeper at the Sacramento Zoo was hospitalized and treated for puncture wounds to his neck, right shoulder, and left leg after he was attacked by a 325-pound tiger while he was preparing to feed the animal. Another worker beat the tiger on the head with a shovel to stop the attack.
March 16, 2003/Dehiwela, Sri Lanka: A leopard at the Colombo Zoo reached through the bars of his cage and attacked an infant, causing severe head injuries.
February 4, 2003/Jacksonville, Fla.: A 450-pound tiger with UniverSoul Circus escaped while the cage was being cleaned. The tiger climbed a car, jumped over a fence, headed down an alley, frightened employees at a nearby restaurant, and was recaptured 10 minutes later.
January 30, 2003/Benimantell, Spain: A lion bit off a British woman's arm at the elbow as she attempted to pet the animal while touring a zoo.
January 24, 2003/Albert Lea, Minn.: A malnourished tiger cub was seized from a home in a residential neighborhood after school officials learned that scratches and bite marks on a fifth-grade boy were caused by his father's "pet" tiger.
January 17, 2003/Hubei Province, China: Two lions at Wuhan Forest Safari Park mauled a keeper to death as he entered their cage to feed them, then escaped and ran loose for hours before being recaptured.
January 8, 2003/Laurens, S.C.: A 200-pound "pet" cougar was recaptured in a residential neighborhood after he had escaped from a pen 5 miles away and roamed freely for three days.
December 15, 2002/Leesburg, Va.: Animal control was called to help recapture an 80-pound tiger who escaped from a petting zoo and was on top of a car in a parking lot.
December 2002/Malibu Hills, Calif.: Television star Elisha Cuthbert was treated at a hospital for deep puncture wounds to the hand after she was bitten by a cougar while shooting a scene for the TV show 24.
November 29, 2002/Kaohsiung City, China: A tiger from an American circus based in Las Vegas bit off a woman’s hand as she tried to pet him during a parade to advertise circus performances.
November 14, 2002/Detroit, Mich.: A tiger who had been beaten to death and dumped in a field was found by local residents.
November 3, 2002/Guatemala: A leopard with the King Gitano Circus attacked and killed a 2-year-old girl after she wandered near the animal’s cage. The leopard reached out, grabbed her with his claws, threw her against the cage, and bit her. She died of a fractured skull.
October 28, 2002/Las Vegas, Nev.: Neighbors became frightened and alerted animal control when they spotted two tiger cubs running loose on a neighbor’s rooftop. The cubs had escaped from the homeowner’s private menagerie.
October 17, 2002/Southport, Fla.: A 500-pound African lion pounced on, dragged, and mauled his owner at a roadside zoo called 77 Zoological Park as the owner stepped into the cage to pose for a picture. The lion ripped a hole in his throat, pulled his right eye out of its socket, severed tendons in his neck and chest, tore his skin, and bit through his flesh to the bone. The man spent weeks in the hospital and was in critical condition for 11 days.
October 11, 2002/Jackson, N.J.: The 70-year-old husband of “tiger lady” Joan Byron-Marasek was suddenly attacked by a tiger at her controversial preserve as he was feeding the tigers. He suffered head injuries, and his arm was nearly severed.
October 9, 2002/Potsdam, Germany: A tiger escaped from a circus, forcing fearful residents to stay indoors for more than two hours. A park was sealed off and 20 police officers and veterinarians searched for the tiger, using a tranquilizer gun to recapture her.
September 28, 2002/Bloomington, Ill.: A 400-pound tiger was shot and killed by police after he escaped from a trailer at a truck stop and hid in bushes near a residential area for nine hours. Local police spent $9,000 attempting to recapture the tiger. This same tiger mauled a 7-year-old girl in Hennepin, Ill. (see May 26, 2002).
September 22, 2002/ Mayagüez, Puerto Rico: Police officers shot and killed a jaguar after she escaped from her cage at the Mayagüez Zoo. The jaguar, found hiding in a tree, made several attempts to attack the officers before they gunned her down.
September 22, 2002/Quitman, Ark.: Four African lions, believed to have escaped from a nearby exotic animal farm, were shot and killed after running loose for several days, terrifying residents.
September 20, 2002/Scotts Valley, Calif.: A declawed 150-pound tiger, who was being walked on a leash by Zoo to You at a school assembly with 150 children at the Baymonte Christian School, suddenly lunged at a 6-year-old boy and grabbed the child by the head with her jaws. The boy was wrestled away from the tiger by the principal and airlifted to a medical center where he received 55 stitches for two cuts to his scalp. A psychologist gave counseling to the terrified children who witnessed the attack.
August 23, 2002/El Arish, Egypt: A circus trainer was taken to a hospital for treatment after his lion lashed out as he attempted to play with him. The lion severely wounded his hand.
August 14, 2002/Akron, Ohio: A 30-pound “pet” serval-hybrid escaped and ran loose for several blocks, worrying neighbors who were concerned for the safety of children playing outdoors.
July 22, 2002/Cozumel, Mexico: A 13-year-old Florida resident vacationing in Mexico was mauled by one of two lions displayed in a cage as an attraction at a restaurant. The girl was petting the lion when the lion bit her arm and refused to let go for five minutes. The girl’s arm was severely torn above the elbow and required more than 300 stitches.
June 9, 2002/South Africa: Three lions mauled a tourist from Texas as she posed for a picture in their enclosure at a game lodge. She suffered injuries to her arm, shoulder, and leg and was hospitalized for 10 days.
May 26, 2002/Hennepin, Ill.: A 7-year-old girl was bitten by a tiger at a private menagerie as she attempted to pet the animal. The girl required 110 stitches and three months of therapy.
May 22, 2002/Mayagüez, Puerto Rico: A 12-year-old boy was scratched on the hand by a jaguar at the Mayagüez Zoo when he reached inside the jaguar’s cage.
May 15, 2002/Romania: A 3-year-old girl was mauled by a 9-month-old lion tied up outside of a shop. The girl, who had tried to play with the lion, required hospital treatment for cuts to her chest, belly, and buttocks.
May 12, 2002/Tampa, Fla.: A 350-pound African lion at Busch Gardens ripped off the arm of a zookeeper standing next to the lion’s cage while she was giving a private tour to her family. The attack occurred shortly after the zookeeper had fed the lion pieces of meat during training exercises.. The zookeeper filed a lawsuit seeking in excess of $15,000 in damages.
April 28, 2002/Pickens County, S.C.: According to the Post & Courier, a "pet" tiger was quarantined for biting an 8-year-old boy in the leg after the tiger had been given a bath. The tiger is normally kept in a metal cage in the backyard.
March 6, 2002/Vienna, Austria: While visitors watched, three jaguars at the Schoenbrunn zoo attacked and killed an employee as she was preparing their food and injured the zoo’s director when he tried to rescue the zookeeper.
February 15, 2002/Pahrump, Nev.: Animal exhibitor Karl Mitchell shot and killed one of his tigers after the animal became frightened and escaped his control while being moved to a new residence.
February 3, 2002/Loxahatchee, Fla.: A woman was hospitalized in critical condition with a skull fracture after she was attacked and bitten by a 750-pound declawed tiger. The woman had been painting in preparation for a photo shoot at Steve Sipek’s private animal compound.
January 24, 2002/Gentry, Ark.: Two animal handlers at Wild Wilderness Drive Thru Safari were attacked while transferring cougars between cages. One handler received multiple bites on an arm and leg, and the other was bitten in the face.
January 16, 2002/Pickering, Canada: A 500-pound tiger used for photo ops with small children and strippers snapped her tether, escaped, and wandered in the streets near Toronto, alarming residents. More than half a dozen police cruisers and a helicopter were dispatched to locate and recapture the tiger.
December 9, 2001/Davie, Fla.: A 7-year-old boy was taken to the hospital for stitches after being attacked and bitten "bone-deep" on the neck by a 40-pound declawed African serval at a PepsiCo International picnic. The child was walking by when the unattended serval leaped on him and knocked him to the ground. Pangaea Productions was hired to bring the serval and other animals to the event to be used for entertainment.
November 2, 2001/Pahrump, Nev.: A man was severely injured by a tiger while visiting a private residence. The man was bitten on the arm when he was allowed to feed the animals and required more than $160,000 in medical care, including reconstructive surgery. A lawsuit was filed against tiger owner Annette Grabowski and her companion, Paul Mason, for negligence and against Nye County for failure to take action despite a previous biting incident.
October 22, 2001/Lyons, France: A lion belonging to a circus and being used in a film escaped from the film set and was discovered near a children's home. The lion was shot and killed.
October 21, 2001/Kunming, China: A zookeeper was mauled to death by a tiger as she entered the cage to feed the animal.
October 10, 2001/Lee County, Texas: A 3-year-old boy was killed by one of three of a relative's "pet" tigers as he was about to have his picture taken with the animals. The 250-pound tiger snatched the boy from the arms of an adult, clamped down on his leg, and dragged him around the enclosure, causing head injuries. The tiger was beaten on the head until he released the boy's foot.
October 6, 2001/Wuhan, China: A lion at a drive-thru animal park attacked and injured two tourists. A mother and son were throwing live hens to the lion from the open window of a bus when the lion grabbed the boy's arm and dragged him out through the window. The mother was scratched as she tried to rescue her son. As punishment, the lion will spend the rest of his life in a small cage.
October 3, 2001/Pittsburgh, Pa.: A "pet" African serval escaped for the fourth time in two years (see August 3, 2001).
September 26, 2001/Paris, France: A lion escaped from his cage at Zoo de Vincennes and ripped open a zookeeper's carotid artery during an attack, killing him.
August 16, 2001/Quitandinha, Brazil: A trapeze artist with the Imperial Circus of Mexico had an arm amputated after he was attacked by a lioness while helping a worker feed her.
August 11, 2001/Sydney, Australia: A lion trainer was "thrown around like a rag doll" by two lions during a performance. The trainer was hospitalized for several days in serious condition with puncture wounds to his chest, back, arms, and buttocks. Emergency workers used fire hoses to push back the lions so that the trainer could be rescued.
August 3, 2001/Pittsburgh, Pa.: A 42-pound "pet" African serval alarmed the neighborhood after he escaped and ran loose for the third time in two years. The serval was undernourished when he was re-captured a month later.
July 31, 2001/Center Hill, Fla.: A 500-pound tiger mauled and killed a man making cage repairs at a roadside zoo called Savage Kingdom. The man had suffered a fatal bite to his neck and severe injuries to his head, arm, and ribs. The tiger was later shot and killed by zoo workers.
July 27, 2001/Racine, Minn.: A 2-year-old, 400-pound white Siberian tiger was destroyed for rabies tests after he bit a 7-year-old girl. The tiger had escaped from a cage at a roadside zoo called B.E.A.R.C.A.T. Hollow and attacked the girl, inflicting two puncture wounds that became infected. The tiger was stuffed and mounted.
July 11, 2001/Africa: British film-maker Nigel Marven was mauled by a hand-reared lion while filming a show. The lion clawed his leg and tried to bite his head.
July 11, 2001/Moscow, Russia: A leopard reached through the bars of his cage at the Krasnoyarsk Zoo and mauled a 4-year-old's neck as she posed next to the animal for a photograph. The girl was hospitalized and required surgery.
June 29, 2001/Valladolid, Spain: A zookeeper was mauled to death by four lions at a zoo when he moved the animals into another part of their cage and accidentally left their cage door ajar.
June 25, 2001/Nashville, Tenn.: The Nashville Zoo was evacuated after officials found a cheetah wandering outside of his pen. The cheetah was shot with a tranquilizer dart and recaptured.
June 13, 2001/Kazan, Russia: A Siberian tiger was shot and killed by police after he escaped from a zoo and attacked a keeper. More than 700 officers and a helicopter searched for the escaped tiger for more than four hours.
May 23, 2001/Michoacán, Mexico: Two lions belonging to the Hermanos Rodriguez Ayala circus escaped from their cages during a severe rainstorm. The lions caused panic among local residents before police and circus workers recaptured the animals.
May 2001/Douglass (Berks) Township, Pa.: An escaped "pet" African serval was struck and killed by a car after roaming free for a week.
April 2001/Omaha, Neb.: Animal handler Bryan Franzen required stitches after he was clawed by a tiger during a performance at the Tangier Shrine Circus.
April 29, 2001/Oskaloosa, Kan.: A Jefferson County sheriff’s lieutenant shot and killed an escaped tiger as the tiger crouched in an attack position. The 600-pound tiger ran loose for an hour after fleeing while being unloaded at a traveling zoo called, "Gatekeepers Wildlife Sanctuary." The animal had twice tried to attack a veterinarian when he was shot with a tranquilizer dart.
April 27, 2001/Oakwood, Ohio: The sheriff's office warned residents to keep their children and companion animals indoors after receiving a report that an escaped lion had been sighted.
April 16, 2001/Cascante, Spain: Three lions and a tiger escaped from a circus, killing or injuring several other animals at the circus. Police cordoned off the area and warned residents to stay indoors. Two of the lions were recaptured, and police shot and killed the tiger and the third lion the next day.
April 12, 2001/Brasov, Romania: A lion being used for photo shoots with tourists attacked an 8-year-old boy and escaped. The lion was recaptured by police, and the boy was hospitalized with bite wounds to his shoulder.
April 7, 2001/Van Buren County, Ark.: Three tigers escaped from their cages while being moved by court order from a Faulkner County subdivision, where they had been kept in violation of a local ordinance. The tigers were found three hours later, and one died after being tranquilized. After the escape, the sheriff of Van Buren County stated that he did not want the tigers in his county either.
March 27, 2001/Morgan County, Mo.: An African lion at Ozark Nature Center escaped from his cage while animals were being loaded for transport. Terrified residents spent the next four days escorting children and keeping companion animals indoors while dozens of police officers and conservation agents searched for the animal. The lion was found napping near a road and recaptured.
March 25, 2001/Las Vegas, Nev.: A tiger with Safari Wildlife attacked and killed his handler. The tiger put his paw on the man’s back, pushed him down, and bit his throat. The handler died within minutes from loss of blood. The tiger was used for photo ops with the public and had also appeared in numerous motion pictures and advertisements. He was being groomed for a promotional advertisement when the attack occurred. Another handler was hospitalized with injuries to his knees and puncture wounds.
March 22, 2001/Toronto, Canada: A 400-pound tiger with Garden Bros. Circus bit off a circus worker’s fingertip while being given water.
March 20, 2001/Olmsted Falls, Ohio: A worker spreading gravel in a tiger enclosure at Burnette Farm was mauled and critically injured by a 500-pound tiger. The worker underwent surgery for bite wounds to his neck.
March 16, 2001/Witts Springs, Ark.: A tiger escaped from a backyard menagerie by gnawing her way through the heavy steel enclosure. The tiger was loose for three days, terrorizing residents and biting a dog, who was subsequently treated for three large fang marks on each side of his neck. The tiger continued to elude capture after she was shot in the shoulder by an area resident. She was tranquilized and recaptured after she was located in a thickly wooded area by a police helicopter.
March 10, 2001/Kamarkundu, India: Just minutes after the show started, a tiger suddenly mauled a worker at the Olympic Circus while the animal was being forced to jump through a fireball. The circus worker received 15 stitches on his head, neck, and jaws.
February 5, 2001/Keal Cotes, England: An animal trainer suffered bite wounds to his leg and shoulder when he was mauled by a 550-pound tiger during a training exercise.
January 26, 2001/Las Vegas, Nev.: A "pet" cougar escaped from her pen and hopped aboard a school bus. No children were on board at the time. The driver fled from the bus, and animal control workers captured the animal.
December 29, 2000/Frankfurt, Germany: A tiger escaped from a circus and caused a 12-mile traffic jam on Germany’s busiest motorway that lasted longer than two hours while he eluded capture by 50 police, firefighters, animal experts, and circus personnel. A helicopter with heat-seeking equipment located the tiger at night, and he was finally captured after being sedated with six shots from an anesthetic dart gun.
December 20, 2000/Omaha, Neb.: A 6-month-old mountain lion cub pounced on the landlord of a rental home that he was checking on after the tenant was arrested for armed robbery.
December 15, 2000/ Calcutta, India: A 30-year-old man, believed to be drunk, was killed by a tiger in front of horrified spectators at the Alipur Zoo when he jumped over a fence into the tiger enclosure. The tiger swiped at the man once with his paw.
December 15, 2000/West Bengal, India: A tiger trainer was mauled to death by three tigers during an act that required nine tigers to jump over her and then pass through a ring.
November 5, 2000/Amberg, Germany: A 5-year-old girl was critically wounded when a tiger/lion mix broke through his cage, knocked down a fence, and grabbed her at a circus.
October 21, 2000/Gambier, Ohio: A 10-year-old boy was knocked to the ground and bitten on the leg by a tiger at the Siberian Tiger Foundation while participating in a "close encounter" at the facility. This was the tenth incident in seven months of people being bitten or otherwise injured by tigers at the facility.
September 21, 2000/Vandalur, India: A zookeeper died after being mauled by a panther at the Arignar Anna Zoological Park. The panther pounced on the keeper and grasped her by the neck while she was cleaning the cage. This was the third keeper to be killed by an animal at the zoo.
September 12, 2000/Brisbane, Australia: Two tiger handlers received stitches after they were attacked and bitten by a tiger prior to shooting a scene for the U.S. television series Beastmaster.
September 10, 2000/Albuquerque, N.M.: A tiger cub bit a man during a photo op at the New Mexico State Fair.
August 26, 2000/Sioux Falls, S.D.: A 14-year-old boy was hospitalized after being mauled by a tiger on his father’s farm. The teenager was hospitalized for more than a month with bite wounds to the leg, neck, and shoulder.
August 12, 2000/Boise, Idaho: A woman was mauled by a tiger at a fundraiser for Zoo Boise after the cat escaped from an unlocked cage. She was hospitalized in serious condition with a broken leg, puncture wounds, and a gunshot wound that she received when police fired their guns to scare the tiger away.
August 7, 2000/São Paulo, Brazil: Police firing machine guns and shotguns killed six lions from a circus after they had escaped from their cage and prowled through the town.
July 12, 2000/Chippewa Falls, Wis.: An employee at the Irvine Park Zoo in Wisconsin was bitten by a cougar after she tried to pet him. She was hospitalized for three days.
June 28, 2000/Rensselaer, N.Y.: A 4-year-old boy underwent plastic surgery for a bite to the neck and two puncture wounds to the face when he was attacked by a 40-pound African serval being taken for a walk. The man walking the cat received several stitches for bite wounds to the hand.
June 12, 2000/Ahmadabad, India: A leopard escaped from a zoo and attacked two construction workers, one seriously, and a cyclist before being recaptured two hours later.
June 7, 2000/Bloomington, Ill.: A man was treated for a 3-inch cut and puncture wounds to his hand, inflicted by a snow leopard after he tried to pet the animal at the Miller Park Zoo. A similar incident occurred at the same zoo in September 1995 when a man suffered a 3_-inch gash to his hand when he attempted to pet a leopard.
May 31, 2000/Guyana, South America: A jaguar attacked and killed his handler at the Georgetown Zoo and escaped from his cage. Police later found the jaguar in a nearby shrub and shot him to death.
May 21, 2000/Kiowa, Colo.: A tiger ripped off the arm of a volunteer at a zoo in Colorado.
May 17, 2000/Brewster, Mass.: A 14-year-old girl was attacked by a tiger at a roadside zoo in Massachusetts. The girl, a part-time employee at the zoo, was feeding the cat when he bit her leg and shook her before releasing her.
April 10, 2000/São Paulo, Brazil: Five lions used in a circus devoured a 6-year-old boy after one dragged him away from his father and into the cage inside a tent full of spectators. Police wounded two people with bullet fragments as they sprayed the top of the cage with machine-gun fire to scare the lions off the boy’s body. Four lions were killed.
March 28, 2000/Bohuslän, Sweden: A zookeeper suffered gashes on her head, arms, and shoulders and was rushed to the hospital after being mauled by a snow leopard at Nordern’s Ark. The big cat had torn a pound of flesh from her body.
March 15, 2000/Channelview, Texas: A 3-year-old boy had his arm bitten off by his uncle’s "pet" tiger.
March 14, 2000/Warsaw, Poland: An escaped tiger traveling with a circus attacked a veterinarian before being gunned down by police after a two-hour chase through the streets of Warsaw. The veterinarian was also killed by a bullet meant for the tiger.
February 24, 2000/Kent, England: A keeper at a zoo in Kent, England was bitten on the eyelid by an ocelot while in the cage feeding the cat.
February 23, 2000/Great Bend, Kan.: A high school student was bitten on the hand and arm after sticking her arm into a cougar’s cage at the Brit Spaugh Zoo.
February 3, 2000/Tokyo, Japan: An employee of a company that rented out animals was killed by a tiger at the firm’s breeding compound in Tokyo. The company rented animals to television stations for use in their programs.
January 22, 2000/Rome, Italy: A man who kept wild animals as "pets" was found dead. He had been eaten by one of his lions.
