Details: The cage was locked and there is a 20 foot wall that the tiger would have to climb out of to escape. The tiger is 350 lbs.
Your thoughts?
2007-12-26 13:00:11 · 12 answers · asked by rl 2 in News & Events ➔ Current Events
I found the following quote in Wikipedia.
"In the wild, tigers can leap as high as 5 m (16 ft) and as far as 9–10 m (30–33 ft), making them one of the highest-jumping mammals (just slightly behind cougars in jumping ability)."
It is conceivable that the tiger felt threatened and jumped. There is indication that the people attacked were taunting the tiger. A tiger is a wild animal and has no sense of humor. She reacts to stimuli and that is her nature. She should not be faulted for it and her death should not be justified. Anytime an animal is placed into a zoo, the zoo staff have a responsibility to assure that they are properly taken care of and protected from ignorant visitors who may try to do them harm. They should have had staff or volunteers properly patrolling the exhibit areas. They didn't. They should also have had tranquillizer guns. They didn't. The result was a tragedy. The zoo administration failed miserably in their duties and I think we need to make sure the inept people are removed from their posts.
2007-12-27 02:11:21 · answer #1 · answered by pepper 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Tigers not just dumb cats. They are quite intelligent and often learn by past mistakes that they made...and won't make again. They are also wild. We can't forget that. I strongly believe that natural instinct played a major part in this attack and that the tiger was defending herself and/or her territory.
Yes, it's conceivable the tiger could have climbed or jumped the fence. Tigers, even for their size, are quite nimble and very quick...and also very strong.
Think about it...they survived in the wild with even worse obstacles. You don't think those same skills could be adapted to escaping captivity?
EMT
EDIT: The SF Zoo today released a statement saying that the fence around the tiger's open air enclosure is only 12 1/2 feet high...well below the recommended height 18 feet. The tiger could have easily jumped or climbed 12 feet. It was also stated that Siberian tigers are known to have phenomenal strength and can leap or climb a significant distance.
So...the zoo has admitted now that the tiger most likely escaped the enclosure on her own, with no human help. Apparently, the tiger reacted in an instinctively violent manner to being teased or harassed. I don't believe the tiger was at fault. The tiger reacted naturally to an invasion of it's space or territory and attempted to defend it.
To Pepper...I agree with you 100%. That is pretty much what I tried to say in my answer yet was already given a "thumbs down". Maybe some people need to go to a zoo...and learn all they can about tigers.
2007-12-26 21:23:52 · answer #2 · answered by emt_me911 7 · 1⤊ 1⤋
A 20 foot wall and a moat?
Evidently she was one of the Flying Tigers
2007-12-26 22:04:53 · answer #3 · answered by Agent 00Zero 5 · 1⤊ 1⤋
It depends on how scared the tiger was at the moment. Read about them. It's incredible what they can do especially when they are really scared. What scares them the most is a lightning storm.
2007-12-26 21:09:02 · answer #4 · answered by Irish 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Tigers can jump very large distances when they feel under threat and the adrenaline is pumping inside them. I think they were being teased by staff.
2007-12-26 21:25:03 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
if my cat can jump to the top of a 7 foot bookshelf, then it's logical that an enormous tiger can pounce over that wall.
ps-please answer my question btw!
2007-12-27 00:21:06 · answer #6 · answered by hopeless 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
You're right there's no way that Tiger could have done that. It was just a dream we all had. It never happened.
2007-12-26 21:36:30 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Maybe somebody threw her a steak or other food laced with crack. You've heard those stories about one miscreant requiring 10 cops to subdue once they get doped up with that stuff.
2007-12-26 22:36:47 · answer #8 · answered by Like, Uh, Ya Know? 3 · 0⤊ 1⤋
i wasnt there, but i feel like there was more to story, those kids prob. was picking with the tiger.
2007-12-27 01:37:26 · answer #9 · answered by ButtErFLy4'7 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
the way i understand it is there was a 15 foot moat. The whole thing is disturbing though, huh?
2007-12-26 21:08:23 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋