A San Francisco Zoo visitor was mauled to death and two others severely injured when a Siberian tiger named Tatiana escaped from its grotto at the San Francisco Zoo early Christmas evening and went on a bloody rampage in front of terrified zoo patrons. The tiger - the same animal that chewed a keeper's arm during an attack last December - was shot to death outside a zoo cafe by four officers who managed to distract the animal as it mauled one of its victims.
Was Tatiana provoked and used her victim to enable her escape??
2007-12-29 08:58:17 · 4 answers · asked by luvy d 1 in Pets ➔ Other - Pets
The tiger was likely provoked.
The Tiger Exhibit opened in 1940 and, although the wall was shorter than the 16 feet recommended by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, the moat exceeded their recommendations and a tiger had never escaped that enclosure for over 67 years.
When the father of the young man who died called the two surviving brothers asking if they knew where his son was, they lied and told him that they did not know.
The surviving brothers refused to cooperate when police officers tried to get their names shortly after the attack.
The three men who were attacked had slingshots on them and a mostly empty bottle of vodka was found in their car.
No matter how many safeguards are put in place, if a person chooses to play with fire they should be aware that they might get burned.
2008-01-01 12:37:44 · answer #1 · answered by χριστοφορος ▽ 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The news story in the paper today said that the enclosure wall was SHORTER than that recommended to keep a tiger in. 13' in the center from the moat bottom to the top of the wall, and 12 1/2 feet at the edges. It needed to be 15 feet to stop a tiger from leaping out.
Whatever reason she had to jump, the shorter wall gave her the ability to make it completely up, physically, if motivated enough.
The lawsuits from the three families may be enough to shut the entire zoo down permanently.
2007-12-29 22:02:06 · answer #2 · answered by Elaine M 7 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I think so. The police found either a shoe or footprint inside her inclosure. She also went straight for the three men and ran past other people.
2007-12-29 17:01:50 · answer #3 · answered by Emily 2 · 2⤊ 0⤋
She may have been provoked; although a good way to stop her escaping her cage would have been to have some sort of "lid" on it - tigers are very good climbers!
2007-12-29 17:06:50 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋