Why Tigers Attack

While I certnly feel for the family, crap happens! NO ONE expects to be killed driving a car, no one expects to get cancer, no one expects to choke on gum.... It was either a freak of nature or someone helped that animal out.

Hello petasucks-My "lack" of a philosophical base tells me that the highest form of humanity is the ability to feel compassion. I am truly sorry and disturbed by the death of the young man in this case. However, I also feel compassion for the animal who is only acting instinctively. Yes, they are not higher than humans in the evolutionary chain, but does that mean they do not merit compassion from people? If you feel the need to defend your views by showing how cowardly you are by using a gun to kill the tiger in a cage, then perhaps you are lower in the order of things than you think. If a family member of mine were being attacked and if I had my gun (yes, I do own a gun) I would kill the animal in a second to defend my loved ones. But that doesn't mean you cannot have feelings of remorse for the animal in the end. I look forward to your response, but please don't embarrass yourself this time.

robmanu7rules: Petasucks is making some excellent points. If we are all just animals equal (or less than equal) to tigers, then we should all be free to act like animals and do whatever we want that makes us happy. If that means killing other animals (read: other people), no matter who they are or for whatever reason, then I guess that is okay by the animal rights folks' way of thinking.

There are only approx 550 of these animals left in the wild, they have been hunted, killed and caged for human entertainment and when one escapes people are shocked that it acted like a wild animal. When will people stop expecting animals to act like they have lost their natural instinics and leave them alone in order for them to live as they were intended?

petasucks i agree with you that the tiger should have been shot but you can still feel sorry for it. It is just doing what comes naurally to it. So before you go off on your shitty speaches about *** like hitler think about it you dickhead. I also think zoos are not good. I would like to see you put up a fight against it and think we need to show animals more respect. I don't like to stereotype but i expect you will reply with some ***, but that is what most obese, sad or lonely people do. I hope i am mistaken.

Re: petasucks; you stated "It is "survival of the fittest" , and isn't that just what Hitler thought about the Arian race? Those of you who feel so sorry for the tiger are about as demented as Hitler!" Huh? Here I was thinking that those who thought it was survival of the fittest (by pointing out "we're on top" and such) were all for killing the tiger, not vice-versa.

The media is all over this, trying to say zoos are not safe and the animal is at fault. My grandfather owned a very popular zoo before he died. i grew up being around animals. Animals usually only turn when provoked or very hungry. I'm not saying you can go up to a tiger and pet it, but it certainly would not go after someone uless that person drew attention.

Re: mike1946, "planetman-How can you guarantee the results of your hypothetical poll?" I imagine he can't, but on that point I would have to agree with him. While unfortunate, the police encountered the tiger, which turned to face them as they found each other. Their lives were in danger, and while many would like to have had the time to sedate the tiger, at the time the police simply did not have that luxury. They did the correct action, and further loss of life was prevented.

planetman-How can you guarantee the results of your hypothetical poll? Do you think your point is better argued with more quotation marks? And by the way, the word is defer, not differ. You have already proved your inability to back up your argument with facts; now you prove your inability to explain your views properly.

I suspect the young men were responsible for this tragic occurance.
I find it hard to believe that they were at the zoo to innocently view the animals at that hour, on Christmas day??? I think they went there specifically to taunt the animals, and knew from previous visits that closing time especially on a holiday was the perfect time to have fun taunting the big cats.. Ha HA You can't get me!!!
Oops...Tragic consequences..
Roger P.

another beautiful animal lost because of stupid people!

Perhaps if the tiger wasn't in a zoo to begin with, this wouldn't have happened. While I try to understand the point of view of conservationists and zoos, that they want to "preserve" endangered species, the fact still exists that you are taking wild, predatory animals out of their natural habitats and plopping them in the middle of a concrete pen in a city and letting people gawk at them. These things are going to happen, and are not the fault of the animal. Maybe if we left animals alone, and left them where they belong, instead of sticking them in zoos and amusement parks, these attacks wouldn't happen. Let's put the blame where it belongs - on the HUMANS.

Luv the points there Doc...very eloquent. People who refuse to think is the reason there are warning labels on everything these days

Well, folks....we as humans are to blame for this happening..... we are the ones who take these beautiful creatures from their natural habitats and cage them in.... and then blame the animal for exhibiting part of it's natural instincts. I too am sorry for the families and their loss.... but let's put the balme where it really belongs. We as humnas think that we can control so many aspects of nature when in reality, it's nature that untimately controls us.

THERE WAS NO REASON THIS TIGER HAD TO DIE. IT WAS TAUNTED. THOSE BOYS CAUSED THE WHOLE MESS. THIS WAS A WILD ANIMAL, IT CAN NEVER BE TAMED. THAT IS IT'S NATURE. THIS TIGER WAS MORE SCARED OF THOSE PUNKS. AN ANMAL DIED BECAUSE OF THEM. I HAVE BEEN TO SO MANY ZOOS, THERE IS ALWAYS AN IDIOT TRYING TO GET AN ANIMALS ATTENTION, THEY DESERVE WHAT THEY GET!