They're not territorial, but they react strongly to any changes in their environment.
Comment: Here's a wacky idea whose time has come....leave these beautiful creatures alone in their natural habitat (as opposed to a zoo) where they belong, and they won't be making lunch out of some drunken idiot who thinks it might be a good idea to try and get its attention. Tigers, elephants, lions...belong in Africa and/or India. Not San Francisco.
Comment: The Zoo should post a sign "Warning. Do not taunt the animals! They may break out of their cage and eat you!"
Comment: It is crazy that there's no federal legislation against individuals having lions, tigers, bears or any other animal like that. I bet most people assume it's already illegal. I certainly did! If you love an animal like this, support groups that work to protect them in the wild -- don't keep them captive.
Comment: It's crazy that there is no federal legislation banning private ownership of lions, tigers, bears and other dangerous wild animals! I bet most people assume it is already illegal.
Comment: It seems that no matter how "tame" a tiger or any other carnivorous animal is, the fact of the matter is that these animals are still wild and continue to possess their wild animal intincts. It would be foolish to believe for a moment that any large wild animal can be tamed.
Comment: I agree with Jayson. The people at Big Cat Rescue lie on a regular basis on a variety of topics. They make up statistics and "facts" to suit their agenda -- which is to eliminate their competition. Also, there is NOT EVEN ONE "EXPERT" AMONG THEM. Shame on Newsweek for trying to make them into "experts". See this website for the truth about
Big Cat Rescue: http://www.rexano.org/bcr.htm
Comment: I want to apologize for an error. I meant 5,000 tigers left in the wild. I read about the SF Zoo docent and I was a docent and I found pens and soda can tops in the primates' cages. This needs to be stopped. No animal should have to endure the things she described and the health risk it causes. I do blame the AZA for not finding this deficeiny but is's odd how this wall has held big cats for many years so we know somebody was taunting and provoking this tigress. I am very saddened by the loss of a Siberian tiger by the sheer stupidity of human beings. But I also feel the whole thing is a tragedy. The public must be educated about these animals but if they did enter her enclosure they were definitely threatening her.I am an experienced trainer and I go in with tigers and they do act differently when you enter thier terriotory especially if they don't know you contrary to the article. This is their safe place and it was invaded and on top of that Tatiana was taunted.
I feel for the lose of this magnificant tiger because of humans who felt like abusing her.
Comment: I believe that the AZA which inspected and approved the Zoo is at Fault whoever heard of a recommended height of a wall. IN Florida, the FWCC has strict regulations for sanactuaries and private owners which by the way seem to have a much better safety record. There is no recommended height for a perimeter fence or cage size, etc. Also, Scott Lope claims what 533 attacks since 1990. Let him show the documentation. Big Cat Resue in Florida where he's director has already falsified data and there is proof oi it. Don't believe everything you read.. I think anyone who taunts an animal particularly a tiger is an idiot. I understand the tiger first attack the boy who died but the other 2 boys tried to get the tiger's attention and ran and you never turn your back and run with a big cat. That may explain why they were attacked. Also, as Jim Fowler said on Fox News once a big cat is out of it home which it was for 4 years with no problems, then the cat become confused and scared and will bound to be on the defense and attack. Jim Fowler did Wild Kingdom for years and is an expert not Scott Lope
Comment: This is in regard to what Scott Lope from Big Cat Rescue in Tampa had to say. He is just using this attack to further the agenda of BCR to ban Class 1 animals. First of all, if the boy was dangling a foot over the wall that is taunting and provoking the tigress to go after it. Dangle a string in front of a domestic cat and see what is does. Also, tigers in captivity feel safe in their enclosure and the boys invaded there space and they will feel threatened. Wouldn't you? I'm not saying that tigers can be unpredictable but what Scott Lope said is alot of lies. I saw a show recently where he had his hand in the cage letting a tiger lick his hand. So how scared of the tigers is he really? I am disappointed in Newsweek for choosing to interview him. He has no real training and has a agenda. They should of choose a more experienced person such as JIm Fowler.
Also, I think the whole thing is a tragedy but why did the AZA not check the height of the wall. Also, there are federal laws contrary to what Mr. Lope says. The USDA has federal regulations concerning big cats. Find a better source for your information
Comment: Im glad the tiger attacked those hoodlums because all bets are on them taunting the cat.
The only tragdy here is that there were two survivors.
Comment: This couldn't be a simpler case. The zoo was 50% at fault for not having an appropriate enclosure, and the boys were 50% at fault for entering said enclosure. Determine the damages, subtract the value of the tiger's life to the zoo, and then divide the damages by 50%, and that's what the zoo should have to pay to the families of the boys. Couldn't be more simple. IF the enclosure had met current standards, the zoo would have owed nothing to the boys' families.
Comment: I would bet money that those idiots taunted the tiger.Im glad the tiger attacked them and the only tragedy is that they survived.
Comment: I am not. I will tell you why. Now there is one dead person and one less beautiful tiger in our world. It is a dam tradgedy.
Comment: What an idiotic argument. Animal enclosures are supposed to be designed safe enough to withstand any amount of "taunting", I don't care if you hang piece of raw meat in front of the tigers. It's like saying if your kids piss of gorillas too much than it's their fault if they break out.
Comment: Whether the boys taunted the cat or not is not the issue. The issue is that, no matter the situation, the cats should not be able to escape or leave their designated areas. This responsibility falls entirely on the zoo's officials and that is who to blame for this tragedy.
Comment: Speaking for myself, I believe that zoos have become an important part of direct animal conservation (this Tiger was born in a zoo), and less direct animal conservation in the form of education. That said, this zoo and the association that accredited them are negligent! Simply knowing that there was a standard for enclosure height (16 feet)... and they failed to protect a patron! If management of this zoo or the association knew of the deficiency and ignored it, they should be held criminally liable. Regardless, I hope the family sues for tens of millions if not more! This should be a wake-up call for zoos, accrediting authorities, and the public!
Comment: The boys made the Tiger mad !They are Predators not crazy cats ?Tigers can kill Crocodiles !T
he boys should take a lie tests now!!
Comment: I know the Boys had to made it mad ?All Tigers are Predator . Is not crazy cat ?Tigers can kill Crocodiles!So I am trying say is the boys made it mad!
Comment: The internet was created by Al Gore as a series of tubes, therefore, tigers attack. While tigers are fast, they cant ever be faster than the speed of light in a vaccum.
Comment: judging from the last names of the victims, i believe the tiger was defending this country against the taliban
Comment: Your comment shows the ignoramus that you are. The last names of the victims are "Dhaliwal" and "Sousa". While "Daliwal" is an Indian (from India, not native American) surname, "Sousa" is a Portuguese/ Spanish surname. Now where does Taliban come into the picture here?
Comment: I haven't read the article or any of the posted comments because this is one of the stupidest topics I have ever had the displeasure to read.
Do you news people need a nice war or sub-prime rate debauckle or even BRITANY to keep your jobs or what?
NOW PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE.
TIGERS ATTACK BECAUSE THEY'RE TIGERS AND WE'RE FOOD TO THEM!!! OKAY.
Comment: Do you mean DEBACLE?
Comment: stupidest is not a word
Comment: stupidest is not a word
Comment: intelligence? commenting on something you haven't read. you are FUNNY!!
Comment: I haven't read the article or any of the posted comments because this is one of the stupidest topics I have ever had the displeasure to read.
Do you news people need a nice war or sub-prime rate debauckle or even BRITANY to keep your jobs or what?
NOW PAY ATTENTION BECAUSE I'M ONLY GOING TO SAY THIS ONCE.
TIGERS ATTACK BECAUSE THEY'RE TIGERS AND WE'RE FOOD TO THEM!!! OKAY.
Comment: "Tellthetruth" should first learn to write and think more critically before posting ignorant, badly written garbage on a public bulletin board and reinforcing the notion of dumb black people..
Comment: First: How in the hell did a tiger attack turn into a race issue? That has got to be one of the stupidest things I've heard in a long time! Second: the 3 guys involved are not white you idiot! They're brown. Yes there is a difference, there's white, brown, black, yellow, red.......the world is much more than black and white.
Comment: white people
Comment: stupid people!
Comment: there seems to be something in white peoples natures that causes them to go too far with wild animals. theyre wild for chriiiiise sake! instead of just observing or taking a snapshot they try to talk to it, cajole it, and see if it responds to any human traits. youre pissing them off. youre provoking them. they think just because the animal is in an environment controlled by humans that its a docile, there "for show" creature. NO! its a wild beast that will kill u! i hate that this stuff happens but white people can be crazy like that.
Comment: I'm so proud to live in a country that allows free speech and then someone like you comes along and reminds us all why some countrys do not allow free speech, what's really scarey is that someone as ignorant and stupid as you is allowed to vote! Scarey!
Comment: www.RomeLimousineShoreTours.com Humans ought to know never to show their legs to lions or tigers just to tease them like the boys at the Zoo.
Comment: www.romelimousinebyjohn.com Coloseum was built in Rome around 80AD by Titus for 55,000 people to see mostly Lions and Tigers eat prisoners and fight gladiators. But tigers like this one in the zoo would be
a real interesting show for the ancient Romans.
Comment: I had been very impressed by my pet dog, "Polo" which was a husky. He escaped twice from the backyard. First time by digging. Do you know what was the first thing he did when we got him back? Inspect the hole which had already been repaired. The second time, possibly by jumping on the dog house roof and then over the fence which was 7 feet high. Not all dogs are the same. Some are just quite a bit more intelligent than others. Now imagine what an intelligent tiger can do.
Comment: The comment posted by "The Official Tiger Webpage" is funny. But not original. The "fact" are plagiarized directly from a parody site about Ninjas, so dont take it seriously.
Comment: Facts:
1. Tigers are mammals.
2. Tigers fight ALL the time.
3. The purpose of the tiger is to flip out and kill people.
Comment: Imagine yourself being a free wild animal which requires a substantial habitat in which to hunt and enjoy being alive. It is written into your soul to be wild and free. Then your world becomes this tiny space, day after day, year after year, the same tiny space. If I were the tiger I would be thinking night and day how to get out of there, how to be free and to hunt those humans who stuck me in this tiny space, who destroyed my life, who owe me everything. All humans are guilty, standing there, watching me. I will have their blood, I will eat their flesh, I will kill the cruel humans, I will make them pay, I will be free, no matter what.
Tigers belong on a reserve, not in cages, not in a zoo. They are the wildest of animals, they must have miles to roam. How can this go on, penning them up, causing them to sink into the deepest of depressions? When they finally do get a chance to escape they go crazy, killing everything running wild - after years, even decades of abuse. If I stuck you in a room, with nothing to do, wouldn't you eventually go mad? How is it that a higher mammal would not also go mad? Its reward for freeing itself? Death.
According to God, all living organisms have a soul, even humans have a soul. It is the soul that makes an animal act and behave like the animal that it is. A dog barks, a cat meows, a cow moos. A man doesn't act like a dog, normally, or crawl on his belly like a snake, since he has the soul of a man. Man, according to God, has an extra bonus, a spirit. It is the spirit that makes man immortal, and rise to being and behaving higher than an animal or plant. Ignorant people consider the soul to be the spirit, but they are two distinct and different gifts. The soul dictates us to behave like men, the spirit allows us to be God-like, affording us an afterlife and an eternity. Plants and animals, according to God, only have a soul, they are not spirit beings, they do not have an afterlife, they do not live forever.
Comment: Imagine yourself being a free wild animal which requires a substantial habitat in which to hunt and enjoy being alive. It is written into your soul to be wild and free. Then your world becomes this tiny space, day after day, year after year, the same tiny space. If I were the tiger I would be thinking night and day how to get out of there, how to be free and to hunt those humans who stuck me in this tiny space, who destroyed my life, who owe me everything. All humans are guilty, standing there, watching me. I will have their blood, I will eat their flesh, I will kill the cruel humans, I will make them pay, I will be free, no matter what.
Tigers belong on a reserve, not in cages, not in a zoo. They are the wildest of animals, they must have miles to roam. How can this go on, penning them up, causing them to sink into the deepest of depressions? When they finally do get a chance to escape they go crazy, killing everything running wild - after years, even decades of abuse. If I stuck you in a room, with nothing to do, wouldn't you eventually go mad? How is it that a higher mammal would not also go mad? Its reward for freeing itself? Death.
According to God, all living organisms have a soul, even humans have a soul. It is the soul that makes an animal act and behave like the animal that it is. A dog barks, a cat meows, a cow moos. A man doesn't act like a dog, normally, or crawl on his belly like a snake, since he has the soul of a man. Man, according to God, has an extra bonus, a spirit. It is the spirit that makes man immortal, and rise to being and behaving higher than an animal or plant. Ignorant people consider the soul to be the spirit, but they are two distinct and different gifts. The soul dictates us to behave like men, the spirit allows us to be God-like, affording us an afterlife and an eternity. Plants and animals, according to God, only have a soul, they are not spirit beings, they do not have an afterlife, they do not live forever.
Comment: i was pushing my two year old in a stroller at the tulsa zoo down a pathway towards a glass enclosure no taunting we could not even see the tiger yet but it heard us coming we get there and it lunges at us splats up against the glass wall
Comment: I am a Nigerian American and I remember that young men sometimes act very dumb to prove their manhood in the jungle. The goal is to prove that you have become a man by confronting a wild animal, may it be Crocodile, Lion, Elephant, etc. Sometimes you get very lucky and other times you pay for it with your life. It is part of manhood training. If you died in the dangerous encounter, that proved that you were not yet a man. Other young men would learn from your studity and henceforth, move on, and for ever, be filled with FEAR. Boys have to become men. Do not feel sad for the the dead boy. He did what he had to do to show that he is or was a man. He died exploring his African jungle instinct which is in every boy or man. He is a galant warrior.
Comment: If these dozen-plus assertions are what passes for adult thinking and reality in Nigerian psychology and culture, I now better understand the basis for the current developed state of that nation.
If I may be so bold as to make a suggestion here, if they brought back the dunking stool, they wouldn't need to pester the animals nor look them up, and it could be done right in town instead. If you survived the dunking, why that would be proof you are a man, a REAL man, a HE man, a MANLY man, you'd get a bath as a side benefit, and could then walk around the streets thumping your chest and get RESPECT! Yessir.
Russian roulette would be an even more efficient way to prove you are a man and much quicker and easier on everyone.
Greetings from the 21st century.
Comment: I am a Nigerian American and I remember that young men sometimes act very dumb to prove their manhood in the jungle. The goal is to prove that you have become a man by confronting a wild animal, may it be Crocodile, Lion, Elephant, etc. Sometimes you get very lucky and other times you pay for it with your life. It is part of manhood training. If you died in the dangerous encounter, that proved that you were not yet a man. Other young men would learn from your studity and henceforth, move on, and for ever, be filled with FEAR. Boys have to become men. Do not feel sad for the the dead boy. He did what he had to do to show that he is or was a man. He died exploring his African jungle instinct which is in every boy or man. He is a galant warrior.
Comment: If someone tried to cross the tracks before a oncoming train would it be the engineers fault. The individuals who felt compelled to exhibit their "machismo" by entering the exhibit placed themselves in harms way. Did they deserve to die and be maimed? That would apply a crime and punishment tenet to a stupid act. They played with fire they got burned. the real victim in this tragic situation is the tiger.
Comment: you are right except that the cat was stupid. cat was smart at being a cat-- they aren't dumb animals. The humans acted dumb.
Comment: If you attempted to beat an oncoming train by crossing the tracks would it be the engineers or the rail roads fault? These individuals were exhibiting their "machismo" by taunting and harassing a wild animal, so... they placed themselves in harms way and though the death of one and injuries incurred by the others was unfortunate but if you play with fire you may be burned. The true victim in this case is the tiger
Comment: If someone tried to cross the tracks before a oncoming train would it be the engineers fault. The individuals who felt compelled to exhibit their "machismo" by entering the exhibit placed themselves in harms way. Did they deserve to die and be maimed? That would apply a crime and punishment tenet to a stupid act. They played with fire they got burned. the real victim in this tragic situation is the tiger.
Comment: Well, if it is proven that the tiger was taunted, I have no sympathy for the human who did it, any more than I have for some teenager playing Russian Roulette. I feel sorry for the tiger.
I hope these parents don't have any more offspring. I was a teenager who did all sorts of dumb things but not things that would obviously taunt possible death.
Comment: On the map of the zoo grounds, there is quite a distance from the tiger enclosure and the cafe where the attack supposedly took place. Are they trying to say that this tiger tracked down an individual that had dangled their legs over the tiger wall, and killed him... at the cafe?? One smart tiger if you ask me. It doesn't make sense.... There is no discussion of this guy 'deserving' to die; this is an animal!!! She was not meteing out justice!! Wake up! - Chris
Comment: Yes, tigers smell blood. Follow trails. How is that hard to believe?
Comment: It appears that the tiger first attacked one of the jerks, Then another one distracted the tiger. She turned her attention to him and killed him. Then she followed the trail of blood from the first guy and headed towards the cafe. There she found them and attacked them again.
I am sad that the tiger was killed but am also glad that no innocent kid or parent or cafe employee was hirt in any way,.
Comment: I disagree. It seems they didn't just tease the tiger, instead they willfully entered the enclosure--huge difference! I'm sorry their stupidity carried a high price. As terrible as the loss life was (both)-- the boy lost his doing wrong. Teasing is cruelty. The tigress did what tigers do. The boy was not a 5 yo on a playground. We call this natural selection, though it doesn't dimish the loss.
Comment: I agree this was not the "fault" of the young men. But let's also be realistic about the price the tiger payed as well. After all, she was just doing her job being a tiger.
Comment: Yes, it was the guys fault. If they entered the enclosure. Tiger didn't just randomly decide to jump out. Terrible both died. But fact is, the young man was clearly at fault for choosing to do something wrong and dangerous. He was responsible for his own actions. If I choose to five 100 mph and hit a tree, it's my fault. Sad, but my fault not the cars for doing a 100.
Comment: It's not the fault of the boys that they did something illegal? what happened to personal responsibility? Are they not responsible for making the choice of entering the enclosure? Scaling the fence? Consciously trespassing? Whose fault is that? Would you be guilty if a burglar got hurt while terrorizing a child in her own home? My, my we are litigious. Personal responsibility. Who made the conscious choice?
Comment: Iam not a liberal or a democrat,Iam just given my simple thoughts. Regardless people need to relize that in the near future zoos, and private animal refuge are the only place alot of the worlds animals will be alive
Comment: As a result of an arrogant species...humans. We have done so well by this world.
Comment: We simply cannot protect all people from themselves always. Even if the wall had been 18', freak accidents still freakishly happen. I doubt zoos can build a zoo that can prevent stupid people from gaining access to animals, if they are bent on doing so. There have been other cases where people jumped into cages. Remember the guy who jumped into the lion cage last year? Surprise it killed him. Duh.
Comment: Most sense of any poster so far.
Comment: For all the people blaming the young men and suggesting they got what they deserved, lets all take a breath and remember a couple basic facts;
1 - Sure teasing the tiger was wrong, but are you actually going to argue that teasing a tiger deserves death as the penalty? Go into any school playground and you see teasing (of humans no less) but clearly no one would suggest these children 'deserve' killing for teasing someone.
2 ??? They are young men, and if all young men deserve to die for every stupid thing they did there would soon be no old men. We???ve all been there, so don???t pretend you???re any different then these young men. Maybe you were lucky at some time or maybe they were just unlucky this time, but we???ve all been young (and even old) and in a stupid situation that could have gone horribly wrong.
So, I don???t see how anyone can argue they ???got what they deserved???. They deserved being kicked out of the zoo. They deserved to possibly pay a fine and have to goto court for breaking some law (?), but they certainly did not deserve to be killed and maimed.
Comment: All your rationalizing doesn't change the fact that they're dead. How about if we just say they got what was coming to them?
Yep we've all made stupid decisions... some more stupid than others! This is proof.
You can try all you want, but tigers and morality are incompatible, unless you're talking about the ethical treatment of animals, which apparently these boys weren't a party to... and look what happened?
Comment: When the enclosure was inspected last year, it is amazing that it's wall height wasn't checked for safety. I read the zoo had to spend 240, 000. to fix the enclosure, but this wasn't addressed then!?
Comment: Its the zoos Fault the kid is dead and the tiger is dead.
Comment: The "kids" (two of them were above 18, btw) are the top contenders for the Darwin 2007 awards. They made it to the 2007 list in time,
Comment: Liberals Kill me they know all the facts and have no concern for human life.
The tiger got out you retards.
It should have never been able to get out.
The boys no matter how Dumb should never be able to get that close.
Comment: you're the retard, krykyn. how is this a liberal vs conservative debate?
Comment: They were throwing pinecones and sticks at the tiger, idiot! What do you think zoo animals are for? You expect them to lie down and take it as you dish out? The jerks didn't show respect to the tiger and she didn't show respect to them either.
Comment: Titiana Would make a nice rug.
Comment: Is that the compassionate conservative in you speaking? Of all the folks involved in this disaster (the zoo officials, the jerks who teased the tiger, and the tiger itself), it is the animal that is the least to blame. In fact, we cannot blame the animal at all. It was just being a tiger and reacting to its treatment as any person or animal would do.
Comment: Sad to see such a beautiful specimen of an extremely endangered species killed. Glad to know that only the lowlifes who were teasing and tormenting the poor animal were attacked, and that no other innocent child, parent or visitor or cafe employee was hurt.
Comment:
I am sorry that a wonderful specimen of a rare animal was killed. I have no sympathy for the lowlifes who were obviously taunting and teasing and tormenting the poor tiger. I am glad that only the jerks got attacked and no innocent child or parent or member of the cafe was killed.
Comment: You people assume the kid dangled his leg in the exibit....
Show me facts that he did.
Comment: You are right. We don't know all the facts. Assumptions are being made before all the facts are in and testimony has been made. If the boys did tease the tiger, they were stupid to do so. But would the tiger have gotten out, with only a 12 foot wall and no water in the "moat" stopping her, to kill somebody else? Who knows? The SF Zoo has blood on its hands in more ways than one.
Comment: is the blood inside the enclosure good enough for you?
Comment: I don't care for the kid that got killed... seeing a wild animal is a risk... even in zoos....even in the USA(!!)... time people realized animals do what animals do!!!... Chalk one up for the wild animals vs (killer) humans... Unfortunately we have lost another one of the beautiful creatures that are on the brink of extinction!!! And so it goes... the animals somehow always loose... ;-(
Comment: Re: "Once again common sense eludes the city of San Francisco." Really? That's probably, on of the most sweeping and absurd generalizations, I've ever heard.
Comment: It's about time we leave these animals were they belong; in the wild. They are designed to be in the wild, not be there for the pleasure of us arrogant humans. Put a human in a cage for a few years and see what mental condition they're in!!!
Comment: Unfortunately,, there isn't much wild left for these animals to live in. There are less than 5,0000 tigers left in the wild. There are only 500 Siberian tigers left. This is due to loss of habitat and poaching. The tiger parts are used for medicinal purposes and other things in certain culture.These beautiful creatures are on the brink of extinction and so where should they go?
Comment: jayson unfotrunately the animals are losing their land to people. There isn't as much room for these animals because of overdevelopment. Also, there are less than 5,000 tigers left in the wild and only 500 Siberian tigers due to loss of habitat and poaching because their parts are sold for medicinal purposes.
So where should they go. The blame is on human beings..
Comment: they kill in the wild too. same mental process. not meaness. hunting.
Comment: sandrap2 says: "it shouldn't matter if the animal was taunted" ???!!! this is exactly the type of low level mind some of those people have who visit zoos or sanctuaries with no regard to the existance of the animals. I rest my case....if anyone should be sued, it should be the survivors if they are implicated of wrong doing. Now zoos must waste their money putting in survelliance cameras to catch these type of fools...
Comment: If one dangles food (legs/arms) near a tiger what do you expect the tiger to do? The tiger does not differentiate between a trainer's arm, the food she was delivering, or someone's legs dangling over the edge of its territory. The tiger is a wild animal situated near people that forgot protocol or common sense.
Comment: this is what happens when humans cage wild animals, we take their land build on it and then cage the animals and then complain when the animal does what is natural. stupid humans...smart animals.
Comment: while I feel for the families of the injured, if it is proven these men taunted the animal, thus causing the rampage, they should be held responsible....not the zoo. the families should sue?!?!?!?? what? for the stupid behavior of their relatives?!?!? this is an expensive animal. They should be held liable at least for that. The handler last year was perfoming a spectacul of feeding for the public, which should not be allowed.
Comment: Once again common sense eludes the city of San Francisco. The wall height would never have been a factor if the tiger was never provoked by a "dangling leg" to begin with. Wow, how stupid do you have to be to climb to the top of this wall and stick your leg on the other side of it? Pretty stupid, I would suppose. If this kid indeed taunted this tiger, the parents should be fined and held responsible for this tiger's senseless death.
Comment: How do you know that the Tiger just didn't get hungry for humans?
Regardless the Tiger got out.
Would you take your kids or Grandkids to the zoo knowing the tiger has a chance to get out?
Comment: If one dangles food (legs) over the edge of the grotto, what would one expect of a tiger?
Comment: I would expect people wouldnt be able to get that close, and the animal wouldnt be able to get out.
And I don't think there was any proof yet someone dangled a leg anyway.
Comment: Are you saying that someone else is always responsible for your own safety? If there is a cliff without a barrier are you going to walk to the very edge of it and look down, then blame the wind for blowing you over?
Comment: i don't go to zoos anymore. the last time i was in a zoo was when i was twelve years old and realized that innocent animals do not belong there. they should be where nature intended them to be.
Comment: Zoos are not only used for our viewing pleasures they are also used for Rescue.
Comment: Not realy, Zoo's are about greed and exploitation, whats the point of rescuing something with a zoo, it looses what it is to be a tiger, and becomes just a big angry cat. Nature reserves are for protection, even the big drive-thru safari parks are much better, where the animals have acres of room and the keepers feed them from caged vehicles. There the animal's retain a great deal of their wild traits, and could probably one day be released into the wild, something you could never do with a zoo animal. Of course the problem with nature reserves and safari parks is, you dont get the same kind of footfall/income as a city zoo.
Comment: well said, Don Jose. I too have been involved with wild animal sanctuaries and zoos. Perhaps the wall enclosing the tigers was short of what was "recommended" -- key word: "recommended". Captive animals do behave differently. But the behavior of the people visiting is deplorable! They feel somehow the animals must react or pay attention to them. They cannot quietly observe. While I feel for the families of the injured, if it
Comment: It should not matter if the animal was taunted or not. The wall should have been higher. Was the handler taunting it when it mauled her last year? We need to remember, this was an animal. It left no mother or father behind. The parents should sue and so should everyone else in the zoo, you weren't safe either.
Comment: well said, Don Jose. I too have been involved with wild animal sanctuaries and zoos. Perhaps the wall enclosing the tigers was short of what was "recommended" -- key word: "recommended". Captive animals do behave differently. But the behavior of the people visiting is deplorable! They feel somehow the animals must react or pay attention to them. They cannot quietly observe. While I feel for the families of the injured, if it
Comment: I don't care if they were dangling their legs over or not. That wall should have been taller. What the tiger being provoked when the handler was trying to feed it last year? That should have been a warning sign that this animal was dangerous. Everyone needs to remember this was an animal, it left no father or mother behind.
Comment: Everyone already knew that the tiger was dangerous for the pure fact that it was a tiger. I don't know what you mean by a "warning sign."
Comment: no kidding. a tiger is a warning sign! danger Will Robinson, there's a tiger over there. warning, warning.
Comment: Exactly
Little kids are at that zoo every day..
It should have never been able to get out.
Comment: Regardless if the Animal was taunted It got out.
Comment: what if the people got in?
Comment: I will sure be mad to find out some smart alek kids were taunting this cat,and brought this on themselves.But ever more angry if and when the parents sue for blood money
Comment: Regardless If the Boys was taunting the Animal It got out...
Comment: well. I only can said: wild animal is a wild animal, doesn't matter how long you keep them in a cage? it is too sad to see the accident happen, and the tiger be shot to death. I am very much think the boys must do something fool enough to provoke the tiger.and make she will go after them . I feel sorry for the boy's family but wild animal is not a stuff animal
Comment: what about the male tiger tony ? is he in the same enclosure and if so where was he when this happened? is he in the same enclosure with the same height of wall ???
Comment: The problem is with stupid people, who think that wild animals are cute and not dnagerous anymore because after all being surrounded by people all the time, they're "socialized". These are wild animals, not pets. They are designed to hunt and kill large prey. I've read some of the posts that say stupid things like if they just stood still, the tiger wouldn't have hurt them. Been watching those old Bugs Bunny cartoons that say play dead, he won't hurt you if he thinks your dead? Welcome to the realworld. "Play dead, he won't hurt you if he thinks you're dead!", folks ? Welcome to the real world. Something set this tiger off. It may have been taunts, it may have been something else. The end result is a magnificent animal is
dead because it was being a tiger, one person is dead and 2 people are badly hurt. I feel the zoo could have been more proactive and perhaps this could have been prevented.
Comment: The problem is with zoos in principle. They're prisons for animals. It is an abomination to keep a wild animal caged up, surrounded by strange humans. The only surprise here is that more animals don't escape and kill people. The animal certainly shouldn't be punished for this, it's the fault of humans who've kept them in such an unpleasant manner.
Non-domesticated animals belong in animal preserves. You can watch them on wildlife shows, where you filthy apes can't stick your limbs in their cages, or throw popcorn at them.
Comment: The bottom line, as this article points out, is that people are complacent. They think that wild animals in zoos aren't wild anymore. That they're used to people and so they're pussycats(pun intended). That perception was only strengthened for years by Siegfried and Roy, with their asinine entertainment act with tigers. It was an accident waiting to happen, and it should have come as no surprise when it did. Tigers, Lions, Burmese Pythons, crocodiles - these are WILD animals, not pets. To think you can domesticate them and "socialize" their instincts out of them is ludicrous. That doesn't stop people from being stupid around them.
Comment: I have been a regular visitor to the San Francisco Zoo since July 04, 1952 when I move to the Bay Area.
I have been a volunteer at the San Francisco Zoo since 1996 and a Docent of the Zoo since 1998. From the time I began viisting the Zoo I have seen people annoying the animals trying to get their attention and since I became a docent a major part of my time is spent Policing the visitors trying to get them to refrain from throwing objects at the animals in the exhibits. Our penguins swallow coins and other shinny objects and some have had to undergo surgery to remove foreign objects from their stomachs. We all dread free day because the visitors pester the amimals so much. The training against such behavior begins at home or at least with the very young. All captive animals should be observed quietly and never taunted. Look at what could happen. I don't know that these young men actually taunted the tiger Titiana, but I have been at the Zoo a very long time and I have never even seen an animal in any of the Cat Grotto's that even appeared to want to escape. I simply can not accept that this cat who I have seen almost daily on my duty tours simply, without any reason whatever, jumped out of the Grotto. No other animal in this Zoo has ever done that before. The Grotto's have been occupied continuously since 1929. These young men did something to provoke her. Jose Pedro Ramirez, San Franicsco Resident speaking for myself.
Comment: Exactly that's why the zoo should make sure the animals cannot get out of their enclosure even when taunted. From your post it appears that this is a common problem and the zoo knows about it. This is a public place and all kinds of people visit it. It is not possible to control everybody. People are assuming that the boys taunted the tiger, however it is also possible that someone else taunted the tiger and the boys fell victims just because they were in th wrong place.
Comment: I feel the AZA failed in their responsibility twice. Why didn't the AZA recogonize the dangers of the feeding procedure that caused the injury last year at the same zoo? Why didn't AZA recogonize the wall height was under sized? Is the AZA acreditation just some certificate hanging on a wall? The AZA needs to do real inspections to insure safety standards.
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