Tiger Kills Zoo Visitor

[MannyIsGod]

The tiger went tiger.

[Extra Stout]

It's kind of silly to blame the tiger... that's what tigers do.

The blame goes to the management of a zoo that could ever preside over big carnivorous cats being unleashed upon patrons. If they cant do better than that, then their animals should be transferred to other zoos, and the SF Zoo should be closed permanently.

Of course, since it was in SF, perusing the comments behind the online article in the local paper is hilarious. Opinions include:

1) All zoos everywhere should be closed.

2) The police who shot the tiger should go to prison.

3) The killing of an endangered tiger is a far bigger tragedy than the loss of 100 human lives, much less one.

4) The vast majority of humanity should be exterminated in order to protect animal habitats.

[nsrammstein]

4) The vast majority of humanity should be exterminated in order to protect animal habitats.

The vast majority of humanity should be ing educated on how to not piss off tigers

[ShoogarBear]

The tiger went tiger.

Manny finally comes through for the win.

[tlongII]

What are you people PETA members or something???

The tiger threatened the cops. That is why it was shot. Everybody knows that if you are black or if you are a tiger and you threaten the cops you get shot. Duh!

[BonnerDynasty]

Damn white man trying to keep the Tiger down...and in a cage.

[ShoogarBear]

What are you people PETA members or something???

The tiger threatened the cops. That is why it was shot. Everybody knows that if you are black or if you are a tiger and you threaten the cops you get shot. Duh!

Right On!

[Vinnie_Johnson]

Sorry i have the tigers back here that's what you get when you let them out.

[peewee's lovechild]

The tiger went tiger.

[nsrammstein]

The cops should have tasered the tiger, instead of shooting it.

[Vinnie_Johnson]

No it went Tiger

[Kermit]

Tiger got taunted. If true, dude was asking for it.

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- The father of a teen who was killed by a tiger at the San Francisco Zoo questioned the facility's safety on Thursday, as police reportedly considered whether one of the victims taunted the deadly jungle cat.


The killed teen's father, Carlos Sousa, told CNN on Thursday that the zoo should do more to protect visitors.

Sources close to the investigation told the San Francisco Chronicle that police are probing whether one of the Siberian tiger's three victims climbed over a fence Christmas Day and then dangled a leg or other body part over the moat.

Police said Carlos Sousa, 17, of San Jose was killed just outside the tiger's enclosure. The two others, who were injured, were about 300 yards away by a cafe.

A shoe and blood were found between the fence and the moat, the Chronicle reported, and a footprint has been found on a metal fence at the zoo. The investigation is looking into the possibility that the tiger escaped by latching on to a leg or other body part, the paper reported.

"Somebody created a situation that really agitated [the tiger] and and gave her some method to break her out," zoo director Manuel Mollinedo told the Chronicle. "A couple of feet dangling over the edge could possibly have done it."

But a police sergeant told the paper there was no reason to think the victims were taunting the tiger.

The two survivors were in stable condition Wednesday and doing well, San Francisco General Hospital said.


"We have deemed the site, as of last night, a crime scene," said San Francisco Police Chief Heather Fong on Wednesday, and police are working to gather evidence and witness statements.

Mollinedo said officials have not determined how the 300-pound tiger named Tatiana, escaped from her exhibit area and attacked three patrons Tuesday before police shot and killed her.

Sousa's mother Marilza Sousa told CNN on Thursday that Christmas would never be the same for them. "This is supposed to be the day for giving, not to take. And he was taken away from me," she said holding back tears.

The boy's father, also named Carlos, criticized the zoo's safety. "They didn't do enough for the public, because I think the zoo should be protective on both sides, protective for the people and protective for the animals," said the elder Carlos Sousa. Read about other escapes and attacks by captive animals

The head of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums said this was the first-ever visitor fatality due to an animal escape at a zoo accredited by the association.

Ron Magill of Florida's Miami Metrozoo told CNN that the Siberian tiger is "the most powerful cat on the face of this planet."

Speaking to reporters Wednesday, Mollinedo was asked about an incident last year, in which Tatiana chewed flesh off a keeper's arm during a public feeding demonstration. Mollinedo said that Tatiana "was acting like a normal tiger" at the time, and that the zoo modified procedures to increase safety.

California's Division of Occupation Safety and Health determined the zoo was at fault because of hazardous conditions in the Lion House and lack of specialized safety training for employees. The zoo made changes that the state safety division ordered. The Lion House, the zoo's big-cat exhibit, was closed for more than six months after that incident.

Sousa's sister Beatrice appeared told CNN Wednesday night that the family has not received information about the investigation. "There's a lot of pain. You know, no words for it. It's just too much," she said. "Our family is very, very hurt." Watch the family's reaction to the attack »

The zoo was closed Wednesday while officials investigated the tiger attack. Mollinedo said the zoo will probably reopen Thursday, but the Lion House will remain closed "until we get a better understanding of what actually happened."

Tatiana was held in an exhibit area that included a 20-foot moat and an 18-foot wall, Mollinedo said. The 4-year-old tiger was born at the Denver Zoo and came to San Francisco in 2005.

Experts from other zoos will inspect the setup to help suggest modifications to assure safety, he said.

Fong said fire and police responded to emergency calls shortly after 5 p.m. Tuesday. When police arrived, they saw the tiger "sitting next to a person on the ground," and the tiger turned back and began attacking the person again, she said.

Officers yelled at the tiger to stop , and did not fire immediately "for fear that they would not be able to contain their fire," she said. "When the yelling was occurring, the animal turned toward the officers," who then shot and killed the animal, Fong said.

Authorities carried out multiple searches to ensure there were no other victims, she said.

The zoo had closed at 5 p.m., and only around 20 people were still there, Mollinedo said.

The other victims of the tiger attack have not been publicly identified.

Dr. Roc e er, a surgeon at San Francisco General Hospital, said the two "young men" injured are "in very stable condition." In fact, she said, "they look absolutely fantastic."

Doctors are focusing on ensuring that the patients don't develop infections, she said, adding that they "will be on antibiotics for some time.

"By the time they got here, they were very, very stable -- not close to death," er told reporters. "Really, it was just a matter of washing out their wounds."

Jim Maddy, president of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums, issued a statement expressing "sympathy to the family of the guest that lost his life, and our deepest hope that the two injured guests will recover."

Maddy called the San Francisco Zoo "great," and noted that it is accredited by the association. "Until this incident, there had not been a visitor fatality resulting from an animal escape at an AZA-accredited zoo.

"AZA mandatory accreditation standards require safety and emergency protocols that go beyond federal, state or local requirements. Regular safety training and annual emergency drills are required by these mandatory accreditation standards."


He said association rules "require that the San Francisco Zoo provide a thorough report to its independent accreditation commission, which will review it and determine any actions that need to be taken. We will not speculate on what action might be taken until the facts are fully reviewed."

Along with Siberian tigers, an endangered species, the zoo has rarer and smaller Sumatran tigers.

http://www.cnn.com/2007/US/12/27/tig...ack/index.html

[some_user86]

If the kid was taunting the tiger (which is believable and most likely given the shoe behind the fence), then he got what he deserved. If this was not the case, it's sad for the family for their loss.

I feel most sympathy and sadness for the two people who were at the cafe. Poor guys had nothing to do with this.

Gotta feel for the tiger, too, especially if the kid was taunting her.

[some_user86]

Some pictures of the family members and the kid involved.

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/us_w...nraged_th.html

[Johnny_Blaze_47]

I really would have loved to see the disciplinary hearings should an officer fail to identify themselves to a tiger before opening fire.

[Kermit]

I really would have loved to see the disciplinary hearings should an officer fail to identify themselves to a tiger before opening fire.

Disciplined for not using his taser first.

[Slomo]

Disciplined for not using his taser first.

Yeah, it's not like the tiger wasn't angry enough.

[E20]

Everybody involved in the death of the tiger (including the tiger itself) is burning in right now or will burn in . Book it.

[LuvBones]

The whole thing is su ious. Why and how would a teenager hang a bloody limb out to "taunt" a tiger like that? San Francisco zoo has a lot of explaining to do..

[mrsmaalox]

The whole thing is su ious. Why and how would a teenager hang a bloody limb out to "taunt" a tiger like that? San Francisco zoo has a lot of explaining to do..

I don't think the limb was bloody until after the tiger was taunted!

[LuvBones]

Oh, well I thought I heard that on the news.. they were talking about a trail of blood and a bloody shoe print on the fence. It just didn't make sense, but it was very early this morning, and I was half awake at the time.

[mrsmaalox]

Oh, well I thought I heard that on the news.. they were talking about a trail of blood and a bloody shoe print on the fence. It just didn't make sense, but it was very early this morning, and I was half awake at the time.

Believe me, I understand!

[ATRAIN]

Oh, well I thought I heard that on the news.. they were talking about a trail of blood and a bloody shoe print on the fence. It just didn't make sense, but it was very early this morning, and I was half awake at the time.

HI D

[Kermit]

Yeah, it's not like the tiger wasn't angry enough.

Yeah, but he was full. How angry can a tiger full of human flesh be?

[Extra Stout]

Disciplined for not using his taser first.

The taser would just make the tiger angrier. There are also tranquilizer darts; however, I doubt the San Francisco Police Department specifically stocks equipment to deal with escaped zoo animals.