Its always tragic to read about such incidents and really raises the issue of how safe our zoos are. Many reports state that the moat fronting the SF Zoo tiger enclosure is "15-feet wide". Is it a typo or some error because a 5-metre-wide moat for a tiger is ridiculously insufficient, considering tigers can jump horizontal distances of 10 metres.
Such a terrible incident made even worse by the fact someone died and others were critically injured... It was Tatiana wasn't it? She was the one who mauled a keeper last year if I remember correctly.
It was the female tiger Tatiana, who was later shot dead by a police officer. I've been to the San Francisco Zoo, and its lion/tiger house is an antiquated exhibit that should have been torn down decades ago. That section of the zoo is well past its due date.
News states the person she killed was taunting her. Rest in peace Tatiana. We didn't keep you safe from the public.
Hope I'm not being rude here and I don't mean to insult any zoo friends from the States - but like San Francisco Zoo? Wouldn't this zoo be a huge income earner? Why was the exhibit in such a poor state? Surely a beautiful creature such as this would warrant a fantastic enclosure to show her off? If this was Afghanistan yes - but San Francisco in the USA? I don't get it.
Jaywa: the lion/tiger house was constructed at least 40 years ago, and might be even older than that. There are actually some shocking exhibits at this zoo, along with several oustanding newer enclosures. If you go to the General Forum section of Zoobeat, then you will see a review that I posted on the San Francisco Zoo earlier this month. Their lemur island with 6 lemur species, the mixed-species, 3-acre African Savanna, and the grizzly enclosures are all excellent...but there are numerous antiquated exhibits that badly need to be updated.
Snowleopard - I am very sorry to hear about the old enclosures. The legal expenses are going to be astronomical - it would have been cheaper to upgrade!
An enclosure that opened almost 70 years ago, with a pitiful amount of space for the inhabitants (lions and tigers)...no wonder the Siberian Tiger wanted to escape. It is still rather likely that it was aided in its quest to escape purgatory.
The only "good" thing about this tragedy could be that this might result in the persons in charge finally improving the husbandry of the big cats left and even tearing down said building (or at least rebuilding it to live up to modern husbandry standards).
From the looks of the Lion house from images on the web, it could be renovated to be suitable for a pride of Lions by: Removing the walls of what is now four adjacent enclosures... Give the animals a private den, removing the public feeding cages and give viewing instead from inside...
There must be something in the wind that is causing our animals to rebel. A circus trainer from Stardust Animal Circus was killed in Yamba, New South Wales, Australia yesterday apparently by an elephant he was unloading from a truck. He died of a heart attack and back injuries. It hasn't been decided what will happen to the elephant - but I think we all know. Must tell you that we had a travelling Russian circus in Perth, Australia a few years ago who had a hippo in the troop. They forced the hippo to walk on a narrow wall surrounding the arena. Due to the protests by the animal activists they had to pack up and move on.
WOW didnt know any hippos in cicus', it is belived he had a heart attck, fell, then sustained injuries by elephant.
Latest reports on the news are that the guys might have been closer than they should have, but don't take it as gospel until it is confirmed. Deadly US zoo tiger may have had escape help: report December 28, 2007 - 6:03AM Source: ABC A tiger that escaped from its den at San Francisco Zoo and mauled three visitors, killing one, may have been helped out by one of its victims dangling a leg into its enclosure, reports said. The San Francisco Chronicle said police found blood and a shoe inside the tiger exhibit and were probing the possibility that one of the victims may have placed a leg over the edge of a protective moat, aiding the tiger's escape. Police and zoo officials are baffled as to how the animal managed to escape from an enclosure separated from the viewing area by the 6.1-metre deep moat and a wall taller than 20 feet. The Chronicle cited unnamed sources close to the investigation as saying that evidence found at the scene "included a shoe and blood in an area between the gate and the edge of the ... moat." The body of 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr was found near the exhibit. He had been killed by a slash to the throat. The other two victims, brothers age 19 and 23 who accompanied Mr Sousa to the zoo, were present when the tiger escaped, the report said. "The injured victims fled, leaving a trail of blood, which police believe the tiger followed up a zoo pathway," the report said. The four-year-old tiger, named Tatiana, attacked one of the brothers before police were able to distract the animal and shoot it dead. "Somebody created a situation that really agitated her and gave her some sort of a method to break out," zoo director Manuel Mollinedo was quoted as telling the newspaper. "There is no possible way the cat could have made it out of there in a single leap. I would surmise that there was help," he said. "A couple of feet dangling over the edge could possibly have done it." The report also said "pinecones and sticks that were found in the moat might have been thrown at the animal. Those items could not have landed in the grotto naturally," according to the sources. Still, police sergeant Neville Gittens cautioned that "there was no reason to think that the victims were taunting the tiger," it said. The two men have been recovering in hospital and are listed as serious but stable. The 136-kilogram tiger attacked the arm of a zookeeper during a public feeding session at the facility last year. Meanwhile, the grieving parents of the teenager killed in Tuesday's Christmas Day attack have criticised safety measures at the zoo. "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," the boy's father, also called Carlos, told CNN. Mr Sousa's mother meanwhile told the network that Christmas would never be the same for them. "This is supposed to be the day for giving, not to take," Marilza Sousa said. "And he was taken away from me." - AFP
Now the SF Zoo director has admitted the tiger enclosure doesn't meet national standards. The barrier walls are significantly shorter than previously thought.
