San Francisco Tiger Escaped! 1 dead, 2 mauled

Canon EF-S 17-85mm f/4-5.6 IS USM

12/26/2007 04:32:45 AM · #1

12/25/07
Did anyone hear about this? Today at about 5pm the Siberian Tiger named Tatiana "somehow" escaped from her S.F. Zoo pen and killed one 23 year old man (found with neck wound) and mauled two brothers. The news I was watching said that the when the police they saw one of the men covered in blood with the tiger still over him. Then she started to go after the police so they shot her. The brothers look as if they will recover and they are still looking for more bodies in the bushes. oh, forgot to mention that this is the same tiger that last year attacked a zoo keeper during public feeding time.

I dunno about you but, that freaks the hell out of me! I've been to that zoo and visited those tigers several times within the past year. The last time I went there (2 weeks ago!) I was watching the tigers pace back and forth and noticed that the moat/cliff that seperated the tigers from me did not seem to be wide enough if they really wanted to get across. Maybe I should have voiced this opinion. They still don't officially know how she escaped since all the locks were secure, but I'm betting that's how she got to the visitors. The media is now asking whether tigers should be kept in zoos at all. IMO that's stupid even to argue, they are losing numbers rapidly in the wild and the Tigers we see in the zoo are the ones that are done mating, so why not see them while we have the chance? But...on the other hand I feel incredibly bad for them pacing back and forth and crying out (I have it on video) and I think they need a whole field to be in rather than a medium-sized island. Very sad, especially on X-mas. It won't stop me from going, but I'll think twice about getting close to them when they have that meat-lusting look in their eyes.

Tatiana and ~~un-named victim~~ Carlos Sousa Jr.: R.I.P.

Here is an article:
tiger attack 12/25/07

Message edited by author 2007-12-26 17:21:21.

Monique64

Canon EOS-30D

12/26/2007 04:43:31 AM · #2

Yes I saw that on the news tonight. Terrible isn't it. What a terrible way to die. Noone would ever dream that they would die by being killed by a tiger in the city. Crazy isn't it.

loriprophoto

Canon EOS-20D

Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L USM

12/26/2007 08:17:09 AM · #3

Really sad, people forget that these are wild animals, even the ones raised in captivity, they still have their natural instincts. I really feel sorry for the person or persons who are going to have to take the "blame" for this. No-one wants to be responsible for something like this, and I also feel for the Tiger, she was only doing what her instincts told her to.

Very sad all the way round.

MelonMusketeer

Nikon D7000

Nikon MF 50mm f/1.4

12/26/2007 08:55:40 AM · #4

If you are worried about being tiger tidbits, don't come to Florida. There are 4,000 of these in the wild in their native habitat, Siberia, and in Florida alone there are 6,000 registered as pets with the Florida Fish and Wildlife Commission.
I agree that wild animals, even if bred and raised in captivity still have their instincts. They don't allow women to feed the tigers at the place where this one is being raised, an animal rescue place, because the animals sense when the women are fertile, and get a little crazy.

12/26/2007 05:05:25 PM · #5

afternoon bump

Canon EF 16-35mm f/2.8L USM

12/26/2007 05:20:42 PM · #6

the name of the victim is 17-year-old San Jose boy Carlos Sousa, Jr.

trevytrev

Canon EOS-5D

12/26/2007 05:24:29 PM · #7

We've had a few cheetahs escape from their enclosures at the St Louis Zoo. Luckily they didn't hurt anyone or attempt to hurt anyone. It's just one of the weird things that are bound to happen when dealing with animals such as these. I really feel bad for the families of the person killed, you go to the Zoo on Christmas and then you lose a loved one to something like this. Trevor~

faidoi

Pentax K10D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

12/26/2007 07:30:39 PM · #8

Interesting to note that this is the same tiger that attacked a zoo keeper almost exactly to the day last year. Sad to hear that something like that can happen again.

Couple from my last visit:

Message edited by author 2007-12-26 19:32:20.

12/26/2007 07:47:37 PM · #9

Originally posted by faidoi:

Interesting to note that this is the same tiger that attacked a zoo keeper almost exactly to the day last year. Sad to hear that something like that can happen again.

I think it's just coincidence and I'm suprised that that attack didn't happen sooner. I don't know if you remember but before last year the feeding pens didn't have any mesh on them and I think the used to feed them with meat attached to pole. Seemed like a stupid design and now the zoo is paying for yet another stupid design of a 15(wide) x 20(deep) foot moat. Quote from wikipedia "tigers can leap as high as 5 m (16 ft) and as far as 9â��10 m (30â��33 ft), making them one of the highest-jumping mammals " I know the cages/pens are old but isn't it suprising that no one has thought to fix this issue? I am purely amazed that this hasn't happened before now.

Message edited by author 2007-12-27 02:37:55.

Canon RF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS USM

12/28/2007 05:47:56 PM · #10

update: Turns out the pit seperating the tigers from the people was only 12 feet 5 inches deep. The recommended standard is 16.4 feet. they also found cement in Tatiana's hind claws, so thay are guessing that she was able to reach up on her hind legs and pulled herself up. They also found pine cones and pine branches which couldn't have naturally fallen into the grotto. They also found a footprint on the railing (although I think that anyone could have been any child's shoe since parents always lift their children to get a better view). Also, the discovered that the two brothers that were mauled have criminal records, frequent parties, and were belligerant and swearing when they were taken to the hospital. It's now reasonable to assume that the two brothers were taunting Tatiana (and maybe throwing things and putting limbs over the railing) which motivated her to attack. The boy who was killed seemed like an OK kid, although he could have been trying to impress his older friends or might have just been in the tiger's path on it's way to the first brother. Very sad, looks like the zoo mught be sued and there will undoubtedly be more renovations including cameras (Gee, what a thought!). Zoos around the country are now also under review because of this escape.

Does anyone still care about this or am I talking to air??

Venom

Canon EOS R

12/28/2007 05:54:51 PM · #11

Originally posted by Blue Moon:

Does anyone still care about this or am I talking to air??

Nope, I been readin everything. Just 1 1/2 weeks ago we went by the zoo and thought about stopping could been there and seen it happen.

karmat

Apple iPhone 7

Canon EF 70-200mm f/4.0L USM

12/28/2007 06:01:58 PM · #12

Originally posted by Blue Moon:

Does anyone still care about this or am I talking to air??

I had also heard that "someone" was swinging an arm or leg inside the pit or moat -- not sure.

People seem to have a false sense of security at the zoo, and places like that. I went to one and watched a man hold his 2 or 3 yo kid over the alligator "pond." doofus.

faidoi

Pentax K10D

Pentax DA 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 AF

12/28/2007 06:08:25 PM · #13

Last year a lady was being obnoxious and taunting the gorillas at the SF Zoo and the gorillas throw their excrement at her. It hit her in the face and I think she really deserved it.

There's multiply signs that tell people to not to make noise around the gorillas.

smilebig4me1x

Canon EOS-400D Rebel XTi

Canon EF-S 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6

12/28/2007 07:01:42 PM · #14

Originally posted by Blue Moon:

Very sad, looks like the zoo mught be sued and there will undoubtedly be more renovations including cameras (Gee, what a thought!). Zoos around the country are now also under review because of this escape.

The really sad part is the boys were most likely taunting the tiger making it attack and if (im sure they will)they sue, the zoo will lose. these brothers will profit from being total idiots!another thing thats sad is people have to die before any one decideds to check all the zoo's for things like fence and moat sizes(this is just like the bridges after the one collapsed)why is there no one checking this stuff on a regular basis already. were talking man eatting wild animals here not house cats and teddy bears

Message edited by author 2007-12-28 19:03:13.

12/28/2007 07:09:53 PM · #15

Originally posted by smilebig4me1x:

Originally posted by Blue Moon:
Very sad, looks like the zoo mught be sued and there will undoubtedly be more renovations including cameras (Gee, what a thought!). Zoos around the country are now also under review because of this escape.

The really sad part is the boys were most likely taunting the tiger making it attack and if (im sure they will)they sue, the zoo will lose. these brothers will profit from being total idiots!another thing thats sad is people have to die before any one decideds to check all the zoo's for things like fence and moat sizes(this is just like the bridges after the one collapsed)why is there no one checking this stuff on a regular basis already. were talking man eatting wild animals here not house cats and teddy bears

i guess they figured that since it hadn't happened before, it was never going to. Stupid mentality.

TCGuru