Tiger attacks & kills 1 and injures 2

[Johnd]

Yeah. I wouldn't fault them for just being at the zoo. I mean they could be out getting drunk raising mayhem...or robbing a bank.

 

[Rickster71]

Yeah. I wouldn't fault them for just being at the zoo. I mean they could be out getting drunk raising mayhem...or robbing a bank.

That was my point...I don't think they were "just at the zoo"
There is more to this story, yet to unfold. IMHO

 

[Joe Schmoe]

That was my point...I don't think they were "just at the zoo"
There is more to this story, yet to unfold. IMHO

Key question: was the zoo open at that time, or were they trespassing?

 

[Johnd]

That was my point...I don't think they were "just at the zoo"
There is more to this story, yet to unfold. IMHO

Well, unless they were just at the zoo (and the zoo was open, of course). Of course he was a damn fool if he was teasing the feline, under the influence, standing on the rail, there after hours, etc., etc., etc. Any one of those things could have made the cat smack her lips in hunger, or placed her in hunt or defense mode. Let us wait and see what evidence the investigation unfurls. It may be bordering on disrespectful to pass judgment before the investigation is concluded, and his body is cold. I mean his family is still grieving, and is stunned by this unfortunate event, whatever may have prompted it. I tend to suspect that there will be no conclusive evidence of any wrongdoing...but who knows?

 

[j_garcia]

Apparently there were no witnesses to what provoked the escape/attack besides them, so I don't think we will ever really know what happened. The zoo was open, but it was closing time and people were supposed to be leaving.

 

[j_garcia]

I do believe this is the cat:

She was the only one with the protective cover on her feeding cage.

 

[majorloser]

I thought the police shot the escaped tiger?
Is that an old photo?

 

[mtrycrafts]

If they were indeed taunting the tiger, they got what they deserve. Don't mess with a wild animal. Have they figured out how the tiger got out in the first place? Someone help it or is the zoo covering up a screwup by their staff?

I read that the retaining all is well below the standard height for such walls in zoo for such animals.

 

[mtrycrafts]

...
I've actually seen this tiger in person during feeding - the feeder said this one is very aggressive, and she most definitely was when they gave her the food. I have pics of this one during that feeding earlier this year. She charged the gal while she was feeding while we were there, which is also how the previous feeder was attacked and badly injured as well.
...

And zoo officials kept this animal after such incidents? Interesting.

 

[majorloser]

I read that the retaining all is well below the standard height for such walls in zoo for such animals.

I saw the interview on CNN. They said the wall was recommended to be 18 feet tall. Their wall was 15 feet tall.

 

[Rickster71]

I heard on the news, that the two survivors are being belligerent during questioning about the tiger attack.
Sorry I don't have a link to this story, I'll keep an eye out though.

 

[Rickster71]

I found a San Francisco Chronicle story:
The Dhaliwal brothers have been hostile to police in the current death investigation, and were "extremely belligerent" in an earlier encounter with police this year, authorities say.

After the zoo attack, authorities said, the brothers had refused to give their own names, identify the victim or initially give authorities an account of what occurred.


http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/12/28/MN7RU5I8P.DTL

 

[j_garcia]

And zoo officials kept this animal after such incidents? Interesting.

Does seem odd, but this particular breed is very rare. The news said there are more in captivity than in the wild and they brought her here to breed. They also said there is no mandate that an attack would result in the animal being destroyed or even moved to another facility.

I saw the interview on CNN. They said the wall was recommended to be 18 feet tall. Their wall was 15 feet tall.

The wall is supposed to be 16ft minimum, 20 recommended, but as I mentioned before, the SF zoo is older than that requirement... Their wall was 12.5ft, so a few feet short. Both SF and Oakland (only a few minutes away) will be raising the height of the walls.

 

[mtrycrafts]

Does seem odd, but this particular breed is very rare. The news said there are more in captivity than in the wild and they brought her here to breed. They also said there is no mandate that an attack would result in the animal being destroyed or even moved to another facility.

Perhaps not destroy it but better precautions should be in order I would think.

The wall is supposed to be 16ft minimum, 20 recommended, but as I mentioned before, the SF zoo is older than that requirement... Their wall was 12.5ft, so a few feet short. Both SF and Oakland (only a few minutes away) will be raising the height of the walls.

Yep, another after the fact correction.

 

[masak_aer]

i'm just curious about how this whole incident will end.

 

[Johnd]

i'm just curious about how this whole incident will end.

Stay tuned.

The money-grubbing, self-loving, all-important attorneys have already appeared on network news stating potential causes of action. There are multiple problems with this matter getting civilly litigious, the least of which is distortion of the truth , and probable concealment of the true culprit(s), if any.

 

[Rickster71]

Had slingshots

December 31, 2007 --

SAN FRANCISCO - Two brothers who were injured when a tiger attacked them at the San Francisco Zoo had slingshots on them at the time, a source said.

An empty vodka bottle was also found in a car used by Amritpal Dhaliwal, 19, and his brother, Kulbir, 23, on the day of the mauling, which left 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. dead, according to the source.

The discoveries could be an indication that the brothers may have taunted the 350-pound Siberian tiger before it leapt from its grotto.

 

[Alex2507]

December 31, 2007 --

SAN FRANCISCO - Two brothers who were injured when a tiger attacked them at the San Francisco Zoo had slingshots on them at the time, a source said.

An empty vodka bottle was also found in a car used by Amritpal Dhaliwal, 19, and his brother, Kulbir, 23, on the day of the mauling, which left 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. dead, according to the source.

The discoveries could be an indication that the brothers may have taunted the 350-pound Siberian tiger before it leapt from its grotto.

You think they got the tiger drunk? They really should have been more selective when choosing a drinking buddy. Tigers never could hold their liqueur.

 

[Rickster71]

You think they got the tiger drunk? They really should have been more selective when choosing a drinking buddy. Tigers never could hold their liqueur.

I'll bet the tiger got PO'ed when someone told an off color joke, like; a tiger and a rabbi walk into a bar....

 

[Rickster71]

survivors of S.F. tiger attack made pact of silence

Just when you thought this thread was dead.
More of the story unfolds.
"Don't tell them what we did," paramedics heard 23-year-old Kulbir Dhaliwal tell his brother, Paul, 19.
Story link below:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2008/01/05/MNVKU9L9L.DTL