(USA) Investigators probe killer tiger's escape at zoo

[Guest guest]

Hopefully this is a wake-up call to all Americans on the dawn of 2008 that

Zoos are not places for wild animals, but natural habitats preserved and

expanded are. It's very sad that a zoo visitor had to die as the result of

such stupidity on the part of fellow humans. But equally as sad is the fact

that the tiger was shot to death by police for doing just what you would

expect a tiger to do in captivity, go to the zoo café and have a bite to

eat. But this eye for an eye mentality is intolerable for any intelligent

being, and that behavior is only found within the human species - AND SHOULD

BE STOPPED IMMEDIATELY. As a result of this and so many other countless

incidents at zoos world-wide, we at animalNEPAL hope that all citizens of

mother earth push for anti-zoo legislation and for the immediate expansion

and preservation of wild habitats, and a return of all animals held in

captivity to their rightful place on the planet. It is time to put a end to

animal capture, torture and exploitation, in whatever varied forms these

uniquely human behaviors take.

Regards,

Jigs

www.animalnepal.org

 

http://edition.cnn.com/2007/US/12/26/tiger.attack/index.html

 

SAN FRANCISCO, California (CNN) -- Investigators on Wednesday will try to

determine how a Siberian tiger escaped from her enclosure at the San

Francisco Zoo the day before, killing one zoo visitor and mauling two

others.

 

 

Emergency personnel carry a San Francisco Zoo visitor attacked by an escaped

tiger away on a stretcher.

1 of 2

 

Authorities planned a thorough sweep of the grounds to look for clues they

may have missed in the dark Tuesday evening, according to The Associated

Press.

 

Police shot and killed the tiger, San Francisco Fire Department Lt. Mindy

Talmadge said. The surviving victims were transported to San Francisco

General Hospital, she said.

 

Dr. Eric Isaacs said the two injured men, ages 19 and 23, were in serious

but stable condition with multiple lacerations.

 

" I believe there was probably some blood loss at the zoo, but here they are

talking, they are alert, their vital signs are stable at this time, " Isaacs

said

 

He said that both could be released as early as Wednesday. Watch as the

tiger's victims are rushed to the hospital »

 

Talmadge said authorities were notified of an escaped tiger about 15 minutes

after the 78-year-old zoo's 5 p.m. PT closing time.

 

" Apparently right around closing time -- there was a pen with four tigers in

it -- one of the tigers got out, " Talmadge said. " The tiger went into a cafe

at the zoo and attacked a patron. That person ended up dying at the scene. "

 

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Tigers tear off man's limb

Police arrived as the animal attacked two other patrons, Talmadge said.

 

" They shot the tiger, and the tiger is deceased, " she said.

 

Talmadge said the 125-acre zoo was locked down and all the facility's other

animals were accounted for, including three other tigers that had been in

the same enclosure with the escaped animal.

 

Initially, officials feared some or all of the other tigers might have

escaped but later determined they had not, Talmadge said.

 

The tiger that escaped, a 300-pound female named Tatiana, did not escape

through an open door, Robert Jenkins, the zoo's director of animal care and

conservation, told the AP.

 

Jenkins could not explain how the tiger got out, since the enclosure has a

15-foot moat and 20-foot walls, the AP reported.

 

" There was no way out through the door, " Jenkins told the AP. " The animal

appears to have climbed or otherwise leapt out of the enclosure. " Watch as

animal expert Jack Hanna discusses the attack »

 

The San Francisco Chronicle reported the tiger was the same animal that

chewed the flesh off a keeper's arm in an attack last December during a

public feeding demonstration.

 

 

 

California's Division of Occupational Safety and Health later determined

that the zoo was at fault because of hazardous conditions in the Lion House,

which houses the zoo's large cats, and lack of specialized safety training

for employees, according to the Chronicle. The Lion House was closed for

more than six months after the mauling, the paper reported, and the zoo made

changes that the state safety division ordered.

 

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

smaller Sumatran tigers. E-mail to a friend

Copyright 2007 CNN. All rights reserved.This material may not be published,

broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. Associated Press contributed to this

report.

 

 

Sound Off: Your opinions and comments

 

Lucila

updated 1 minute ago

I feel sorry for human and non-human animals in this confused world we live

in. I hope some day we may leave greater habitats for animals with no need

of zoos. I hope some day we all understand non-human animals have ...more

 

 

 

nonsense

updated 10 minutes ago

Some of you people make me laugh. " Release all animals into the wild! " Umm,

what wild do you think we should release them to? How do you think hand fed

cats will do in Siberia? It's sad that the cat got out and very s ...more

 

 

 

B

updated 11 minutes ago

I know from experience that even the most powerful tranquilizer takes time

to work. Sad as the death of the tiger is, the police HAD to shoot the tiger

in the midst of mauling 2 humans shortly after killing someone el ...more

 

 

 

Mike

updated 11 minutes ago

Are you people insane? A healthy young person was tragically killed and 2

others seriously wounded. Yet, people feel sorry for the tiger that was shot

by a well trained police force that probably saved many more lives ...more

 

 

 

Rebecca

updated 12 minutes ago

Let me just preface this by saying what a horrible tragedy it is that an

innocent person, and the tiger both died in this incident. However, to

everyone condeming the shooting of the tiger and claiming that tranq gun

....more

 

 

 

Jon

updated 13 minutes ago

I think that Police Officers are trained to use deadly force as a last

resort or if there are lives at risk. i think that a tiger running around a

zoo is grounds for using deadly force!

 

 

 

Mike

updated 14 minutes ago

Save a beautiful animal from destruction????? that same beautiful animal

just killed one person and was about to kill more. In a situation like this

you need to act fast and shooting the animal was the approriate move ...more

 

 

 

Keith Gibbs

updated 15 minutes ago

I can't go to the zoo any longer, it just seems so cruel to me. I can't even

ride by a pet adoption day without shedding a tear. This Tiger needed to go

but should have been more reatricted after the 1st mauling.

 

 

 

Kathi

updated 15 minutes ago

If zoos were really concerned about breeding and preservation, they would

keep the animals on large, secure pieces of property and out of the view of

the public. I am sure that the stress of these conditions is part o ...more

 

 

 

Diane

updated 16 minutes ago

Consider what might have made that tiger so angry -- could it possibly have

been taunting by idiot visitors? I've seen it happen at zoos before and its

sickening -usually young teenage boys who think it hilarious to t ...more

 

 

 

Matthew Jade

updated 17 minutes ago

Youre appalled that police shot the animal that just killed a HUMAN BEING

and would surely kill more? Yes its unfortunate that the tiger had to be

shot but we're talking about human lives. Someone's father, brother or

....more

 

 

 

Marie

updated 19 minutes ago

Now... where was the Zoo Keeper for that area?? maybe feeding other

animals in there area and was not aware of the incident- the police were

right in what they did-if they would have had to wait for the keeper an

....more

 

 

 

JV

updated 21 minutes ago

" Human blood is very sweet to an animal and they will want more. "

 

Not true, that is an old wives' tale. If anything, the fact that the tiger

has aggression towards people (on 2 seperate occurences) is why ...more

 

 

 

Steve

updated 30 minutes ago

Tranq shots must be measured according to animal weight. It's not as easy as

they make it look on TV.

 

Police are generally armed with conventional weapons, not tranq guns.

 

It's a shame they had ...more

 

 

 

Cameron

updated 30 minutes ago

Hey Sachin - So pretend you're a cop. You enter the zoo and approach a cafe.

You look in, see a 300-pound Tiger sitting on top of a person and mauling

that person. Do you wait until the zoo personnel get there with th ...more

 

 

 

Aly

updated 30 minutes ago

Zoos are a glaring example our the immaturity of the human species. Humans

are the one and only species that captures and encloses another species

strictly for the " pleasure " of viewing it. That magnificent endanger ...more

 

 

 

Daniel

updated 31 minutes ago

I wonder about zoos--about 4 years ago my wife & I went to the San Diego

zoo. While my wife was in the restroom I was watching these guys with

" grabbers " poking around by the trash barrels and behind benches---I asked

....more

 

 

 

Alice

updated 31 minutes ago

Zoos are a relic of our barbaric past and should be abolished. What do you

expect when wild animals are confined to a cage or limited area? No wonder

the tiger flipped out and atacked the first human he could find ...more

 

 

 

kelly

updated 32 minutes ago

A life is life, no matter if it is human or animal. wildlife belongs in the

wild, not zoos. where is the humanity in humans. God had put all his

creatures, including us right where he wanted them. We must leave it that

way. Say NO to zoos.

 

 

 

Dan

updated 32 minutes ago

They should have shot the tiger the first time it mauled/attacked a person.

Animal rights? Give me a break.

 

 

 

Suzanne

updated 33 minutes ago

I feel bad for the beautiful tiger who was penned up and then killed, not

for the person who came there to gawk at her. Can't for the life of me

understand why people still go to zoos...they are heartbreaking, terrible

places that jail animals under the guise of " education " and " awareness " .

 

 

 

James

updated 33 minutes ago

I do not believe that they had to kill the tiger... They have tranq's that

can take down elephants. They could have done something diffrent to where

Tantiana did not have to die!!!!

 

 

 

rahul

updated 33 minutes ago

We have other ways to deal with such situation why we need to kill this

beatiful animal. It's sad.....

 

 

 

Sharon

updated 34 minutes ago

I grew up going to the SF Zoo with my parents - it was " entertainment " . But

over the years I've grown sad for the animals kept behind bars - I truly

feel sad for them. Let our children learn about animals through b ...more

 

 

 

Kris

updated 34 minutes ago

Zoos have the important function of bringing us face to face with animals

most of us would never get to see. This raises our empathy, esp for

endangered species. When you see some of these magnificent creatures and re

....more

 

 

 

Dil

updated 36 minutes ago

To all the folks who are complaining about the tiger being killed: I bet if

you were being charged by a 600 lb tiger that had just killed a man, you

would do anything you could to survive. If not, the weak arent meant ...more

 

 

 

Judy

updated 36 minutes ago

Does this not tell us again that WILD animals should not be in cages. They

were not put on this earth to be caged and gawked at by the public. It makes

me very angry to see these poor things pacing and not wanting to ...more

 

 

 

Tom

updated 38 minutes ago

An animal kills one and seriously injures two. The animal is then shot and

killed by police. It sounds like a commendation is in order for good police

work.

 

SF should close its big cats exhibit, and shou ...more

 

 

 

Patrick

updated 38 minutes ago

I am seventeen, and an avid animal lover, I AM APALLED THAT THE POLICE SHOT

THIS BEAUTIFUL ANIMAL!!!!!!!!!!!!! They could have easily tranquilized the

poor thing, and saved a beautiful animal from destruction. Obvious ...more

 

 

 

RParker

updated 38 minutes ago

Zoo should have had tranquilizer gun on hand and easy to access for

emergency personnel.

 

Now lets all read Life of Pi learn about proper zoo keeping.

 

 

 

Katelyn

updated 39 minutes ago

My sisters were home over the Christmas break, but happen to live in SF -

and while they both live far enough away, they were still worried about how

fast the tiger could travel in the dark of night. While it was an ...more

 

 

 

Mark Too

updated 40 minutes ago

I agree with Mark, destroying the animal was the only option, and the police

acted appropriately to save human life. Let's remember here folks, the Tiger

is just an animal, and human life trumps animal life every time!

 

 

 

lynn

updated 40 minutes ago

This animal whould have been put down last December when it mauled its first

victim.

 

 

 

Jill

updated 41 minutes ago

Why is it that people think zoos are fine and dandy as long as the animals

are forced to spend their entire lives in small, unnatural enclosures, but

it's a whole different story once those animals rebel against their ...more

 

 

 

Paul Dirks

updated 41 minutes ago

Are you people crazy!!!

 

The tiger is loose, one person is dead the police have just arrived and you

don't expect them to shoot the tiger.? They are there to serve and protect.

They acted in an entirley appropriate manner and deserve nothing but

gratitude!

 

 

 

sachin

updated 42 minutes ago

What a world we live in? Kill the animals in their natural habitat, cage

them for display and when they escape shoot them. Cant they just tranqulize

the animal?Disgusting !

 

 

 

Richard

updated 44 minutes ago

My sympathy goes to the family of the person who lost their life. It's a

very tragic scenario but I'm not suprised. How many attacks by animals

locked up in a Zoo happen on a yearly basis? Why do we think as human

....more

 

 

 

hulo

updated 46 minutes ago

A very beautiful tiger as we can see from the photo. I feel sorry for the

tiger that it was killed. I feel sorry for the people who were killed too,

but we have to accept that we humans first destroy their habitat. Th ...more

 

 

 

Paul

updated 46 minutes ago

Well, even though tigers are natural predators, I guarantee these tigers are

very well fed. I don't think she killed for a meal. Animals can have a screw

loose, just like the human animal. Putting her down was the only option.

 

 

 

Steven EarL

updated 46 minutes ago

Indeed it is terrible whenever someone dies, but I find it hard to blame a

TIger for being a Tiger. An animal that has hunting in it's DNA is placed in

a cage for years on end? Of course something like this is bound to happen at

some point.

 

 

 

susie

updated 47 minutes ago

Maybe they shot the tiger to death out of necessity. I think they were

trying to save two other lives. If they hadn't killed the animal on the spot

it would have finished the job on the two lives that they saved. Who ...more

 

 

 

Mike

updated 49 minutes ago

you people crack me up. sure its a shame the tiger was shot. and its not the

tigers fault. but A human life was taken. nobody seems to be upset about

that.

I'm sorry but a human life to me is much more important than any animal. get

your priority's in check people.

 

 

 

Russ

updated 49 minutes ago

Yes it is terrible that a human life was lost, and the Tiger was killed,

caging these wild beautiful animals may present learning experiences for

some, but the animals are always going to revert back to their natural

....more

 

 

 

John

updated 50 minutes ago

Never cage wild animals? It is believed Tigers in the wild will be extinct

within ten years. Breeding programs for wild animals are likely the only way

to ensure these amazing creatures don't disappear forever from th ...more

 

 

 

katie

updated 51 minutes ago

i wouldn't be happy if someone kept me caged up for my entire life and i had

to deal with annoying people taking my picture every five seconds and

interrupting my sleep time! should have just let the tiger go into the wild

the first time this happened.

 

 

 

Chris

updated 51 minutes ago

Sad story all around. The SF Zoo is in pretty bad shape. Too old and too

small. They have built some nice new exhibits as of late, but I think it is

time to consider what kind of animals they really have room for.

 

 

 

Sally

updated 52 minutes ago

The tigers are endangered and the zoo provides a suitable environment to

make the people of California and abroad aware of the tigers' diminished

territory and population. The fact that someone was mauled is sad, not

....more

 

 

Last 3 comments only | Next 25 comments »

Thank you for contributing. Comments are moderated by CNN and will not

appear on this story until after they have been reviewed and deemed

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receive, not all comments can be posted.

[Guest guest]

>But equally as sad is the fact that the tiger

>was shot to death by police for doing just what

>you would expect a tiger to do in captivity, go

>to the zoo café and have a bite to eat.

 

 

I am reasonably familiar with the layout of the San Francisco Zoo.

 

Once an animal gets as far as the cafe

where the tiger attacked the patrons, there

really is no way to keep the animal from going

anywhere else. There are no big gates to close,

for example. At that point, the animal is

essentially free-roaming, and can even get out

into the surrounding residential neighborhood

with relative ease.

 

Shooting the tiger then became

inevitable. As much blind faith as people like

to put in tranquilizer guns, they simply do not

work to interrupt attacks.

 

Shooting an animal successfully with a

tranquilizer gun is akin to shooting an animal

with a bow-and-arrow. A skilled archer can drop

a deer with the first arrow about 50% of the

time, shooting from about 50 feet away. This is

typically done from ambush.

 

The comparable figure for a rifle shot is

a 95% drop rate, shooting from 100 yards (six

times as far away).

 

In an animal attack situation, it is

necessary to stalk the animal more-or-less in the

open. Often the attack will already be underway,

and seconds count in saving lives.

 

Fifty feet is within the zone of

immediate risk in dealing with a tiger, lion,

chimpanzee, or any of many other large animals,

so the shooter will be in jeopardy.

 

Even if the tranquilizer dart is

perfectly placed, and even if the dosage is

accurately calculated (which is more an art than

a science), the tranquilizer will not work

immediately. Darted animals can travel a

considerable distance before dropping--a quarter

of a mile is not unusual with dogs--and if they

are already revved up on adrenalin, they can

still be extremely dangerous for up to 20 minutes.

 

And again, this is if the dosage is

perfect and the dart is perfectly placed.

 

In April 2003, after perfectly darting

an escaped African lion, Wild Animal Orphanage

sanctuary founder Carol Azvestas was severely and

permanently injured when the lion ran right over

her. She fell on a mesquite branch, which

completely pierced her body. The lion made no

attempt to maul her, but as he obviously still

had enough strength and energy to kill someone

else, the police on the scene shot him.

 

This is only the worst of many incidents

I am aware of where a misplaced faith in

tranquilizer guns led to someone getting hurt and

an animal getting killed. At times I suspect

fewer escaped animals would be killed if keepers

and the public more clearly recognized that an

escaped animal is usually a dead animal, and

acted accordingly, instead of imagining that all

can be made well after an escape by using a

tranquilizer gun, expecting the same results

often shown on TV.

 

 

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent

newspaper providing original investigative

coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded

in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes

the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal

protection organizations. We have no alignment

or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]

[Guest guest]

> Hopefully this is a wake-up call to all Americans on the dawn

> of 2008 that Zoos are not places for wild animals, but

> natural habitats preserved and expanded are.

Unfortunately with humans being as they are, that is not the lesson that

will be learned. Instead they will strengthen the prison bars and arm more

guards.

John.

[Guest guest]

Merritt, once again u miss the point (sometimes I think that you and I are

on different planets) and the whole discussion of tranquilizer darts vs.

hollow point magnums is just a diversion from the real issue: wild animals

should not be kept in zoos, where it's obvious these zoo " keepers " and zoo

" designers " can't deal with the issues surrounding keeping and breeding wild

animals in captivity. Perhaps mandating that Zoos post warnings at the gate

" Enter at Your Own Risk (subtext: We can't protect you) " would help the

public realize just what they are witnessing when they visit their local

zoo. Another thing we should push for is truth in media, as this is being

reported as a " Killer Tiger " attack, when the creature was doing just what

the Creator intended it to do: hunt and kill prey, albeit at the local cafe.

Here is hoping the debate turns from " whether or not a tranq gun should have

been used or not " or " whether the animal leapt 4.5 meters or was let out on

purpose " to " should we really be breeding and keeping these beasts behind

bars in areas that are open to the public. " That's the real issue here.

Jigs

www.animalnepal.org

 

 

> Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl

> Wed, 26 Dec 2007 12:59:32 -0800

> <aapn >

> Re: (USA) Investigators probe killer tiger's escape at zoo

>

>> But equally as sad is the fact that the tiger

>> was shot to death by police for doing just what

>> you would expect a tiger to do in captivity, go

>> to the zoo café and have a bite to eat.

>

>

> I am reasonably familiar with the layout of the San Francisco Zoo.

>

> Once an animal gets as far as the cafe

> where the tiger attacked the patrons, there

> really is no way to keep the animal from going

> anywhere else. There are no big gates to close,

> for example. At that point, the animal is

> essentially free-roaming, and can even get out

> into the surrounding residential neighborhood

> with relative ease.

>

> Shooting the tiger then became

> inevitable. As much blind faith as people like

> to put in tranquilizer guns, they simply do not

> work to interrupt attacks.

>

> Shooting an animal successfully with a

> tranquilizer gun is akin to shooting an animal

> with a bow-and-arrow. A skilled archer can drop

> a deer with the first arrow about 50% of the

> time, shooting from about 50 feet away. This is

> typically done from ambush.

>

> The comparable figure for a rifle shot is

> a 95% drop rate, shooting from 100 yards (six

> times as far away).

>

> In an animal attack situation, it is

> necessary to stalk the animal more-or-less in the

> open. Often the attack will already be underway,

> and seconds count in saving lives.

>

> Fifty feet is within the zone of

> immediate risk in dealing with a tiger, lion,

> chimpanzee, or any of many other large animals,

> so the shooter will be in jeopardy.

>

> Even if the tranquilizer dart is

> perfectly placed, and even if the dosage is

> accurately calculated (which is more an art than

> a science), the tranquilizer will not work

> immediately. Darted animals can travel a

> considerable distance before dropping--a quarter

> of a mile is not unusual with dogs--and if they

> are already revved up on adrenalin, they can

> still be extremely dangerous for up to 20 minutes.

>

> And again, this is if the dosage is

> perfect and the dart is perfectly placed.

>

> In April 2003, after perfectly darting

> an escaped African lion, Wild Animal Orphanage

> sanctuary founder Carol Azvestas was severely and

> permanently injured when the lion ran right over

> her. She fell on a mesquite branch, which

> completely pierced her body. The lion made no

> attempt to maul her, but as he obviously still

> had enough strength and energy to kill someone

> else, the police on the scene shot him.

>

> This is only the worst of many incidents

> I am aware of where a misplaced faith in

> tranquilizer guns led to someone getting hurt and

> an animal getting killed. At times I suspect

> fewer escaped animals would be killed if keepers

> and the public more clearly recognized that an

> escaped animal is usually a dead animal, and

> acted accordingly, instead of imagining that all

> can be made well after an escape by using a

> tranquilizer gun, expecting the same results

> often shown on TV.

>

>

>

>

> --

> Merritt Clifton

> Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

> P.O. Box 960

> Clinton, WA 98236

>

> Telephone: 360-579-2505

> Fax: 360-579-2575

> E-mail: anmlpepl

> Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

>

> [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent

> newspaper providing original investigative

> coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded

> in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes

> the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal

> protection organizations. We have no alignment

> or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

> for free sample, send address.]

[Guest guest]

I am very keen to get photographs along with the dimensions of the enclosure

in which this tiger resided in. And has the exact escape route of tis tiger

been identified?

 

From the reports I came across, there was speculation that the tiger

actually jumped over the fence.

 

Thanks, Pablo.

 

 

On 12/27/07, Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl wrote:

>

> >But equally as sad is the fact that the tiger

> >was shot to death by police for doing just what

> >you would expect a tiger to do in captivity, go

> >to the zoo café and have a bite to eat.

>

> I am reasonably familiar with the layout of the San Francisco Zoo.

>

> Once an animal gets as far as the cafe

> where the tiger attacked the patrons, there

> really is no way to keep the animal from going

> anywhere else. There are no big gates to close,

> for example. At that point, the animal is

> essentially free-roaming, and can even get out

> into the surrounding residential neighborhood

> with relative ease.

>

> Shooting the tiger then became

> inevitable. As much blind faith as people like

> to put in tranquilizer guns, they simply do not

> work to interrupt attacks.

>

> Shooting an animal successfully with a

> tranquilizer gun is akin to shooting an animal

> with a bow-and-arrow. A skilled archer can drop

> a deer with the first arrow about 50% of the

> time, shooting from about 50 feet away. This is

> typically done from ambush.

>

> The comparable figure for a rifle shot is

> a 95% drop rate, shooting from 100 yards (six

> times as far away).

>

> In an animal attack situation, it is

> necessary to stalk the animal more-or-less in the

> open. Often the attack will already be underway,

> and seconds count in saving lives.

>

> Fifty feet is within the zone of

> immediate risk in dealing with a tiger, lion,

> chimpanzee, or any of many other large animals,

> so the shooter will be in jeopardy.

>

> Even if the tranquilizer dart is

> perfectly placed, and even if the dosage is

> accurately calculated (which is more an art than

> a science), the tranquilizer will not work

> immediately. Darted animals can travel a

> considerable distance before dropping--a quarter

> of a mile is not unusual with dogs--and if they

> are already revved up on adrenalin, they can

> still be extremely dangerous for up to 20 minutes.

>

> And again, this is if the dosage is

> perfect and the dart is perfectly placed.

>

> In April 2003, after perfectly darting

> an escaped African lion, Wild Animal Orphanage

> sanctuary founder Carol Azvestas was severely and

> permanently injured when the lion ran right over

> her. She fell on a mesquite branch, which

> completely pierced her body. The lion made no

> attempt to maul her, but as he obviously still

> had enough strength and energy to kill someone

> else, the police on the scene shot him.

>

> This is only the worst of many incidents

> I am aware of where a misplaced faith in

> tranquilizer guns led to someone getting hurt and

> an animal getting killed. At times I suspect

> fewer escaped animals would be killed if keepers

> and the public more clearly recognized that an

> escaped animal is usually a dead animal, and

> acted accordingly, instead of imagining that all

> can be made well after an escape by using a

> tranquilizer gun, expecting the same results

> often shown on TV.

>

> --

> Merritt Clifton

> Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

> P.O. Box 960

> Clinton, WA 98236

>

> Telephone: 360-579-2505

> Fax: 360-579-2575

> E-mail: anmlpepl <anmlpepl%40whidbey.com>

> Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

>

> [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent

> newspaper providing original investigative

> coverage of animal protection worldwide, founded

> in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes

> the decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal

> protection organizations. We have no alignment

> or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

> for free sample, send address.]

>

>

 

 

 

--

WOCON: http://groups.google.co.inwocon

 

 

 

[Guest guest]

>Merritt, once again u miss the point (sometimes I think that you and

>I are on different planets) and the whole discussion of tranquilizer

>darts vs. hollow point magnums is just a diversion from the real

>issue: wild animals should not be kept in zoos

 

 

You miss the point. Zoo animals are in zoos. Whether or not

any of them are ever bred, (and relatively few tigers in U.S. zoos

ever are, due to the overabundance of tigers in captivity), they

are going to be in zoos for the duration of their lives.

 

Even if every zoo in the world consented to release them into

sanctuaries, there simply are not enough sanctuaries and not enough

natural habitat to afford the overwhelming majority of zoo animals

any other kind of existence--especially large predators.

 

Since these animals are in zoos, without other viable

options, it is incumbent upon the community of people to care about

animals to see to it that they have the best lives (and deaths)

possible, under the obviously much less than ideal circumstances.

 

Pontificating from high mountains about what might be ideal

in someone's idea of a perfect world has no relevance or utility to

the reality of helping real animals in the real world, here & now.

 

 

--

Merritt Clifton

Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

P.O. Box 960

Clinton, WA 98236

 

Telephone: 360-579-2505

Fax: 360-579-2575

E-mail: anmlpepl

Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

 

[ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

for free sample, send address.]

[Guest guest]

Well I will have to respectfully have to differ with that defeatist attitude

Merrit. The tiger in question was breed in a zoo, Denver in fact. So that

was a birth born for disaster. We agree with the PETA stance: get rid of

zoos, or for generations there will be suffering from both sides of the

aisle. There are options, they just cost money that people don't want to

spend...it all comes down to capital in the end, and capitalism: options

include: moratorium on captive breeding, closures of all zoos to the public,

return of all wildlife to habitats, expansion of such habitats to

accommodate, management of habitants to further repopulation of species -

these are not pontifications from a mountain - they are just the right

thing to do. Why people won't try is the bigger question that should be

examined. Have we given up trying to correct the mistakes of the past?

Should we use those mistakes as excuses to perpetuate even more? Are we

really that stupid? If this change in the animal kingdom is to come about,

it will take the wealthier nations of the world (Americas & Europe) to

contribute in a big way. It will take a lot of capital that humans want to

hang on to. But pushing for that is not irrelevant, it just takes a few

first steps in the right direction - instead of plodding along on the wrong

road to nowhere good.

Jigs

www.animalnepal.com

 

 

 

 

 

> Merritt Clifton <anmlpepl

> Thu, 27 Dec 2007 10:05:25 -0800

> <aapn >

> Re: (USA) Investigators probe killer tiger's escape at zoo

>

>> Merritt, once again u miss the point (sometimes I think that you and

>> I are on different planets) and the whole discussion of tranquilizer

>> darts vs. hollow point magnums is just a diversion from the real

>> issue: wild animals should not be kept in zoos

>

>

> You miss the point. Zoo animals are in zoos. Whether or not

> any of them are ever bred, (and relatively few tigers in U.S. zoos

> ever are, due to the overabundance of tigers in captivity), they

> are going to be in zoos for the duration of their lives.

>

> Even if every zoo in the world consented to release them into

> sanctuaries, there simply are not enough sanctuaries and not enough

> natural habitat to afford the overwhelming majority of zoo animals

> any other kind of existence--especially large predators.

>

> Since these animals are in zoos, without other viable

> options, it is incumbent upon the community of people to care about

> animals to see to it that they have the best lives (and deaths)

> possible, under the obviously much less than ideal circumstances.

>

> Pontificating from high mountains about what might be ideal

> in someone's idea of a perfect world has no relevance or utility to

> the reality of helping real animals in the real world, here & now.

>

>

> --

> Merritt Clifton

> Editor, ANIMAL PEOPLE

> P.O. Box 960

> Clinton, WA 98236

>

> Telephone: 360-579-2505

> Fax: 360-579-2575

> E-mail: anmlpepl

> Web: www.animalpeoplenews.org

>

> [ANIMAL PEOPLE is the leading independent newspaper providing

> original investigative coverage of animal protection worldwide,

> founded in 1992. Our readership of 30,000-plus includes the

> decision-makers at more than 10,000 animal protection organizations.

> We have no alignment or affiliation with any other entity. $24/year;

> for free sample, send address.]