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NPR.org, December 26, 2007 · Investigators were trying to determine on Wednesday how a Siberian tiger escaped its enclosure at the San Francisco zoo on Christmas Day, killing one man and mauling two others.

Zoo officials are still uncertain how long the tiger, which last year badly mauled a zookeeper, got loose before it was finally shot dead.

The three men who were attacked Tuesday while visiting the zoo were in their 20s, police spokesman Steve Mannina said. The attack occurred just after the 5 p.m. closing time, on the east end of the 125-acre grounds.

They suffered "pretty aggressive bite marks," Mannina said.

The two injured men were listed in stable condition at San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. John Brown, an emergency room physician, told ABC's Good Morning America on Wednesday they

suffered deep bites and claw cuts to their heads, necks, arms and hands.

"These injuries are severe injuries, but they are very treatable," Brown said, "and these two gentlemen seem to be in good health, so I think they have a good chance."

The Siberian tiger, named Tatiana, was the same giant cat that attacked a zookeeper just about a year ago during a public feeding, said Robert Jenkins, the zoo's director of animal care and conservation.

The approximately 300-pound female did not leave through an open door, Jenkins said. But he could not explain how it escaped – the tiger's enclosure is surrounded by a 15-foot-wide moat and 20-foot-high walls.

"There was no way out through the door," Jenkins said. "The animal appears to have climbed or otherwise leapt out of the enclosure."

The first attack happened right outside the Siberian's enclosure - the victim died at the scene. A group of four responding officers came across his body when they made their way into the dark zoo grounds, Mannina said.

Then they saw the second victim. He was about 300 yards away, in front of the Terrace Cafe.

The man was sitting on the ground, blood running from gashes in his head. Tatiana sat next to him. Suddenly, the cat attacked the man again, Mannina said.

The officers started approaching the tiger, bearing their handguns. Tatiana started moving in their direction. Several of the officers then fired, killing the animal.

Am I the only one who is literally terrified of something like this happening when I'm really around?

uuuugh. please don't eat me....

i remember when i was backpacking in an area that was all mountain-lion-y, i had to learn what to do if they're gonna come and try to eat your face and stuff, and it involves trying to scare it off, because if you run it will totally eat you, but i wondered the whole time if there was any fucking way i could stop myself from trying to run even though it would get me killed? i mean the fucking thing wants to eat me.

Mountain lions are scary! I would either run or pee my pants, instuctions or no.

I think that wanting to run would certainly be "instinct" or whatever.

I am sad that they had to kill the tiger.

__________________
"I'm getting fucking tired of you fucks" - Trent Reznor - toronto 1994

I am the hate you try to hide and I control you - Mr Self-Destruct.

Go Tiger!

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Pms

lol.

this is the second tiger attack at our zoo this year. them tigers is pissed about something. now i kinda want to go to the zoo just to see what sort of drama will unfold.

That's what happens when you treat wild animals as if they want to be there, or want to entertain humans.

Fuck humans, they'd gladly kill us all for their freedom. And they'd be right.

This story is just bizarre, the tiger mysteriously gets out, non of the other three tigers escape, and then to top it off, it's not the zoo staff that finds and kills the animal, but police...? Seems like the zoo staff should have done something before the animal attacked three people, or a whole squad of police had time to arrive.

I can already see the tiger pelt rug sullied with donut crumbs and coffee stains in the San Francisco Policed Dept.'s lounge.

All the zoo officials should be fired...

I am known as an idiot here in Kittyradio and even I can figure out a 350lbs cat that can stretch herself 10 ft while standing on her rear legs can easily hop over a 15 ft fence... or if she is tired she can climb the fence.

Can you imagine the look on the man that was killed as the tiger looked at him in the eye before pouncing?

It's time to give everyone in charge at that zoo a drug test.... I am amazed all the zoo officials have no clue how the cat escaped... Well hell maybe the cat drank some red bull and grew wings...

Mine leave stink bombs in their box then scratch at the door to get out. Light a match, phew!

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i remember when i was backpacking in an area that was all mountain-lion-y, i had to learn what to do if they're gonna come and try to eat your face and stuff, and it involves trying to scare it off, because if you run it will totally eat you, but i wondered the whole time if there was any fucking way i could stop myself from trying to run even though it would get me killed? i mean the fucking thing wants to eat me.>>

The Nebraska Game & Parks Commission website actually has detailed instructions on how to grapple with a mountain lion YEAH RIGHT! I don't fuck with the big beasts of nature. Although every couple of months a cougar or bobcat is spotted within city limits, even deep in the city. God forbid if one of the Henry Doorly Zoo's big cats got loose...now I'm gunna be paranoid whenever I'm in that part of town.

But what would the zoo staff do when there is already one person down?

Ask the Tatiana nicely to plz return to her cage?

I don't think so! Tatiana would not have that.

I agree. Zoos are disgusting.

So, apparently the police now have to rely on statements from the other two victims since the zoo doesn't have surveillance cameras. Really, millions of dollars of exotic and dangerous animals in a public park, and no cameras?!

Also, according to most of the experts that have been interviewed, it is unlikely that the tiger would have been able to jump both the length of the mote and the height of the cage wall; tigers kept in captivity are not as agile as those in the wild, thus making the jump even more unlikely.

What are you trying to say? Someone gave the cat some Red bull and she grew wings and just few out? heh?

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | US tiger death zoo a crime scene

__________________
"I'm getting fucking tired of you fucks" - Trent Reznor - toronto 1994

I am the hate you try to hide and I control you - Mr Self-Destruct.

Even if the tiger went back in her cage, they still would have shot her. Believe that. I'm absolutely sickened that they killed a tiger for being a tiger. Zoos are beyond cruel. They got what they deserved. Its just so sad that the tiger had to die. Where's PETA when you need them?