Tiger escapes SF zoo cage, kills 1
Thursday, 27 December 2007
SAN FRANCISCO, Dec 26 (Agencies): Investigators trying to determine how a tiger escaped its zoo enclosure on Christmas Day - killing one man and mauling two others - plan a thorough sweep of the zoo grounds Wednesday to look for clues Authorities do not believe more people were attacked, but they want to inspect the area in the daylight.
Zoo officials are still uncertain how long the tiger, which last year chewed off part of a zookeeper's arm, was loose before being 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 critical but stable condition at San
Francisco General Hospital. They were in operating rooms, getting their wounds cleaned, a nurse said late Tuesday.
The Siberian tiger, named Tatiana, was the same giant cat that attacked a zookeeper last year during a regular 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.
Zoo officials are still uncertain how long the tiger, which last year chewed off part of a zookeeper's arm, was loose before being 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 critical but stable condition at San
Francisco General Hospital. They were in operating rooms, getting their wounds cleaned, a nurse said late Tuesday.
The Siberian tiger, named Tatiana, was the same giant cat that attacked a zookeeper last year during a regular 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.