I suppose before I start this blog, I should explain a little about myself. I have certain passions in life that I feel very strongly about. My children, my husband, my family and animals. There is one animal in particular that I fell in love with when I was a small child and that was the tiger. I emmulated them, I drew them, I collected pictures of them and when I got older I developed a passion to want to save them. This was my main reasons for obtaining an Animal and Veterinary Science degree. I think it puts me one step closer to being able to work with the endangered tigers. I can picture it, so therefore, I believe... one day I will be able to travel to Asia and work with them, to help save them. On a personal note, I believe the tiger is my totem, my spirit guide. I believe he walks with me, comforts me, and protects me.
When I saw the news that a tiger was shot at the San Fransisco Zoo - I was crushed. And the moment I realized who the 'victims' were - I did not need to see more to know what had happened. They had taunted this animal, teased her, threw sticks at her and what crime did she commit? She acted in her nature and for that crime she was punished.
I've read several news reports and watched several news reels and a few quotes have haunted my mind. Such as: "She seemed to be very well-adjusted into that exhibit."; "The zoo has a response team that can shoot animals."; "It's not a safe place for kids," said his mother, Marilza Sousa. "People go there to have a good time, not to get killed."
I suppose the zoo should have safety measures in place that allows people the right to taunt, throw objects, tease, and hurt large beasts if that is what "a good time" is. And I suppose if nature overcomes the animal then "The zoo has a response team that can shoot animals." After all the tiger was nothing more than just an 'exhibit'. *Please note the sarcasm*
In this case, Tatiana needed more protection than those three boys who acted on their own accord against normal human morals. They happened to get caught and nature punished them, in return nature was punished. It just doesn't add up. Of course, there really isn't anything natural about a Tiger being pinned. I think that's the harshness of this reality.
Tigers are rapidly disappearing. Of the 9 subspecies of tigers that once roamed this earth - 5 subspecies are endangered; 1 is considered nearly extinct since there is no way to save it; and the other 3 subspecies are extinct... completely gone forever. The reason Tatiana was in the SF Zoo was that she was transferred from Denver, after successfully mating and producing offspring, in hopes that she would do that same again. Instead these 3 boys and their negligence set efforts to help save the Siberian tiger back. All for "a little fun".
When I saw the news that a tiger was shot at the San Fransisco Zoo - I was crushed. And the moment I realized who the 'victims' were - I did not need to see more to know what had happened. They had taunted this animal, teased her, threw sticks at her and what crime did she commit? She acted in her nature and for that crime she was punished.
I've read several news reports and watched several news reels and a few quotes have haunted my mind. Such as: "She seemed to be very well-adjusted into that exhibit."; "The zoo has a response team that can shoot animals."; "It's not a safe place for kids," said his mother, Marilza Sousa. "People go there to have a good time, not to get killed."
I suppose the zoo should have safety measures in place that allows people the right to taunt, throw objects, tease, and hurt large beasts if that is what "a good time" is. And I suppose if nature overcomes the animal then "The zoo has a response team that can shoot animals." After all the tiger was nothing more than just an 'exhibit'. *Please note the sarcasm*
In this case, Tatiana needed more protection than those three boys who acted on their own accord against normal human morals. They happened to get caught and nature punished them, in return nature was punished. It just doesn't add up. Of course, there really isn't anything natural about a Tiger being pinned. I think that's the harshness of this reality.
Tigers are rapidly disappearing. Of the 9 subspecies of tigers that once roamed this earth - 5 subspecies are endangered; 1 is considered nearly extinct since there is no way to save it; and the other 3 subspecies are extinct... completely gone forever. The reason Tatiana was in the SF Zoo was that she was transferred from Denver, after successfully mating and producing offspring, in hopes that she would do that same again. Instead these 3 boys and their negligence set efforts to help save the Siberian tiger back. All for "a little fun".
Police investigate shoeprint in SF tiger attack
SAN
FRANCISCO (Reuters) - Police are investigating a shoeprint found on the railing
of a San Francisco Zoo exhibit from which a Siberian tiger escaped and killed a
teenager in a Christmas attack, the city's police chief said on
Thursday.
Chief Heather Fong told reporters police want to know if the print
matched the shoes of any of the victims, including two brothers who survived
maulings, but said there was no indication yet they had incited the 350-pound
female cat named Tatiana.
"There is a shoeprint on the railing," she told a
news conference. "Our forensic analysis will allow us to determine if any of
those shoes match the print that is on there."
"We have no information as of
this time from the investigation that tells us that someone's leg was slung over
the rail," Fong said.
At the same conference, zoo director Manuel Mollinedo
said he believed the tiger escaped its enclosure over a wall nearly 13 feet
high, or about three feet below the minimum height recommended by the
Association of Zoos and Aquariums.
The wall and a 33-foot moat separate the
tiger's enclosure, which dates to 1940, from the public viewing area, Mollinedo
said.
"She had to have jumped," Mollinedo said, ruling out an escape by the
cat through the back of its enclosure as doors to service areas were
locked.
Carlos Sousa, 17, was killed by Tatiana after the caged cat escaped
its enclosure. The tiger fatally gashed Sousa's neck and attacked his two
friends, brothers aged 19 and 23.
Fong said the brothers fled when they saw
the cat had killed Sousa, and the tiger caught up with them about 300 yards away
at a cafe on zoo grounds. Police found the tiger there and shot it dead.
The
two brothers, whose identities have not been released, were taken to San
Francisco General Hospital, where officials said they were expected to recover
from their wounds.
(Reporting by Jim Christie; editing by Todd Eastham)
