San Francisco Zoo Tiger Attack: A Story With Two Morals
Published January 23, 2008
This past fall I was walking the beach at Seattle's Golden Garden Park during extreme low tide when I came upon a man and his daughter poking a stick at a seal pup. The man was talking to a friend on his cell phone. The seal pup was anxious and responded to the pokes in a defensive way, barking and trying to move away from them. It appeared a few of the pokes had broken the seal's skin.
As I approached from far down the beach, I could see first the man and then the daughter, who was about six or seven years old, poke the seal. She was apparently learning how to do it from him.
This enraging tableau took place on a strip of beach connecting Golden Garden with a private beach in the Sea View neighborhood, a strip uncovered only during extreme low tide. The tide at that point was already quickly coming back in. The man and his daughter were about to get trapped between two sections of beach that get covered before the strip where he was. The seal had probably chosen the spot for that very reason.
When I approached him, I was intent on out-walking the incoming tide myself. "It's against the law to molest sea animals!" I shouted at him as I passed. He put down the stick, suddenly looking as if he knew it wasn't a good idea to poke sticks at seals on the beach but needed, I supposed, the reprimand of another adult in order for the notion to take hold.
I thought of this incident when I read about the Christmas Day tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo. It's a tragic and bizarre story.
A tiger gets loose from her grotto, kills one victim, and seriously injures two others. No one knows how she got loose, as the door to her enclosure was not open, and it's believed the tiger could not possibly have jumped the wall.
Early on, there was speculation that the victims, who were visiting the zoo together, taunted the tiger with sticks and pinecones that were found in the grotto and could not have naturally fallen there, or by dangling a leg or other appendage. A shoe print on a metal fence suggested someone had climbed in to get closer.
- San Francisco Zoo Tiger Attack: A Story With Two Morals
- Published: January 23, 2008
- Type: Opinion
- Section: Culture
- Filed Under: Sci/Tech: Life Sciences, Culture: Society
- Writer: Lisa Albers
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You said, "The initial comments about provocation in the Christmas Day attack have died down in light of one victim's death and the serious nature of the others' injuries. It's bad form to blame the victim in any case, and especially in this one. The victim is one Carlos Sousa, Jr., who was all of 17-years-old."
Serious nature of their injuries??? They WALKED out of the hospital in a few days and seem fine now. Bad form to blame the victim in any case, esp. this one??? First, Tatiana was the only TRUE victim. Secondly, these MEN had records, were stoned on pot and drunk. Not to mention in an off limits area, admittedly taunting the tiger. All of 17 years old??? Most 5 year olds exhibit more common sense than Sousa did. VICTIMS don't normally lie, the GUILTY do. All the D brothers have done is lie and they are still doing so. The SFPD determined their sick actions attributed to her getting out. Did you read about her claws being shredded??? They did more than taunt I think- more like torture. Bad form or not, I'd rather the tiger have been the survivor. She had worth. Three "homies" as they call each other, that don't work, do illegal drugs, drive intoxicated, have criminal records and lie up to the point they are to be caught in their pool of lies, are NOT. Their "pact" they made when they were SO badly injured, would tell us horrors way beyond the ones that have came to light. It is a proven fact that young adults that abuse animals, abuse children and others as well. They all have a sickness society could do without.
I agree with Buster, while I wish this hadn't happened, the fact remains it would NEVER have happened if the men hadn't made it happen. Whatever they did Christmas day, it was SO bad that they conspired on their tourneys to keep their mouths shut. Also, you didn't mention the zoo. The brothers are planning to sue. They shouldn't profit from their crimes. Rather, take responsibility for creating this situation. They should take their lives THAT THEY COULD WALK OUT WITH and be happy. They weren't that injured.
***McBusterBoo***
VERY well said!!! I totally agree with this persons comments 100%!!! Tatiana was the true victim and I hope these scum thugs don't get a thing!!
What was that about the shredded claws? I didn't read that, can someone fill me in?
***aleandria jackson***
That's pretty sad that during Tatiana's necropsy it was discovered that on both of her rear feet every single one of her nails were torn and frayed. It's so pathetic that those stupid guys taunted her to the point to where she clawed her way up a cement wall and out of her enclosure. She also had cement embedded in all of her paw pads. The necropsy also noted that she had a stomach full of undigested meat. So she didn't kill to eat, only to protect her self. Sigh.......
"Blame the victims" is a nasty thing, usually. But these men are not victims. This is a case of "blame those responsible," which we can use a whole lot more of in this world.
Some people think that killing other animals is brave; others believe that symbiosis is braver. The telephone records of the victims should be checked to learn if threats against the tiger were a suggested action; hence the way FROM San Jose to a nasty and tragic incident.
GetReal9 -
Thank you for answering and OMG. How awful for the poor tigress. Must have hurt making her point.
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Amen, Lisa!! People certainly are stupid towards animals in the wild, and then wonder why they are attacked -- I felt so sorry for that poor seal pup when i read your story, hope the man who did it sees the story and feels bad, cuz he should!!
No excuse for treating an animal that way!!