Unidentified source: Tiger victims had slingshots

This comes from the New York Post, citing an unidentified source, so take it as you wish.

TIGER BROTHERS HAD SLINGSHOTS
By EMMETT BERG

January 1, 2008 -- SAN FRANCISCO - Two brothers who were injured when a tiger attacked them at the San Francisco Zoo had slingshots on them at the time, a source said.

An empty vodka bottle was also found in a car used by Amritpal Dhaliwal, 19, and his brother, Kulbir, 23, on the day of the mauling, which left 17-year-old Carlos Sousa Jr. dead, according to the source.

The discoveries could be an indication that the brothers may have taunted the 350-pound Siberian tiger before it leapt from its grotto.

San Francisco cops have said since the Christmas Day incident that there was no indication the tiger was provoked.

The brothers have not commented since they left a hospital Saturday.

snip/

More at: http://www.nypost.com/seven/01012008/news/nationalnews/tiger_brothers_had_slingshots_480170.htm

I wonder if it could have all been avoided. I strongly believe that tiger was taunted.

My husband was playing "peek-a-boo" with a Cougar at our local zoo like he does with our domestic pet tabby and that big cat lunged at the cage. If he could have gotten through that fence he would have tore my husband up. I was so mad at him for doing something so STUPID! I walked either several feet behind him or several feet in front of him after that! I told him if one of these animals comes for you because of your stupidity, I don't want to be around! Since this tiger story, he realizes how stupid he was.:eyes:

Animals--wild or domestic--are to be respected, not taunted.

adolescent males throwing pebbles at our beautiful, majestic gorillas--and no one, not one person, besides my group tried to get them to stop. Many were laughing at the spectacle. We told a keeper and of course they were escorted out--and (shame on me) I taunted those assholes like they taunted the gorillas.

As awful as the incident is, I find it very hard to think that these kids were entirely without some fault. Thousands of deadly animals in zoos yet this happens so very rarely; I think there has to be some act to provoke this kind of thing.

Jack Hanna: “I think it could be feasible for a cat that has been taunted or angered,” Jack Hanna, former director of the Columbus Zoo and a frequent guest on TV, said Thursday. “I don't think it would ever just do it to do it. Somebody had to have provoked it.”


And another expert on predatory behavior:

"That tiger could have been surrounded by 10,000 people," says Dave Salmoni, the Animal Planet network's predator expert, who spent years training big cats; but if the animal has a mission, "it will avoid all of those people and just to go to those three people." Says Salmoni, "There's nothing more focused than a tiger who wants to kill something." The thing is, though, it's not easy to prompt such enmity: "To get a tiger to want to fight you is pretty hard," says Salmoni. "Tigers don't like to fight. They hunt to kill and eat. That's it." Unlike lions, which grow up in groups and are used to sparring, tigers are solitary animals, responsible for their own food and survival, Salmoni says. They will take the risk to fight only "if they feel they have to."

Edit to add: And I agree with you, and the experts above, too.

and didn't bother anyone else.

embarrassing story that I hesitate to tell. While at the zoo, we were watching the gorillas and an old silver back came out to see what was going on. My husband beat on his chest--yes, like an idiot--and that gorilla picked up a stick and threw it up and OVER the rail we were standing on. My husband wasn't meaning to taunt or be mean, he just wanted to get the gorillas attention. Well, he did and has since learned his lesson. I will never forget the look of anger in that gorilla's eyes.

...don't feel ashamed for taunting those jerks. Public humiliation is an ancient, more or less non-violent, & very effective punishment, especially for crimes such as animal taunting & for perpetrators such as adolescents. Or for those with adolescent minds.

like this for "adolescent minds" to realize their stupidity.

a tiger so upset that it no longer wants to get away from you, but rather wants to come after you and kill you?

I think those jerks must have been pretty busy tormenting that poor creature. Good thing I can't get my hands on them. I know just what they need.

Okay, so why don't they keep it like that?


Siberians are critically endangered in the wild. Captive breeding programs are probably a necessity.

But why do these tigers have to be on display for every jackass who wants to get likkered up and throw stuff at them? That seems to defeat the whole purpose of trying to keep the tiger population alive.

Bingo.

Happy New Year. :hi:

I had not heard about the pinecones. :grr:

WTF?