Random

[urbpan]

The SFZoo story continues to develop. Supposedly authorities found a shoe and some blood between the barrier fence and the moat. That suggests that a zoo guest was within the barrier fence--If that same guest dangled his or her legs in the moat, it could have provided motivation as well as a way out (traction) for the tiger. All purely conjecture still, but there has to be an explanation for the escape, and one appears to be forthcoming.

In the uncomfortable coincidence department: My first issue of the Animal Keeper's Forum (the AAZK journal) arrived yesterday. It's a "Special Issue on Crisis Management in Zoos."

Also coincidentally, I was given a tour of some of the dangerous animal areas of the zoo today (my job requires me to be in various different location in the zoo, and so I need to know where to go in an emergency etc.) Upon entering the holding area for the big cats, the lion growfed at me, and my heart leapt into my throat.

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Don't have much more to say about Bhutto's assassination. Cross your fingers that it doesn't destabilize the region to nuclear proportions.

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Taking care of a puppy (nice segue, no?) means that you have access to the heartbreaking cuteness of a puppy. It also means you have to be constantly thinking about the puppy on some level, and you will sleep so much less. Another affirmation of my decision not to have children.

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I got "Jesus is Magic" from the library. I'll have to watch it in installments when Alexis isn't home--she can't stand Sarah Silverman. I'm on the fence: I think she's unique and fascinating, but not always funny.

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On this day in 365 Urban Species: Speckled alder.

Comments

[frith]

Growfed? What 'til he roars at you from just a few inches away in a closed room. Your lungs will rattle in your rib cage and his yellow eyes will look as big as saucers.

[bicoastal.livejournal.com]

Take a look at the news again... the wall may have been too short, and they are backing off from the "taunting" and "climbing in" statements.

I love tigers, but I'm personally appalled that people were so quick to blame these kids.

[g-weir.livejournal.com]

Last year I read Monster of God by David Quammen, an excellent book on animals that hunt humans and our relationship with them. The author visited several regions where folks live side by side with lions, tigers, crocodiles and bears- fascinating stuff! The chapter on tigers was particularly good. There's a theory that tigers don't hunt people more often because our vertical necks are perplexing to them. Something like 80% of tiger attacks on humans that are hunger-motivated happen when the victim bends over to pick something up. The tiger may have been stalking the person but didn't know how to go about attacking him, but then seeing the neck in a horizontal position, like with their usual prey, the tiger takes the opportunity.

Of course, they don't need that stimulus if they are agitated or frightened, which zoo tigers probably often are.

--G

[bellelvsbeast.livejournal.com]

Yea they are still investigating the whole thing, I really hope they find out soon. I read an article today about the mom of the boy who died (he was only 17, sad) and she was devastated...:(
When I worked at the Oakland Zoo, the elephant exhibit was next to the lion exhibit and the females would ALWAYS stare at me all creepy like...once the male growlfed at me, and I jumped! :)
Puppies are so much easier than children, hahahaha...;)
I think Sarah Silverman is awesome...

[(Anonymous)]

>Another affirmation of my decision not to have children.

Hail to a fellow child-free traveler!

The Bhutto story is affecting me more than I would've expected. I think it's because I saw her speak some years ago, and also had read about her as an undergrad at Harvard, where her friends knew her as "Pinkie".

As for the tiger...who knows what to believe. Now it's probably a war of spin. I wonder if the attackees were really "innocent".

~Flaneuse in DC