SF Zoo Tiger Attack: Tigers Shot in Dallas and Harlem

Bengal Tiger Shot in Dallas

Another Tiger in Harlem

Urban American Safari?

The deadly tiger attack at the San Francisco Zoo a few days ago was a tragedy.

Another tragedy either occurred or was prevented on Christmas Day, depending upon your point of view.

This time it was in Dallas, TX.

The body of a female tiger was found shot to death near an apartment complex. Officials at the Dallas Zoo were notified and a veterinarian performed a necropsy on the tiger yesterday.

This reminded at least one person of the story of a tiger found in a Harlem apartment a little over 4 years ago.

You can read of the San Francisco Tiger attacks and the Dallas tiger elsewhere at DBKP.
* Deadly Tiger Attack at San Francisco Zoo
And you can read about the controversy over how high the zoo walls were and how high tigers can jump.
* Killer Tiger - San Fran Zoo Wall 12.5 Feet, Tigers Can Leap 30 Feet
And you can read about the full story about the tiger in Dallas
* Full Grown Bengal Tiger Found Shot to Death in Dallas

Here's the story of a tiger found in Harlem.

THE HARLEM TIGER

From CNN back in October of 2003.

A man who kept a 400- to 500-pound Bengal tiger and a 3-foot alligator as roommates in his Harlem apartment was in custody Sunday, charged with reckless endangerment, police said.

Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly said the tale began Wednesday, when police officers responded to a call of a dog bite at the 19-story public housing apartment building. They found Antoine Yates, 31, in the lobby, with injuries to his right arm and right leg that he told police had been caused by a pit bull, Kelly said.

Yates was taken to Harlem Hospital, where he was admitted for treatment.

Thursday, an anonymous caller told police that "someplace in the city, there was a large wild animal," Kelly said. "There was a large wild animal who was biting people."

The tipster called back Friday night, saying that the "wild animal" was at Yates' apartment, Kelly said.

When police returned Saturday to the apartment building to investigate, a resident told them the tenants included a tiger. Yates -- who had checked himself out of the hospital -- was nowhere to be found.

Police talked with a neighbor who said the man in the apartment owned a tiger. A fourth-floor resident complained that urine had seeped through her ceiling from Yates' apartment, Kelly said.

If you have ever complained about how tiny your NYC apartment is, think about the poor, poor 400 pound tiger cooped up in a Harlem apartment building. Police removed the 400 Bengal-Siberian tiger, Ming, from the apartment of Antoine Yates yesterday, calling in a police officer who needed to be rappelled down the building, in order to shoot the tiger with a tranquilizer gun. Also found in the apartment: A caiman alligator named Al. Officer Martin Duffy said the tiger charged at him, breaking the glass of the window: "I have to say I got a little nervous � I'm not going to lie." But he successfully darted Ming, who was later carried out by many people, from places like the NYPD, Bronx Zoo, Nassau County Society for the Prevention of Cruelty and Animals and the Center for Animal Care and Control.

FAST FACTS about the HARLEM TIGER - A neighbor complained to the Housing Authority about "tiger urine" leaking from Yates' apartment; the HA knew of the complaint, but claimed not to know it was from a tiger. [Daily News] - A second tiger, some bear cubs, two Rottweilers, rabbits and a tarantula also lived there at the time. [DN] - Ming was fed "a couple of chickens" - Officials are trying to figure out how Yates got a tiger cub in the first place. [Times] - Yates loves animals; brother Aaron: "He raised a healthy tiger. They should find him a job with animals." - Mayor Bloomberg: "Tigers are dangerous animals." - Police Commissioner Raymond Kelly: "This is clearly a first. This is an 'Only in New York' story." - Neighbor:"I think it's crazy for you to have something like that. This is not upstate; it's not a zoo.� [NY1] - Yates: "I am trying to create a Garden of Eden, something this world lacks." [NY Post]

Urbanized tigers aren't good for the tiger or the people they happen to meet on the street. What seems to be a good idea after a few beers down at the bar one night ("Hey, wouldn't it be cool to have a tiger on a leash?") isn't such a good idea after the beer quits talking.

Tragedy in San Francisco at a place where the tigers were authorized to be. Tragedy averted in Dallas and Harlem.

These aren't the only urbanized tigers in the U.S.A.

by Mondoreb
notes: Little Baby Ginn
[image:gothamist;logoi]

Sources:
* Tiger Found Shot to Death in Dallas
* Tiger, Gator Removed from Harlem Apartment
* Tiger, Tiger



Death by 1000 Papercuts Front Page.

Full Grown Bengal Tiger Found Shot To Death in Dallas

On the same day that Tatiana the Siberian mauled one man to death and critically two others at the San Francisco Zoo, another tiger barely made the news.

From the AP:

DALLAS — A veterinarian at the Dallas Zoo performed a necropsy Thursday on a female tiger found shot to death near an apartment complex, a zoo official said.

The tiger did not belong to the zoo and was believed to have been someone's pet. It was found Christmas Day in a vacant lot near a busy interstate and an apartment complex, said zoo spokeswoman Susan Eckert.

According to the article the tiger was a full grown Bengal, weighing 180 pds. and 6 ft. long. Police speculate the tiger was "someone's pet" as it had a collar and wore a leash.

Zoo veterinarian Dr. Thomas Alvarado performed a necropsy, an autopsy for animals. He found five gunshot wounds, including one in the head and one in the thorax.

Someone shot the tiger dead but decided to not contact the cops. Can you imagine telling your friends, "Guess what I did today? I shot a tiger over by so-and-so apartments."

A full grown tiger could maim or kill it's unsuspecting victims such as in the case of Tatiana, the Siberian tiger at the San Francisco Zoo. Authorities are still "not sure" how the tiger escaped her enclosure but zoo officials admitted today that the wall was lower than most standards at only 12.5 ft. Tatiana mauled a 17-year-old boy to death. Two other men were attacked but will survive.

According to an article at the CS Monitor :

There are some 10,000 to 15,000 large cats in private hands in the US, according to an estimate by The Sacramento Animal Protection Institute, based in California. That's triple the amount of wild tigers in Asia, says Nicole Paquette, the group's legislative director.

There are no Federal laws banning ownership of tigers. Only 19 states currently ban the possession of exotic 'pets' such as lions and tigers.

The public is now aware of Tatiana but few know the numbers of big cats not residing in a zoo but in some neighbor's yard. One such tiger made her escape only to be shot down by a vigilante citizen who may have saved several lives, including those of children who could have been in the vicinity.

Smoking in public places has been banned because it's been deemed harmful. What about tigers and lions out there in our neighborhoods? The potential for harm is enormous and yet few officials seem willing to take a stand.

As for the unknown tiger shot dead in Dallas. No blame can be placed on the shooter. It is a shame though, that the tiger, not through its own fault, was in the wrong place and that luckily, at least in this incident, no one was attacked.

By LBG
Image [catmax.com.]
Source - DBKP - Horror at San Francisco Zoo







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