Tiger mauls US man who leapt into Bronx Zoo enclosure

[dirtydog]

Tiger mauls US man who leapt into Bronx Zoo enclosure

A 25-year-old man has been mauled by a tiger at the Bronx Zoo in New York City after he jumped from an elevated train into a tiger enclosure.

The man has been taken to hospital in critical condition, but did not lose his leg as was earlier reported.

Zoo staff used a fire extinguisher to chase the tiger off and the man was told to roll under the electrified wire to safety.

The man was conscious and talking, zoo director Jim Breheny said.

"If not for the quick response by our staff and their ability to perform well in emergency situations, the outcome would have been very different," he said in a statement.

It was unclear why the man jumped from the Wild Asia monorail, a train with open sides that takes visitors over the Bronx River and along the top of a fence past elephants, deer and tigers.

The man jumped 20 ft (6m) and cleared the two fences between spectators and the tiger enclosure.

A fire department spokesman said the man had deep cuts to his back.

BBC News - Tiger mauls US man who leapt into Bronx Zoo enclosure

[dobella]

I have to laugh here in the UK when they show thses charity appeals to save this wild cat and that wild croc. etc.
Yeah right, and in the wild these fckers would rip a human to pieces in 5 minutes.
Think i'll keep my £3 a month for my local pub thankyou.

[Norton]

It was unclear why the man jumped from the Wild Asia monorail

A tourist from Darwin. Only follows.

[FailSafe]

I've been on the monorail that runs though the Bronx Zoo (which is the best zoo in the States after the San Diego Zoo)- it's a pretty good drop to the ground, and he probably got hurt in the fall- to a tiger, wounded animal= lunch.

If he actually jumped rather than fell, he got less than he asked for.

[SpicyMartin]

I've been on the monorail that runs though the Bronx Zoo (which is the best zoo in the States after the San Diego Zoo)- it's a pretty good drop to the ground, and he probably got hurt in the fall- to a tiger, wounded animal= lunch.

If he actually jumped rather than fell, he got less than he asked for.

I'm sure you meant to write "the best zoo in the States after the San Diego Wild Animal Park" no? The San Diego Zoo is tiny compared to the WAP...... but if you were being serious, you surely need to get out to the WAP to revise your estimate!

[FailSafe]

^

The San Diego Wild Animal Park is part of the San Diego Zoo, I believe (or at least part of the same zoological society)- in any case, it's now called the San Diego Zoo Safari Park- I stand by what I said above- the Bronx Zoo is the 2nd best zoo in the States after the San Diego Zoo.

[Butterfly]

In the Bronx ? aren't the animals cold during winter ?

[FailSafe]

In the Bronx ? aren't the animals cold during winter ?

It does get really cold- they have heated enclosures and limit the exposure of animals that can't take the winter. They manage to keep the penguins cold in summer...

Here's an article about the Bronx Zoo in winter:

What do the animals at the Bronx zoo do in the winter? » Scienceline

It's an amazing zoo- it's like an oasis in a very bad part of NYC.

[Butterfly]

It's an amazing zoo- it's like an oasis in a very bad part of NYC.

yeah, it does sound like it. Got to see it that one next time I am in NY,

[FailSafe]

It's an amazing zoo- it's like an oasis in a very bad part of NYC.

yeah, it does sound like it. Got to see it that one next time I am in NY,

It's a must-see part of NYC, IMHO- there's a train station that exits right into the zoo so you can avoid walking around in the Bronx.

I try to go every few years.

The New York Aquarium is also very good, and you can combine it with a visit to the old boardwalk in Coney Island (where part of 'The Warriors' was filmed).

[Humbert]

The only thing more unpleasant than zoos are circuses.