SAN FRANCISCO — Investigators trying to determine how a tiger escaped its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo, killing one visitor and mauling two others on Christmas, planned a thorough sweep of the zoo grounds Wednesday to look for clues. The two injured men were listed in stable condition at San Francisco General Hospital. Dr. John Brown, an emergency room physician, told ABC’s “Good Morning America” on Wednesday they suffered deep bites and claw cuts to their heads, necks, arms and hands. “These injuries are severe injuries, but they are very treatable,” Brown said, “and these two gentlemen seem to be in good health, so I think they have a good chance.” MORE
ASSOCIATED PRESS: Some maulings and other incidents involving captive animals in the United States:
Dec. 25, 2007: A Siberian tiger named Tatiana escapes from its enclosure at the San Francisco Zoo,
killing one man and mauling two others, before being shot dead.
Feb. 24, 2007: A 140-pound jaguar named Jorge fatally mauls a zookeeper at the Denver Zoo before being fatally shot. Zoo officials said later that zookeeper Ashlee Pfaff had violated the rules by opening the door to the animal’s cage.
Dec. 22, 2006: Tatiana reaches through her cage’s iron bars and mauls a female zookeeper during a public feeding at the San Francisco Zoo.
Dec. 22, 2006: The National Zoo in Washington is briefly shut down after a clouded leopard bolts
Sept. 10, 2005: Three chimpanzees from Zoo Nebraska are shot and killed after they escape from their enclosure and could not be captured. A padlock on the cage was not completely closed after being cleaned, officials at the zoo in Royal, Neb., said.
March 3, 2005: Two chimpanzees at the Animal Ranch wildlife sanctuary near Bakersfield, Calif., attack a man and his wife, maiming the man, before being shot to death.
July 13, 2004: A state wildlife officer fatally shoots a 600 pound tiger that escaped from the property of former Tarzan actor Steve Sipek in Loxahatchee, Fla.
March 18, 2004: A 340-pound gorilla named Jabari breaks out of its enclosure at the Wilds of Africa exhibit at the Dallas Zoo and goes on a 40-minute rampage through a forest, snatching up a toddler with his teeth and attacking three other people before being shot to death by officers.
Oct. 3, 2003: Illusionist Roy Horn is severely mauled by a tiger during the Siegfried & Roy nightly
Sept. 28, 2003: A 300-pound gorilla named Little Joe escapes from its enclosure at Boston’s Franklin Park Zoo, attacking a 2-year-old girl and a teen-age zoo employee, before being tranquilized. It was the second time in two months that the animal escaped. [via KYW]
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[via WHYTHELUCKYSTIFF.net]