Tiger escapes, kills caretaker at Mexico zoo

2 days ago

MEXICO CITY (AP) — A tiger escaped from an unlocked cage at a commercial zoo and fatally mauled its caretaker before it was captured and killed, officials said Tuesday.

State officials said that Bioparque Estrella had closed Monday when the tiger left its unlocked cage and fatally attacked 26-year-old Herminio Rodriguez Palma. It was unclear why the cage had been left unlocked.

Some 150 police officers and zoo veterinarians began an intense search for the tiger at the 300-hectare (740-acre) wild animal park in the countryside northwest of Mexico City. It was captured and killed before dawn.

Mexico has had problems with dangerous animals escaping from their caretakers recently.

In September, a five-ton elephant got away from his trainer at a circus, wandered onto a highway outside Mexico City and was fatally hit by a bus. The bus driver also was killed.

Three tigers escaped from a circus truck and took shelter in a house in western Mexico last week, but were quickly recaptured.

And in August, a 500-pound lion escaped from a local lawmaker's private zoo in southern Mexico, killing two dogs and a pig and attacking a woman and child on a donkey before it was sedated and captured.

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When people asked what has been going on the past few years, not just in other countries but in the United States, I think you only need to look at the AZA web site job listing's to see all the "intern" none salaried positions offered at some of the finest institutions. Skilled people have become a scarcity in the exotic animal profession, both in zoo's and circus. The need for help is apparently there, but the money for that help apparently isn't. Many, many have left for other pursuits, which has caused, I feel a terrible shortage of qualified professionals.

Courtesy of Josip Marcan, above and below.

Doctor, have you found any pictures of the elephant in question performing? Apparently there are some out there, but I can't find them.