Billy wrote on Jan 2, 2008 8:19 PM: Gee - what would they do with a PA system - announce, "There is a kid being attack by an angry lion!" So the lion was provoked. what does it take to provoke a lion. It is up to the zoo to have a lot of forethought and know that people will taunt the wild animals to show off. Of course there should be rules prohibiting provoking. how, the cages and retainer walls should be designed to keep the animals in and the people out. THE ZOO IS RESPONSIBLE!

nontaunter wrote on Jan 2, 2008 8:36 PM:3 punks giving the poor tiger grief? Maybe the surviving two will learn a valuable lesson that their parents obviously failed to teach them at home.

K wrote on Jan 2, 2008 9:56 PM:it seems as though the three young people were clowning around by provoking the animal so much that the tiger took action. What would you do if someone was trying to provoke you? It is a sad event that this happened and that I see today's youth untrained to give show respect not to just people, but to animals also. What did the tiger do to have three "punks" rattling his cage and provoking him? The zoo should have also had higher fences, but this is the first time a tiger has jumped it (umexpected action). If you provoked a large dog wouldn't he done the same thing? Both are at fault here. The other two teens should also be sued for their actions and that the zoo keepers should have been there to see what they were doing to the tiger and throw them out of there.

Susan wrote on Jan 2, 2008 11:26 PM:Poor kid was killed and school director is trying to cover his ass with speculation. He needs to just own up that the fence was too short!

billy wrote on Jan 2, 2008 11:55 PM: Nontaunter and K have missed the point. We are talking about three young men a 300 pound caged tiger. when the zoo choose to cage the tiger and put it on display to the public they knew the risks of it getting loose were there. They are supposed to design, or have designed, an enclosure that will hold the tiger in check and keep it from harming people. they also know that people will tease and provoke the tiger even though they have signs posted stating that it should not happen. We are talking about one boys life and the mauling of another. It has been report that the wall was substandard. THE ZOO IS RESPONSIBLE.

n wrote on Jan 3, 2008 4:16 AM:People need to start taking action for their own behavior and quit blaming others. Maybe the wall was too short but has there ever been an incident like this. Too bad the zoo doesn't have cameras to show what really went on. Wished they would have tranq. not killed the tiger. Its their instinct.

TKM wrote on Jan 3, 2008 8:12 AM:Agree with the poster that said too bad there was not a camera as that would answer the question of what truly happened. IF these young men were taunting the tiger truly hope they look in the mirror and understand what their actions caused. Yes, the zoo is responsible but if there was taunting involved I hope the survivors do not benefit monetarily from an incident that was started with ... inappropriate behavior.

NG - Deeply Saddened wrote on Jan 3, 2008 10:01 AM:What is wrong with you people, saying these kids deserved it! They are KIDS and the Zoo Director said "something" provoked the animal...how small minded of you to assume that meant "the kids"! How about the fact that he's been caged up, or maybe mistreated over the years...or MAYBE, just MAYBE a zoo keeper made a mistake and the tiger got out due to human error and MAYBE, just maybe the zoo is trying to cover it up! OH, what a shock that would be. Shame on you for speculating, for not waiting for answers. Even if these kids were "just being kids" and taunting the animal, (which I am not condoning)this still should not have happened and it is tragic FOR EVERYBODY! What if it was your kid or family member. Talk about needing to show respect. I am embarrassed for you and deeply saddened by the lack of sympathy for another human being.

Concerned-1 wrote on Jan 3, 2008 3:40 PM:The SF Zoo is history. Mark Zaragose (sp?) the attorney representing the taunters will make sure of that. Yes, unfortunately, it will be the Zoo's fault even though the evidence will likely show a clear disregard for the rules by the three boys. The poor tiger is probably better off. The Zoo will not survive either. In fact, the only person who wins is...you guessed it: the attorney.

Deeply Nothing.. wrote on Jan 14, 2008 6:12 PM:"Just being kids" how old were they? What did they say they found in their car? A bottle of what? People die everyday and you do not pity them, you are not deeply saddened when every few seconds someone dies for one reason or another. But because a tiger hopped out on some kid you are a big sympathizer? No matter what, those two kids who lived will never confess up to any kind of provoking. Of course theyll have to live with the fact that they got away from a tiger and their other friend did not..