 Baghdad Zoo's Tiger
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Sept. 22, 2003 — The U.S. military has launched an investigation into the alleged shooting by a U.S. soldier of a rare Bengal tiger at the Baghdad zoo, the top U.S. military spokesman in Iraq, Lieutenant George Krivo, said Monday.
Krivo said the U.S. soldier had apparently tried to feed the big cat and "the tiger then engaged the soldier's arm."
Adel Salman Musa, the head of the zoo, said Sunday that the tiger was killed last week during an apparently drunken party between U.S. soldiers and a group of Iraqi police officers.
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"One of the soldiers, who the Iraqi police said had drunk a lot, went into the cage against the advice of his colleagues and tried to feed the animal, who severely hurt his arm," he explained to AFP.
The tiger tore off one of the soldier's fingers and mauled his arm. One of the other soldiers immediately fired at the animal and killed it, he said.
Krivo said that the results of the investigation would determine the military's next course of action, which could include a compensation payout for the death.
"The soldiers don't have the right to behave like that. That was the most precious and valuable animal in the whole zoo. It was 14 years old and had been born here," Musa said.
The Bengal tiger is an endangered species that is protected by the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) and the World Conservation Union (IUCN.)
Only 3,000 to 4,500 Bengal tigers are left in the wild.
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Name: Bengal Tiger, aka Indian Tiger (Panthera tigris tigris)
Primary Classification: Felidae (Cats) Location: India and Southeast Asia. Habitat: Tropical forest and grassland. Diet: Deer, antelope, wild pig and water buffalo. Size: Up to 10 feet in length and 575 lbs in weight. Description: Reddish-orange coat with black, vertical stripes; white underside, cheeks and eye areas; broad, muscular body; long, sensitive whiskers; long legs with sharp, retractable claws; long tail Cool Facts: It has been known to kill and eat crocodiles. It can leap more than 30 feet in a single bound, climb trees and swim for miles. Its roar can be heard almost two miles away. Conservation Status: Endangered Major Threats: Poaching and habitat loss. What Can I Do?: Visit the Wildlife Protection Society of India, TigerAid, and Global Tiger Patrol for further information on how you can help. |
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