I think it has to do more with greed than anything else. I've seen families show solidarity and refuse to talk to the press, and they just get a distant uncle or a neighbor on instead.

Hate to say it, but at least in FL. you are correct.:(

"San Francisco Zoo officials Thursday said the enclosure for a Siberian tiger that killed a San Jose teenager and injured two friends in a Christmas rampage had a wall lower than they initially stated and below industry recommendations.

Zoo Director Manuel A. Mollinedo also said he believes the tiger escaped over that wall, although police said they still don't know what happened.

Mollinedo said the outer wall that separated 350-pound Tatiana from the viewing public is 12 feet, 5 inches high - not the 18 feet he reported Wednesday, and nearly 4 feet below minimum Association of Zoos and Aquariums guidelines for tigers.

Mollinedo said the AZA inspected the enclosure, built in 1940, three years ago as part of its regular accreditation program and it "never noted that as a deficiency." "

I don't buy the taugnting angle. What taunting would be required to get a well fed 300 lb tiger to jump a shear-sided 20 x 20 foot dry moat, where the opposing side is 12 feet higher?

• 50 lbs of Cat nip loaded into a bong?
• Michael Jackson dangling some butter dipped kids over the side?
• Someone bringing in a pet tiger that's in heat?
• Telling the Tiger it looked like Rosie O’Donald?

The taunting story sounds like something PETA would have planted.

I agree, the taunting story seems like a plant.

It assumes that the tiger is justified because of the kids actions. The park has a duty to protect the public, no matter what(if anything) the public does.