Tiger maulings could be death blow to zoo

Published Saturday, December 29, 2007

SAN FRANCISCO (AP) - The deadly tiger escape at the San Francisco Zoo could prove to be a costly blow to an institution that repeatedly has come under fire in just the past few years over the deaths of two elephants and the mauling of a zookeeper.

The zoo could face heavy fines from regulators. It could be stripped of its exhibitor license. Its accreditation could be at risk. It could be hit with a huge lawsuit by the victims or their families. It could even face criminal charges, depending on what the investigation finds.

"All this legal action is likely to impact the financial viability of the zoo," said Rory Little of the University of California’s Hastings College of the Law. "Whether the zoo can stay open is a big question."

It is becoming clear that the Siberian tiger that killed a teenager and severely mauled two other visitors in a Christmas Day rampage climbed over a wall that at 12½ feet was about 4 feet below the recommended minimum for U.S. zoos.

The Association of Zoos and Aquariums, which typically accredits zoos every five years and set the height standard, released statements this week in support of the zoo, saying it is a member in good standing.

However, in January 2005, the zoo lost its accreditation after a three-day inspection found a number of operational and maintenance problems. The zoo eventually received full accreditation in March 2006 after the AZA found the problems had been corrected.

San Francisco Zoo Director Manuel Mollinedo said the AZA never noted any deficiencies with the wall around the tiger enclosure.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service, which is responsible for enforcing the Animal Welfare Act, also could impose penalties, including fines, or suspend or revoke the zoo’s license if it is found that the zoo violated federal regulations on animal enclosures. Mollinedo said Thursday inspectors from the department had visited the zoo.

San Francisco Zoo officials said last night they plan to reopen the zoo on Thursday.

Legal experts said lawsuits are likely. Already, the zoo is facing a lawsuit by zookeeper Lori Komejan, who was attacked last year when she fed the same tiger involved in the deadly escape. The animal mauled her arm.

In October, Komejan sued the city of San Francisco, seeking compensation for lost wages, medical expenses and emotional distress.

The California Division of Occupational Health and Safety issued a report that found the zoo at fault for Komejan’s injuries. The report said zoo officials knew the big-cat exhibit posed a hazard because the animals could reach under the cage bars. The agency fined the zoo $18,000 and ordered safety improvements.