Tbilisi, Georgia; tigers, hippos and other wild animals escape as zoo floods

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zwiebel

zwiebel

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A flood in Tbilisi, Georgia in Eastern Europe has left the city swamped with dangerous, escaped wild animals. Eight people are dead including a zookeeper, although it's not clear if the animals or floods are responsible.

Despite people being warned to stay indoors, residents have just captured a hippo in the middle of the city.

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-33125879

natalia antelava (@antelava) tweeted at 9:40am - 14 Jun 15:

Amazing image of hippo led thru the streets after #tbilisiflood destroys city zoo pic.twitter.com/WfCLpmtnPn (https://twitter.com/antelava/status/610018127473152000?s=17)
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zwiebel said:
To be expected I suppose, but still very sad.
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I agree. As I commented to my mother last night, the purpose of zoos is to preserve animals, especially those in danger of extinction, so it's heartbreaking that these beautiful animals were killed. I understand they did what they had to do to protect citizens, but it's very sad it had to be done. Also sad is that at least 12 people were killed in the flooding. My heart goes out to the survivors.
 
I just saw this news. Heartbreaking for the man's family and the shooting of the tiger. It looks like a rare white Siberian?

The zoo director, Zurab Gurielidze, acknowledges his blame in previously stating all the lions and tigers had been recaptured. He now says a tiger cub and hyena are 'probably' still loose, but the cub does not pose a danger.

I'd still like to know how exactly a flood allowed all the animals to escape, and why they weren't moved to safety. Was there no warning of the flood?

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/9d1b...scaped-tiger-kills-man-wounds-another-tbilisi
 

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I bet the hyena will disappear in the forests around there and they'll have one heck of a job recapturing it.
 
zwiebel said:
I just saw this news. Heartbreaking for the man's family and the shooting of the tiger. It looks like a rare white Siberian?

The zoo director, Zurab Gurielidze, acknowledges his blame in previously stating all the lions and tigers had been recaptured. He now says a tiger cub and hyena are 'probably' still loose, but the cub does not pose a danger.

I'd still like to know how exactly a flood allowed all the animals to escape, and why they weren't moved to safety. Was there no warning of the flood?

http://bigstory.ap.org/article/9d1b...scaped-tiger-kills-man-wounds-another-tbilisi
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The zoo is built next to the river. I don't think they had time to move any animals.
 
I can't believe the zoo director failed to let the public know there was a tiger on the loose. I mean, you'd maybe think to mention it, wouldn't you??!

Aside from that, such a sad story. Hope the hippo survived as I love them, showed some of the photos of it "shopping" to my kids earlier and my 5 year old said she hopes it rains and rains all night and we see a hippo on the way to school tomorrow. :)
 
With all due respect, the purpose of zoos is not to preserve species, but to exhibit them. It wasn't all that long ago when humans have been displayed that way -- "Come all and see an African, Eskimo, Indian."

I saw some footage today in which some Georgians, with good intentions, perhaps, tried to steer a Hippo back to the zoo. I was initially astonished -- Hippos are extremely dangerous; certainly more dangerous than felines, but also (surprising to me) more dangerous than rhinos -- but perhaps this one had been trained to expect humans to guide it or abuse it and then feed it.
 
Montjoy said:
With all due respect, the purpose of zoos is not to preserve species, but to exhibit them. It wasn't all that long ago when humans have been displayed that way -- "Come all and see an African, Eskimo, Indian."

I saw some footage today in which some Georgians, with good intentions, perhaps, tried to steer a Hippo back to the zoo. I was initially astonished -- Hippos are extremely dangerous; certainly more dangerous than felines, but also (surprising to me) more dangerous than rhinoss -- but perhaps this one had been trained to expect humans to guide it or abuse it and then feed it.
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Hippo was tranquilized. You can see a dart in his head. Maybe that's why it was docile.
 
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