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Georgia police say tiger that escaped from zoo has killed a man Georgia police shoot tiger that killed man after zoo escape
(35 minutes later)
Related: Floods in Tbilisi and its zoo – in picturesRelated: Floods in Tbilisi and its zoo – in pictures
Police in the Georgian capital Tbilisi say a tiger that broke loose after severe flooding at a zoo over the weekend has killed one man and wounded another, before being shot by marksmen. Police in Tbilisi say a tiger that broke loose after severe flooding at a zoo over the weekend has been shot by marksmen after it killed one man and wounded another.
The Tbilisi zoo had previously said all lions and tigers missing after the flooding had been found dead and only one jaguar remained unaccounted for.The Tbilisi zoo had previously said all lions and tigers missing after the flooding had been found dead and only one jaguar remained unaccounted for.
Amid scenes of panic in central Tbilisi, police cordoned off an area of the city where they believed the animal was hiding. Special police units were deployed to a warehouse with tranquilisers as well as rifles. A government official said the police would “try to subdue it if possible but would have to shoot it if there is any danger to life”. Amid scenes of panic in the centre of Georgia’s capital, police cordoned off an area of the city where they believed the tiger was hiding. Officers from special police units carrying tranquilisers and rifles were deployed to a warehouse. A government official said police would try to subdue the animal if possible “but would have to shoot it if there is any danger to life”.
It is not clear how the animal, which police said was a young white tiger cub, managed to escape. Initial reports said the animal was believed to be a lion.It is not clear how the animal, which police said was a young white tiger cub, managed to escape. Initial reports said the animal was believed to be a lion.
Zoo officials had said on Tuesday that eight lions, all seven of the zoo’s tigers and at least two of its three jaguars were killed in the flooding in Georgia’s capital caused by heavy rains over the weekend. Zoo officials had said on Tuesday that eight lions, all seven of the zoo’s tigers and at least two of its three jaguars were killed in the flooding caused by heavy rains.
Related: Georgia police accused of unnecessarily shooting zoo animals in wake of floods The floods on Sunday killed at least 17 people and ravaged Tbilisi’s central districts including the zoo, from which hundreds of animals – including wolves and a hippo – escaped. It appears the torrent was caused by a blockage upstream in the usually small Vera river, which burst after Saturday’s unusually heavy rain.
Floods hit Tbilisi on Sunday, killing at least 17 people and ravaging the city’s central districts including the zoo, where hundreds of animals - including lions, tigers, wolves and a hippo escaped. It seems the torrent was caused by a blockage upstream in the usually small Vera river through the city, which burst after Saturday’s unusually heavy rains.
More than half of the zoo’s animals – some 300 species – either drowned in the muddy waters or were killed by police.More than half of the zoo’s animals – some 300 species – either drowned in the muddy waters or were killed by police.
Begi, a large hippo that was rescued from the streets outside the zoo on Sunday, was placed inside one of the elephant cages, on higher ground not affected by the flooding. Begi, a large hippo rescued from the streets outside the zoo on Sunday, was placed inside an elephant cage on higher ground away from the flooding.
Zoo staff accused some special police units of overreacting by unnecessarily shooting many of the animals. Some policemen were seen taking selfies alongside the bodies of tigers, lions and other large animals that they had shot, posing like big-game hunters, two zoo staff told the Guardian. Related: Georgia police accused of unnecessarily shooting zoo animals in wake of floods
Zoo staff on Monday accused some special police units of overreacting by unnecessarily shooting many of the animals. Some police officers were seen taking selfies with the bodies of tigers, lions and other large animals they had shot, posing like big-game hunters, two zoo staff told the Guardian.
In one case, staff said a wolf they had successfully tranquilised and safely tethered was then shot by police as it lay on the ground. Only three of the zoo’s original 20 wolves survived.In one case, staff said a wolf they had successfully tranquilised and safely tethered was then shot by police as it lay on the ground. Only three of the zoo’s original 20 wolves survived.