The moat wall protecting the public from the tigers at San Francisco Zoo is only 12 1/2 feet high – 4 feet below the accepted national standard for safety.
It’s also 7 1/2 feet shorter than zoo officials first said it was.
“There have been a lot of different measurements regarding the moat,” zoo Director Manuel Mollinedo said Thursday. “Today we went out and measured the moat ourselves.”
In the two days since a fatal tiger attack on Christmas Day, the zoo has given at least five different measurements for the outdoor exhibit. The dimensions have been unclear in part because the zoo has remained closed since Tuesday, and it has denied the public and press access to its grounds and has forbidden employees from talking about the tragedy.
Follow the link for more information about tigers, the zoo and what happened.