Why would a person want taut and tease a wild animal?

1. 68

   nina64posted 11 years ago

   Why would a person want taut and tease a wild animal?
   
   Upon hearing the story about the young man who jumped over the 17 foot fence "to be one"  with a 400 pound siberian tiger, I couldn't help but to wonder why he would put himself in harm's way.  He barely escaped from the jaws of this animal. To me, his wanting to be one with this creature almost cost him his life; and stupid to say the least. When you know better, you do better. What's your opinion?

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2. 88

   Theophanesposted 11 years ago

   Because people are idiots. I wish I had a more eloquent answer but really... this guy spent his time reading New Age mush and posting peaceful idyllic photos of wild animals on his FaceBook page. It didn't say but I am guessing he also lived deep in the city where the most dangerous wildlife you're likely to see are pigeons and rats. Its clear by his statements that he was not thinking, "If I jump into the tiger enclosure I'll be eaten." He states he got what he wanted - to pet the tiger. Pet it. Like a really big house cat. I'd hate to say it but some people probably think zoo animals are just big and domesticated by captivity. They can't fathom how and why you would keep something that dangerous so they make up the fact they're not. Just goes back to being an idiot....

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3. 0

   Sarra Garrettposted 11 years ago

   I would have to at least say the tiger 'won' in this encounter.  Some people are just plain stupid.  I believe he has some 'issues' with wanting to be "one with the tiger", possibly his way of attempting suicide.  A stay in a mental hospital may help him.  Maybe this was his 15 minutes of fame who knows.  If you mess with a wild animal, you should expect something bad to happen to you.  Kinda like the man who lived with the grizzly bears, look what happened to him.  Just sayin....

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4. 72

   Raptorcatposted 11 years ago

   Stupid people do some pretty stupid things.  Growing up, I was a member of the Cub Scouts and it was drilled into us that wild animals are not the same as domesticated animals (this was long before the far right wing religious nuts took over).
   
   In my 51 years of living, I have spent a lot of time in the wild and some of that in close proximity to everything from bears to racoons to wild pigs.
   
     Only twice was I tempted to get close to any of them in their environment; once was an accidental encounter with a mother deer and her fawn.
     I only got close enough to take a picture and watch them a few minutes before moving on.
     The other was when I came home and found a burrowing owl in a bush near my front door one night.  We just stared at each other, communing, for quite a while before it flew off into the night.
   
     Both were very exciting experiences, in their own way, but neither time did I place myself in close enough proximity to become a threat to these wonderful and amazing creatures.  Because, even though deer are rather passive, I know that even a deer can become aggressive if it feels threatened or challenged, particularly when it has one of it's offspring to care for.
     And Burrowing owls are, like all raptors, predators and will fight before fleeing, if they feel threatened.
   
     As a species, we spent the past few hundred thousand years evolving away from our cousins in nature.  We should get back in touch with them, but not in the ways that so many fools have tried.  It is dangerously foolhardy and does nothing but create problems and fear.
   
     Respect nature and it will teach us a lot.  Respect it's power and we will be amazed and educated by it.  Go in like a fool and we will reap the penalties for our foolishness.

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5. 74

   Ann1Az2posted 11 years ago

   Perhaps he was seduced by the unknown. Big cats in particular have a lure about them. Still, he was pretty foolish to jump the fence. There's a reason the fence is there in the first place.

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6. 95

   Melissa A Smithposted 11 years ago

   The existence of people doing unusual and stupid things is not new. Many people drink and drive despite the consequences being well known, and even endanger their fellow humans. Just because this situation is extra unique doesn't make it a particularly more shocking example, but of course, people are prompted to become aroused by unique situations.

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