I’ve been noticing a large volume of stories lately with people being attacked by dangerous animals.
These stories aren’t rare in themselves, but the amount caught my attention and the common thread seems plain—people getting in dicey proximities them.
The first I saw happened in Vancouver where a 6-year-old girl was playing with a California sea lion off the pier.
A video from the New York Post shows the sea lion leap out of the water and snap at her. She backs up laughing, the sea lion dips back into the water and then she disregards the situation, sitting on the edge of the dock, her rear facing the animal.
What happened next was a little scary.
The animal came back for another snap, bit onto the girl and pulled her into the water. It happened fast, but her grandfather was in the water just as quick and pushed her to safety.
Now I don’t think the sea lion is at fault. There were signs all over, warning the dangers of getting close to marine mammals.
Robert Kiesman, Steveston Harbour Authority chair, is quoted as saying, “These are wild mammals. They are 1,000-pounds-plus. We are not at Sea World here…it’s not an evil sea lion…it’s stupid people.”
I agree.
Whoever was looking after the girl should give their heads a shake and hopefully they’ll be more protective in the future.
The second story involves a beast more dangerous than the sea lion.
A tourist named Loh Lee Aik was visiting Komodo National Park in Indonesia when, against advice, he went on his own to take some photos of Komodo dragons.
Adding to this hilariously bad decision, the 50-year-old was touring during mating season when the reptiles are more aggressive.
Long story short, he found some randy dragons eating pig and goat carcasses, got too close and almost won a Darwin award for his efforts.
While focusing his lens on the group, another snuck up and bit a chunk out of his leg. I’ve seen pictures of the wound and it isn’t pretty.
Daily Mail quotedlocal police spokesman Jules Abraham Abast as saying,“Luckily it was a small komodo that bit him.”
Thank god for small favours, but again, I share Kiesman’s sentiment of “stupid people.”
The next two stories are more tragic.
A couple weeks ago in Zimbabwe, South African hunting guide Theunis Botha met his end after being crushed by a falling elephant shot by one of his group.
The Telegraph reports his outfit came across a herd of breeding elephants at the Good Luck Farm near Hwange National Park on a Friday afternoon.
I think I’m seeing another trend…
But I digress; what happened was some cow elephants charged, one of which flung 51-year-old Botha in the air with her trunk, and a panicky group member opened fire.
The elephant fell, crushed the guide and neither lived.
Many on social media called it poetic justice and maybe they’re right.
I can’t find reports saying they were tracking elephants, but apparently Botha did offer tours to hunt them.
To me, however, it reads more like a case of wrong place, wrong time, with a dash of excited nerves ending in fatality.
This last story is the gloomiest—female zookeeper Rosa King mauled to death by a tiger in Hamerton Zoo.
Reports seem fuzzy, some calling it a freak accident, others saying a gate malfunctioned, or what I think, human negligence.
Regardless, King, 33, was working in the enclosure, the two weren’t safely separated and the animal ended up killing her.
Last I looked the tiger hadn’t been put down, and really, I hope it doesn’t. I don’t think either is at fault, unless King herself improperly secured the gate preventing them from being in the area together.
One thing I know is tigers have no business in England. I realize zoos are neat and make it easier to view exotic animals, but look at the potential price.
I guess the message is people should leave wildlife alone and keep a distance, because whatever the reason, be it poor supervision, ignorance, panic, or oversight, the consequences can be injurious, or as demonstrated, pointlessly tragic.
