Wayward Tiger Back At Jungle Island
WATSON ISLAND (CBS4) - Three months after Mahesh the tiger escaped from his enclosure at Jungle Island, and sent visitors scrambling for safety, the big cat will soon be back on display.
The escape happened on August 28th when the 500 tiger jumped over a fence to pursue an 8-year old Gibbon named Watson. The park's staff were able to capture both animals and none of the guests were seriously injured. Following their investigation into the tiger's escape, the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission (FWC) filed two misdemeanor charges against Bern M. Levine, the president of the park, for allowing conditions that resulted in the tiger's escape. The tiger's owner, Bhagavan Antle, was also charged with maintaining a captive wild animal in unsafe conditions.
This Wednesday Mahesh, along with a liger (part lion-part tiger) named Vulcan and two new female tigers will go on display in a revamped enclosure with a 20 foot high fence made with heavier gauge wire, according to CBS4 news partner The Miami Herald.
Florida Fish and Wildlife authorities said they are considering increasing the height requirement for tiger cages. Currently it is 12 feet. At the time of the escape the height of the fence surrounding the tiger enclosure was 14 feet, an extra safety margin of two feet. However, investigators found nearly two feet of mulch on the inside of the space made put its height at the state's limits.
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