"Murder is the word," he said. "They murdered a poor, helpless animal that only looked ferocious, as any tiger would." -Steve Sipek
***Taken from National Geographic News***
The tiger went on the lam Monday afternoon. Although Bobo stayed within 200 yards (180 meters) of home, he managed to elude a dozen wildlife trackers and sheriff's deputies for more than 24 hours.
According to press reports, thick scrub of palmettos, slash pine, and palm trees surrounding Sipek's five-acre (two-hectare) compound about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami made searching for the tiger difficult.
Trackers maintained a perimeter around the area and cautioned drivers about the escaped tiger. Residents were offered escorts to their homes and asked to call 911 if they spotted Bobo.
Sipek, his shirt soaked in blood from hugging the dead tiger, told reporters gathered at the scene that he doubted Bobo had to be killed, that he was shot so that the wildlife officers would be recognized as heroes for saving the people from the "vicious tiger".
Bobo was de-clawed, but still had his fangs. Wildlife officials said that the tiger bit and injured a woman who was working at Sipek's home two years ago. Sipek said that Bobo did not intentionally hurt the woman.
The ex-Tarzan actor has a soft spot for mistreated big cats and has long held a permit to keep exotic animals at his home. In addition to the late Bobo, Sipek's pets include another tiger, a panther, a cougar, and a pair of lions.
"Murder is the word," he said. "They murdered a poor, helpless animal that only looked ferocious, as any tiger would." -Steve Sipek
***Taken from National Geographic News***
The tiger went on the lam Monday afternoon. Although Bobo stayed within 200 yards (180 meters) of home, he managed to elude a dozen wildlife trackers and sheriff's deputies for more than 24 hours.
According to press reports, thick scrub of palmettos, slash pine, and palm trees surrounding Sipek's five-acre (two-hectare) compound about 50 miles (80 kilometers) north of Miami made searching for the tiger difficult.
Trackers maintained a perimeter around the area and cautioned drivers about the escaped tiger. Residents were offered escorts to their homes and asked to call 911 if they spotted Bobo.
Sipek, his shirt soaked in blood from hugging the dead tiger, told reporters gathered at the scene that he doubted Bobo had to be killed, that he was shot so that the wildlife officers would be recognized as heroes for saving the people from the "vicious tiger".
Bobo was de-clawed, but still had his fangs. Wildlife officials said that the tiger bit and injured a woman who was working at Sipek's home two years ago. Sipek said that Bobo did not intentionally hurt the woman.
The ex-Tarzan actor has a soft spot for mistreated big cats and has long held a permit to keep exotic animals at his home. In addition to the late Bobo, Sipek's pets include another tiger, a panther, a cougar, and a pair of lions.
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