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Exotic Incident #1103

Reported:
Location:
Palm Beach, FL - USA
Species:
Trap Type:
Incident Date:
10/02/2008
Victim's Disposition:
Victim's Name:
Legal Action:

Result:

Summary:

A 300-pound, 3-year-old Malayan tiger named Mata bit the finger of a zookeeper at the Palm Beach Zoo. The zookeeper was rewarding Mata with a treat at the time. Florida Fish and Wildlife investigators believed the keeper deviated from protocol by using her fingers to extend the treat instead of holding her palm flat with the treat on it. Though the keeper did not lose part of her finger, a surgeon was called to repair the damage.