the fugative

Zoo tigers frightened by cat portrait
Associated Press

Published April 24, 2003 TIGE25

SAN FRANCISCO -- Tony and Emily, a pair of Siberian tigers at the San Francisco Zoo, are a couple of scaredy cats.

Their eyes bulge, their mouths loll and their ears fold back - the typical behavior of frightened felines - upon seeing a lifelike portrait of their popular predecessor.

But the tiger siblings are just going to have to cope. The eight-foot oil painting of Sedova, a popular Siberian tiger who lived at the zoo for 19 years before her death in 1992, is going to stay hanging in their habitat, zoo officials say.

``Animals are more important than pictures. But it is a magnificent portrait - kind of a testimonial to one of the zoo's most beloved cats,'' said Linda Caratti, the tigers' keeper.

According to Caratti, there is no question that 11 year olds Emily and Tony are unnerved by the painting, which reportedly bears an impressive resemblance to its subject. The tigers often refuse to enter the exhibit at feeding time and won't turn their backs on the fierce gaze staring out at them from a wall.

``It's their instinct to feel threatened by another tiger,'' Caratti told the San Francisco Chronicle. ``They just haven't figured out it's a picture. Instead, they look totally scared, like it's a giant ghost tiger.''

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Jolie Rouge

There is no other place in the entire zoo to hang this "magnificent portrait" ?? Does not sound like this person has the animals best interests at heart. I have worked at zoos -- this is atypical behavior : These are endangered species -- why risk upsetting them this much over something so silly ?

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Laissez les bon temps rouler! Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.** a 4 day work week & sex slaves ~ I say Tyt for PRESIDENT! Not to be taken internally, literally or seriously ....Suki ebaynni IS THAT BETTER ?

ahippiechic

People are idiots.

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