Badaling Park Reopens Killer Tiger Enclosure

In what is sure to bring a boost to gory tourism, Badaling’s Wild Animal Park re-opened its Siberian tiger enclosure yesterday, the scene of an animal attack where one woman was killed and another injured.

The incident occurred July 23 when a woman visiting the drive-through park with her family exited her vehicle against park regulations. Her mother exited as well and both women were dragged away by tigers. Help arrived almost immediately, but the victims were not carried out of the park for 20 minutes, and by that time the mother had already died.

The park, located 90 kilometers north of Beijing near the Badaling Great Wall, operates on a drive-through model, with separate enclosures for its tigers and lions. Visitiors drive through double gates that prevent animals from escaping the enclosures and pass by signs warning them against exiting their vehicles or opening their windows.

Park security cameras captured the incident, showing the woman exiting the vehicle on the passenger side and moving to the driver's side of the vehicle, when a tiger approached and dragged her away. Two other occupants of the car -- the woman's husband and mother -- immediately exited to help, but the mother was later also attacked. The husband was not injured.

Viewers initially presumed an argument had prompted the woman to leave the vehicle, but the woman’s later testimony in an ongoing lawsuit against the park indicated that she was just intending to switch seats with her husband to take over driving, and had presumed that the vehicle had already reached a safe zone of the enclosure.

Reporters visiting the park yesterday indicate that a second sign saying “Exiting Your Vehicle is Strictly Prohibited” has been added to the entrance gate of the enclosure, and additional electric fencing has been installed, presumably to keep the tigers from approaching vehicles.

The three tigers involved in the incident are now back roaming the enclosure, park officials told reporters. The park has 20 tigers in all, but not all are roaming the park at the same time, with the rest being held in cages.

The park was fully closed immediately after the incident July 23. It reopened Aug 24, but the Siberian tiger enclosure remained closed. The park also has a separate enclosure for Bengal tigers.

A longer video of the incident was released last week documenting the 20 minutes from the point the two women were dragged away until they were lifted into rescue vehicles.

Park rangers in jeeps reacted to the incident almost immediately by driving to the scene of the accident and using their horns and car engines to scare off the tigers.

The surviving victim of the incident suffered from severe lacerations to her face and upper body, including a 20cm gash that knocked out two of her teeth and caused nerve damage that has affected her ability to chew. She also received less severe injuries to her neck, back and waist.

Her family is currently suing the park for RMB 2 million. While she accepts partial responsibilty for her actions, the lawsuit alleges the park lacks proper contingency plans and rescue equipment, the Shanghai Daily reports. The park denies responsibility but has offered to cover 15% of the requested amount as a humanitarian gesture, the GB Times reports.

The park's winter hours are 10am to 3pm, tickets are RMB 90 for adults, RMB 45 for children. More info on visiting can be found here.

Images: The Paper, CRI International