When their dens need cleaning, it is done only after the beasts are confined in an adjoining den. If someone is attacked, staff members raise the alarm over their walkie-talkies. Field staff head for the site with emergency equipment, including fire extinguishers, extendable poles, cymbals and clay balls to distract the animals. Licensed shooters go to the zoo's armoury to collect a double-barrelled shotgun and a .375 rifle - 'shoot-to-kill weapons in case a life is in danger', said the zoo's assistant director of zoology Biswajit Guha. Yesterday, it took five minutes to activate the shooters. By the time they arrived, the tigers were already confined in their dens, so there was no need to shoot them, said Mr Guha.
LEE HUI CHIEH