NeoGAF

Beardz · 02:45 AM

Quote:

The odds might be stacked against them, but there is no shortage of volunteers willing to take on a zoo's unusual challenge - to play tug-of-war with a tiger.
Visitors to Busch Gardens in Tampa Bay, Florida, are being given the chance to play with some of the most world's most fearsome animals.
In each contest, volunteers take a rope in their hands and a tiger tries to pull it from them with its mouth.

Complete Story

Video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=khYrJKF3O-I

Wat

WoodenLung · (07-01-2012, 02:39 AM)

Was hoping for wrestling. Also that link is fucked.

Christine · (07-01-2012, 02:41 AM)

Sounds like a rigged game to me.

Alligatorjandro · (07-01-2012, 02:42 AM)

Nothing bad can happen from this,nope.

Beardz · (07-01-2012, 02:42 AM)

Originally Posted by WoodenLung:

Was hoping for wrestling. Also that link is fucked.

Welp, seems like that site is banned

Everdred · (07-01-2012, 02:43 AM)

Saves the Zoo a lot of money on food.

Eschaton · (07-01-2012, 02:43 AM)

alphaNoid · (07-01-2012, 02:44 AM)

I would pay to watch this on Pay Per View, the modern day Colosseum

Escape Goat · (07-01-2012, 02:45 AM)

How much are tiger braces?

DonMigs85 · (07-01-2012, 02:47 AM)

Puddles should totally go for this.

Arment · (07-01-2012, 02:51 AM)

They did this with as many volunteers possible with an elephant at the zoo I used to go to as a kid. 20 or 30 people tugging on a rope.

My god did I try so hard to beat that elephant. Nope.

shinobi602 · (07-01-2012, 02:53 AM)

I love Busch Gardens. Might have to give this a try next time I visit Tampa!

Trurl · (07-01-2012, 03:01 AM)

Originally Posted by Alligatorjandro:

Nothing bad can happen from this,nope.

It looks pretty safe to me.

purple cobra · (07-01-2012, 03:21 AM)

Dammit, another crazy story from the state I'm in. :/

PS3GamerKyle · (07-01-2012, 03:24 AM)

another stepping stone for humanity down the long, winding path towards complete stupidity.

shagg_187 · (07-01-2012, 03:24 AM)

Animal Cruelty at it's finest.

tuna on toast · (07-01-2012, 03:44 AM)

orangutan

http://youtu.be/YFMpWm6ECgQ

Salazar · (07-01-2012, 03:46 AM)

Cambodian Midget Fighting League memories coming back.

johnsmith · (07-01-2012, 03:46 AM)

Is Florida ever not the correct answer?

cartoon_soldier · (07-01-2012, 03:48 AM)

I feel bad for the tiger

MuddyDonut · (07-01-2012, 03:49 AM)

I am going to try this.

Cyrillus · (07-01-2012, 03:50 AM)

Is this bad for the tiger's teeth?

shira · (07-01-2012, 03:53 AM)

Originally Posted by Cyrillus:

Is this bad for the tiger's teeth?

He should get to eat the loser

Trickster · (07-01-2012, 03:54 AM)

I don't really see a problem with the way it's implemented, it gives the tigers some stimulation, and gives the visitors an experience to talk about. Also helps gives people a first hand impression of the strength of a tiger.

Originally Posted by Cyrillus:

Is this bad for the tiger's teeth?

Not like the tigers gets superglued to the rope, it can let go anytime.

whitehawk · (07-01-2012, 03:56 AM)

Looks safe to me. And some dogs enjoy tug of war, I don't see how this is much different.

What's with the GAF reactions today.

blainethemono · (07-01-2012, 03:59 AM)

Originally Posted by whitehawk:

Looks safe to me. And some dogs enjoy tug of war, I don't see how this is much different.

What's with the GAF reactions today.

Yeah, my dog loves that shit. I would think its fun for the tiger too

Trickster · (07-01-2012, 03:59 AM)

Originally Posted by whitehawk:

Looks safe to me. And some dogs enjoy tug of war, I don't see how this is much different.

What's with the GAF reactions today.

Judging from the replies, most people only read the topic title and assumed the way it worked was that the zoo visitors got to wrestle with the tigers.

cheststrongwell · 04:07 AM

I feel bad for kittens when humans force them to play with string.

Fuck these monsters. I want off this planet..

NMS http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oa_CnGsXnKg NMS

shira · (07-01-2012, 04:02 AM)

Originally Posted by Trickster:

I don't really see a problem with the way it's implemented, it gives the tigers some stimulation, and gives the visitors an experience to talk about. Also helps gives people a first hand impression of the strength of a tiger.

Not like the tigers gets superglued to the rope, it can let go anytime.

You don't see some guy suing the zoo?

Dre3001 · (07-01-2012, 04:02 AM)

Originally Posted by whitehawk:

Looks safe to me. And some dogs enjoy tug of war, I don't see how this is much different.

What's with the GAF reactions today.

Exactly, I think GAF really just loves ragging on Florida.

I fail to see the big deal with this. I actually live only about an hour away from Tampa and have passes to Busch gardens so I am definitely tempted to go and try this very soon.

Frankenstrat · (07-01-2012, 04:03 AM)

Doesn't look too bad, I guess. Also, Florida seems to be on a roll with G, A, F lately.

lightus · (07-01-2012, 04:06 AM)

Originally Posted by whitehawk:

Looks safe to me. And some dogs enjoy tug of war, I don't see how this is much different.

What's with the GAF reactions today.

Yeah I think I'm missing the animal cruelty part. Most animals see this sorta thing as fun. Plus it helps give the tiger some sort of stimulation. As long as the tiger voluntarily grabs and pulls on the rope I don't see anything wrong.

The reactions here remind me of the "This is how tuna is caught" thread.

Full Recovery · (07-01-2012, 04:06 AM)

I dare you to put your dick in it, said the man.

Trickster · (07-01-2012, 04:07 AM)

Originally Posted by shira:

You don't see some guy suing the zoo?

For what? losing a tug of war to a tiger?

cheststrongwell · (07-01-2012, 04:09 AM)

Originally Posted by Trickster:

For what? losing a tug of war to a tiger?

I could see someone hurting their hand and suing.

Haly · (07-01-2012, 04:12 AM)

If they held on too hard and the tiger gave a really heavy tug, they could get their hands/arms slammed into the hole.

Of course, it'd be their fault, but that wouldn't stop them from suing.

Stupid all around.

Trickster · (07-01-2012, 04:16 AM)

Originally Posted by Haly:

If they held on too hard and the tiger gave a really heavy tug, they could get their hands/arms slammed into the hole.

Of course, it'd be their fault, but that wouldn't stop them from suing.

Stupid all around.

As long as they hold onto the rope behind the huge knot that doesn't really seem like a problem. But who knows, considering it's in the US, some idiot with an IQ of 50 might hurt him/herself, sue for millions and win.

I still don't see how it could ever be considered animal cruelty though.

cutmeamango · (07-01-2012, 04:25 AM)

I find that awesome, since I always beat my Cocker Spaniel. Need some real challenge around here.

criesofthepast · (07-01-2012, 04:29 AM)

As if zoo animals didn't have a miserable enough life already. Just leave the damn tiger alone.

Trickster · (07-01-2012, 04:31 AM)

Originally Posted by criesofthepast:

As if zoo animals didn't have a miserable enough life already. Just leave the damn tiger alone.

Yes, god forbid the tiger gets to do something fun. Let's have it sit and stare into the air all day instead.

Kammie · (07-01-2012, 04:40 AM)

Genius.

They could also build a tower so that the humans dangle the rope from above and the tiger tries to jump up and catch it!

RobotHaus · (07-01-2012, 04:42 AM)

Originally Posted by Kammie:

Genius.

They could also build a tower so that the humans dangle the rope from above and the tiger tries to jump up and catch it!

There's something like that in Kissimmee/St. Cloud. You zipline over alligators. Mind you very high above alligators, but at any time you never may know when that rope will snap.

Chuck Norris · (07-01-2012, 04:46 AM)

What exactly is bad about this?

God GAF is sensitive to the dumbest stuff sometimes

Chuck Norris · (07-01-2012, 04:49 AM)

Originally Posted by shagg_187:

Animal Cruelty at it's finest.

This must be trolling

Now I feel stupid for reacting to the people reacting to this thread. Who was troll?

UFRA · (07-01-2012, 04:53 AM)

Wow some of the responses in here are stupid.

There is a fence separating the tiger from the people, so it's safe. The tiger is holding onto the rope at its own will, so it's not animal cruelty. The tiger probably likes it. Don't people have cats? They fucking love to play like this.

Row · (07-01-2012, 05:07 AM)

nothing wrong with this, it's a win/win for everybody

visitors get a kick out of it, and the tiger (which isn't forced to do it) gets to play a bit

MIMIC · (07-01-2012, 05:12 AM)

Haha, I used to do this with my rottweiler. He would get so mad when I would win.

DJMicLuv · (07-01-2012, 05:35 AM)

Originally Posted by Salazar:

Cambodian Midget Fighting League memories coming back.

Scrolling through the thread I read that as Midget Fiddling.
My tracks - I stopped in them.

snesfreak · (07-01-2012, 05:38 AM)

I knew it'd be Florida!

Originally Posted by Alligatorjandro:

Nothing bad can happen from this,nope.

Better than wrestling smart-mouthed gators.

Inferno313 · (07-01-2012, 05:38 AM)

Just a slight clarification. Busch Gardens is not really a zoo. It's a theme park with some animal enclosures. More in common with Disney's Animal Kingdom than a zoo.