Tanzanian lodge in court over leopard attack to French tourist’s son
DAR ES SALAAM, Tanzania (eTN) - A civil suit, first of its kind in Tanzania’s tourism history, took place in northern tourist city of Arusha this week against luxury Tarangire Safari Lodge over negligence that led to a leopard attack of a 7-year-old French boy.
French tourist, Mr. Adelino Pereira, had sued Sinyati Limited, which owns Tarangire Safari Lodge, over its management’s negligence which caused the death of his 7-year-old son, Adrian Pereira who was attacked and killed by a leopard at the lodge compound three years ago.
In the High Court of Tanzania, Mr. Pereira, who is an employee of the United Nations (UN) in Geneva, Switzerland, said in his testimony that his son was killed by the leopard because of alleged negligence on the part of the hotel management and its employees on duty that day.
He said the same leopard that killed his son, who was at that time playing around the lodge verandah after dinner, had probably attacked another child at the lodge employee minutes earlier with no precautionary measures taken by the lodge management.
The late Adrian Pereira was snatched by the leopard from the verandah of the tourist lodge in Tarangire National Park on the evening of October 1, 2005 while his parents and other guests were having their dinner. He was found dead in less than half an hour some 150 meters from the lodge by his father and other people who joined the rescue minutes after the attack.
The boy was snatched at about 20:15 hours (8:15 pm) by the animal while he and other guests were having dinner in the dining hall of the lodge located near the Tarangire park's main entrance.
The leopard snatched the boy and killed him then abandoned his body and fled into its habitat with Tarangire National park, about 130 kilometers west of Arusha town.
Witnesses told the Tanzanian Court that the leopard frequented the lodge verandah Wednesdays and Saturdays during barbecue dinners and has been a good attraction to lodge visitors. It was feeding on leftovers supplied by the lodge staff.
Tanzania National Parks wardens shot the killer leopard three days after the boy’s death.
Tarangire National Park is one among Tanzania’s leading wildlife attractions, full of elephants, leopards, lions and big African mammals. It has been rare cases to find animals protected in parks attacking humans in Tanzania.
Wildlife attacking humans are common in Tanzania, but most cases occur in unprotected areas where lions kill and eat humans, while leopards commonly attack people for protection. Leopards, which are found everywhere in Tanzania, are usually seen hunting for goats and chicken rather than humans.
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Comments
I think it is easy to comment onthe family and be angry here nthere with the families and the killing of the leopard. But in real life, we do not feel the lost of the little boy like the parents did, yes we symphatise but we're do not grieve like them. On this part, yes we have to understand the action of the father in suing the management. Who would've expect the leopard would turn up at the verandah snatching the boy away?
On the other hand, the management should do something about the safety and also treat the animal better; and not feed it with leftover.
Absolutely agree with Susy T. Humans always to blame. Parents for not watching their children and lodge staff for feeding the leopard with leftovers. As usually the animal has to pay, with his life unfortunately.
The portrait sarling feline, is a snow leopard, an animal living in the highland plateaus around central Asia, almost totaly inapropriate for a portrayal of Africa. Better understanding of these events starts with better understanding of animals themselves. Placing a youngboy unprotected in the reach of a leopard is nothing but lack of common sense. One of the most common prey of the mentioned animal are small primates, hence the similarity with the kid.
One more thing, he was French, wasnt he?
Commenting further. If the safari lodge had clients sign a waiver, understanding they assume risks while traveling, then the law suit is invalid.
Regardless, Ruth H, commenting 19 September, is unrealistic. Tourists take safaris to witness wildlife in action, the closer the better. So the lodge employees give them what they ask for by enticing the animals with table left overs. Had the leopard attacked and killed animal prey instead of the boy, the tourists would have cheered the action excitedly.
The Lodge has to accept responsibility. Had they not been feeding the animal leftovers, it might not have been there. The staff were negligent!
I agree with Suzy T (September 19 comments). When will people learn that wild animals are just that -- wild. We should respect their habitat, be it on safari, at a zoo, circus, or wherever. I grieve every time the attacking animal is killed, clearly for revenge. It doesn't bring the victim back to life. The fault always is with the humans. How dare they sue.
OK- once again...this is happening all over the globe. Us *humans* invade native habitat for either tourism or development purposes. Wild animals not only are getting ripped off of THEIR roaming areas (which in turn depletes them of other species that are being run off so their natural food supply is totally unbalanced), but they get *used* to humans and their leftovers, people think they are *cute* or, an *attraction* as this particular case states- what happens inevitably? Their natural instinct kicks in at a moment's notice. Next thing you know there are lawsuits and outcries and the poor animal gets killed. Probably not many of those species left, I might add.
I feel no pity in cases like this (except of course the family's pain the loss of their son- that obvously sucks). However, we have reversed the natural order of things SO much that this is going to be more & more commonplace. The biggest losers in all this?The wild animals that have roamed freely on their land for thousands of years. I wish THEY had big-time lawyers to defend themselves. Human beings=FAIL, FAIL, FAIL.
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