Roy Horn Attacked by White Tiger

Roy Horn, the "Roy" half of the internationally-famed Siegfried and Roy team, was attacked by a white tiger during the illusionist team's act on Friday night. Montecore, a 600 pound, seven year old tiger lunged at Roy and dragged him off the stage, according to an AP article.

The Siegfried and Roy performance at the famed Mirage Hotel is often sold out, as was the case on Friday. They have had a "lifetime contract" with the hotel; however the Mirage has temporarily cancelled the act.

Sunday night, more than 200 people, many of them show employees, held a candlelight vigil at University Medical Center, where Horn remains in critical condition from bite wounds to the neck. His condition has not substantially changed, although his prognosis has improved. According to Bobby Baldwin, CEO of the MGM Mirage Resort, Horn was able to give a "thumbs-up" sign and move his hands and feet.

As spectators of these big cats shows, it's hard for us to remember that "training" does not necessarily equate to "taming." These lions and tigers are still genetically wild animals and deserve respect as such. I'm reminded of a time many years ago when my husband and I thought it might be "cool" to own a lion. Those big cats were quite in vogue in the Lake Tahoe area, and we visited a cub that was for sale. The photo at left shows Charlie Brown, who we found tied to a tree by a rope in the outskirts of South Lake Tahoe. You can see more of Charlie Brown on this page. Fortunately, we came to our senses, and so did the state, eventually. The importation of big cats for sale is now illegal in California, as it is in many states.

Siegfried and Roy have long been advocates for the endangered species of big cats. These wild animals are one of the most precious of earth's resources, and should be cherished as such. Read the articles under Endangered Cats to learn more about what we can do to save them.