Police has shot a man who entered an open cage and attempted to eat a Siberian tiger.
Dave Reynolds, 24, sneaked into the tiger enclosure during his lunch break from his job as a shoeshine boy.
Stunned onlookers watched in horror as Reynolds pounced on the terrified tiger and began biting its hind legs repeatedly.
Zoo staff tried in vein to rescue the animal but Reynolds just wouldn't let go even after some steaks were tossed at him as a distraction.
The police arrived minutes later and an armed officer fired on the man, wounding him and allowing the frightened and savaged tiger to crawl away to safety.
"I've been in the job for almost 30 years and never in my life have I seen such savagery - unless of course you count the time the flamingo's pecked that bald man to death", said the head zookeeper.
Nobody is quite sure what turned the mild-mannered man crazy but psychologists have said that, while interred at St. Bastards Home for the Insane, Reynolds has continuously asked for bowls of Kellogg's Frosties and calling out "Theyyyyyyyy're Grrrrrrreat!".
