Tiger Attack at Tippi's -- More Details

The man who was injured in a tiger attack at Tippi Hedren's Shambala Preserve has been identified as 40-year-old caretaker Chris Orr. We're told he was attacked by a four-year-old Bengal Tiger named Alexander, seen here, who weighs almost 450 lbs.

Click to hear!A rep for the preserve says Orr suffered multiple scratches and one full bite to the neck. We're told that at times an animal may be trying to play with their human caretakers, but this was not the case in this incident. We're told Orr was definitely attacked by the cat.

We've learned the victim loves cats and has worked at Shambala for 20 years. He does not want the cat to be destroyed. Sources who work at Shambala tell us Tippi is absolutely devastated that one of her employees has been injured.

Hedren told the L.A. Times, "It's a terrible, terrible thing that has happened," adding that many of the animals at Shambala have been abused. "Who knows what happened to this tiger? People have kept them in closets, basements. Two of them were kept in air-conditioning systems." She describes the cat as a "mutt" and says it is one of the youngest on the preserve. She expects the caretaker to make a full recovery.

Initial reports that the animal was a liger -- a lion/tiger mix -- were incorrect.



Reader Comments

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16. IF POACHERS IN INDIA AND OTHER COUNTRIES WHERE THE BIG CATS LIVE, WERE NOT KILLING THEM, THE CATS COULD LIVE IN THEIR OWN ENVIORMENT. ALSO LOOK AT WHAT THEY HAVE DONE TO THE BIG HORN RHINENOSORUS. KILLED MANY ON A RESERVE JUST FOR THE HORNS. SICKENING. JUST FOR SOME STUPID BELIEFS. THE HORN IS NOT AN SEXUAL APHRODISIAC. DUMB ASS PEOPLE

Posted at 2:26AM on Dec 4th 2007 by LEON

17. All responsible big cat people will tell you they are not, and never will be, large kitties. They can become tolerant and even friendly towards people (typically a person or two), but the risk is still present. What irks me, is idiots who get them (cheaper than you would think) and have no clue what they're doing.

Posted at 3:07AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Me

18. Tippi has devoted thirty years to ths cause.
The caretaker is a terrific human for calling for the cats life to be spared.
Karma will be with him; recover fully kind sir.

Posted at 4:39AM on Dec 4th 2007 by kim

19. Tippie said it is a Mutt. If it is not a Liger or Tigon, then what type of Mutt is it? Can tigers and cougars or some other smaller cat breed?

Posted at 4:39AM on Dec 4th 2007 by RussB

20. Tippi is AWESOME! What she does and her staff are angels.

Best wishes to a speedy recover.

You ROCK Tippi!!!!!

Posted at 8:29AM on Dec 4th 2007 by MJ

21. He doesn't want the tiger to be destroyed? why the hell no it just almost killed him? like wtf! i'm a peta member but still i would have a coat made from it or a rug or wall hanging...i mean why waste?

Posted at 8:32AM on Dec 4th 2007 by lawdavmercy

22. Bless Tippi Hedren for the work she does with these abused animals.

They are wild, always, never big kitty cats. I don't know why people think they can have them as pets and keep them in a basement or worse.

Speedy recovery to Mr. Orr.

Posted at 9:12AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Kitty

23. WHERES JESSE JACKSON AND AL SHARPTON NOW???????

it's OBVIOUS these cats are RACIST!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Posted at 9:24AM on Dec 4th 2007 by equa lopportunity offender

24. #21- your attempt at a descent comment has failed. also, you're not a PETA member, and its insulting to try to say you are. this is coming from someone who is not a big PETA fan. now GTFO ktx

Posted at 9:30AM on Dec 4th 2007 by hora

25. I'm NOT a PETA member? okay then, please tell me more about my life Hora. clearly i was just kidding. however the animal is a danger as it has attacked its care taker and should be put down...

Posted at 9:55AM on Dec 4th 2007 by lawdavmercy

26. No reason to kill the tiger. It's not an animal which has contact with the public. They will simply be more careful in handling it in the future and it can live out its normal life span in a safe envirionment.

Big cats are a bit unpredictable. Look at how the pampered cat attacked Roy in Las Vegas. He didn't kill it and it's back in the act,

Did you ever hear a big cat purr? I did, when I scratched the ears of a Siberian Tiger which had mauled a caretaker at the San Francisco Zoo. Don't be so quick to assume that a cat is vicious because it did what cats do. Being around humans doesn't make it think like one. It's still an animal.

Posted at 10:53AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Joker2U

27. Anyone who gets that close to a wild animal like that knows the risk involved, if they don't, they are a complete idiot!
Animals are beautiful to LOOK at. All we need is a SAFE distance.
I feel badly for the caretaker who got munched. I pray that he has a speedy recovery.
As for all those who want to make a rug out of the cat....Do you not realize that these animals don't know anything different? They are just following their God given instincts. They never CHOSE to be put behind a cage. I don't blame them for being pissed!

Posted at 11:09AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Iwearsunglassesatnight

28. Melony should take beauty tips from her mother.
Tippi looks great!

Posted at 11:17AM on Dec 4th 2007 by L.A. Woman

29. Why should the cat be put down? Its doing what it was born to do. You have to know that if you go in a pen with lions or tigers theres a chance you wont come out. Common sense no?

Posted at 11:45AM on Dec 4th 2007 by Kris

30. "does not want the cat destroyed" HAHAHAHAHAHA..ignorance sure is bliss aint it?!
NEWS FLASH: It is a WILD animal!!!
Such hardcore wild animals can never be tamed. Is it really that difficult to understand? Which part of "WILD" do these idiots dont understand?

Posted at 12:26PM on Dec 4th 2007 by CO

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