FWC releases Eko tiger report; Naples Zoo not at fault and River Rosenquist lawyers up
Editor's Note: The story previously contained incorrect information related to the extent of River Rosenquist's injuries; his lawyer says he is recovering.
A Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission report says the Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens is not at fault for a tiger attack that left 8-year-old Malayan tiger Eko shot dead in his enclosure.
FWC concluded its investigation, citing clear signage and barriers that River Rosenquist, 26, ignored to get close to the tiger. The commission released the report on Wednesday.
Rosenquist told investigators that he believed there was hope to save his hand, and doctors saved the limb, his lawyer Rita Jackman said in a release issued Thursday. He remained hospitalized Thursday in "stable" condition.
A nurse also told investigators she smelled alcohol on his breath before he was intubated for surgery.
The report noted he was "in possession of possible zoo or animal keys."
Previous coverage: Legal expert says 911 call may be key to criminal charges
And: Tiger safety in Southwest Florida: Was the Eko tragedy an anomaly?
Tragic irony — Naples Zoo tiger's death raises questions about breeding programs
When investigators attempted to get a statement from Rosenquist, he declined, referring them to Jackman.
Jackman is a Fort Myers-based personal injury lawyer. She could not be reached by phone or email Wednesday afternoon.
On Dec. 29, a Collier County sheriff’s deputy responded to a 911 call for help at the zoo after it closed. Officials said Rosenquist made the call after he scaled a 4.5-foot fence and approached Eko, sticking his hand through the enclosure. The tiger clamped down on his arm and a Collier County Sheriff's deputy fired a gun at the tiger, at which point Eko released Rosenquist. Responders airlifted him to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers, the report says.
Related: 'Please, please help me,' man caught in tiger's mouth shrieks
Eko died inside his enclosure after the shooting.
Rosenquist was a contracted cleaner and working for HMI Commercial Cleaning Inc., after closing and was restricted to the zoo's restrooms and gift shop. Employees are not allowed in animal enclosures.
The zoo has a valid FWC license to possess and exhibit the tiger which expires in October 2022, the report from the FWC confirmed.
More: Eko the Malayan tiger born in Arkansas transported to Naples in 2020
The cages are bounded by an 8-foot-high perimeter fence with three strands of barbed wire on the top, and the tiger's enclosure is open top with 13-foot-high walls made of 7-gauge steel welded wire with a 5-foot, 45-degree, inward angle overhang.
Eko was the zoo's only tiger.
A sign is posted on the enclosure reading "Danger Authorized Personnel Only," according to the report.
"At the conclusion of my investigation, I found no violations as it relates to the Naples Zoo," FWC investigator Kevin Kleis wrote. "Mr. Rosenquist had to have breached the posted structural safety barrier by jumping over it and inserting his hand or arm into the tiger’s enclosure, leading to this incident. Structural safety barriers are designed to keep unauthorized persons from getting within close proximity to dangerous wildlife enclosures for safety reasons."
Zoo public information officer Courtney Jolly Goff told The Naples Daily News that "The report speaks for itself. We do not have a comment at this time."
This article originally appeared on Naples Daily News: UPDATE: FWC clears Naples Zoo in tiger's death; River Rosenquist lawyers up
