The Esso Tiger Saved from Death

The Esso Tiger Saved from Death

The story below got me thinking. Rather like the number of Lions which played 'Elsa' in the movie 'Born Free' there must have been many Esso Tigers. I recollect being involved in the promotion in the early 70's.
Then there is the word "rescued" being used in this article....I have a problem with that. If the sum of £250,000 ($414,450.00) has been mentioned then money must have changed hands somewhere down the line and so, in effect, it is not a 'rescue' but a 'purchase'. I'm not knocking it though....it is a noble gesture (as were the Lions from Romania and Anne The Elephant). 
My last thought was....are these tigers in an official studbook anywhere or are they just generic tigers and so of little value for anything other than exhibition? And honestly now....just how much is a generic tiger worth?

'Esso tiger' saved from death by wildlife park

Eighteen-year-old Tango had been earmarked for destruction in Belgium along with his partner Julia after the two tigers were seized from a German circus last year where they were mistreated.

A world-famous tiger who featured in the Esso TV advert has been saved from death by a British wildlife park after being mistreated by a circus.

Eighteen-year-old Tango had been earmarked for destruction in Belgium along with his partner Julia after the two tigers were seized from a German circus last year.

The pair were rescued following a campaign by Neil Mumby and his team of keepers at Woodside Wildlife and Falconry Park in Lincolnshire to save them.

Tango starred in TV adverts for Esso - whose slogan was 'Put a tiger in your tank' - before going to the circus in Germany, where he and Julia were mistreated.

The two tigers have arrived at their new .......

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Forget About Dogs Dressed as Lions - Consider Extreme Tiger Abuse

Forget About Dogs Dressed as Lions - Consider Extreme Tiger Abuse

The Luohe Zoo in Henan Province in China has really tickled the fancy of the worlds newspapers. They are competing with each other to come up with the most novel header.

"Mane event: China zoo's 'lion' was living a lie as dog in disguise"

"Lying about its lion, Chinese zoo closed for going to the dogs"

"A zoo lion has devastated Chinese spectators!"

"Chinese zoo shut for going to the dogs"

and endless tales on "Lying about their Lion"

I have read the reports from about two dozen newspapers (there are hundreds more) and none of them are saying much different to this.

Tibetan mastiff passed off as lion!

A zoo in central China has been closed after visitors were outraged to discover its lion was really a bushy and barking Tibetan mastiff.

The dog was not the only fake at People’s Park Zoo in the city of Luohe, which tried to pass off other common mammals and rodents as a leopard and snakes, Chinese media reported.

Photographs showed the mastiff with its muzzle poking through the bars of its dingy enclosure. A grimy sign on the cage read “African Lion” in Chinese characters.

The zoo apologised for the exhibits and was closed down for “rectification”, the Beijing News said, citing local officials. Animal rights activists have criticised Chinese zoos for their record of poor conditions and other abuses.

http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=Chinese+zoo+shut+for+going+to+the+dogs&NewsID=387603

What all these newspapers seem to be missing is that there is a YouTube video of this story. I urge you to watch it because this is where the real story is. It is only a couple of minutes long but shows some of the worst Tiger Abuse I have ever seen. Why have the papers not taken up on this? Too distasteful?: