Miho, a 13-year-old Siberian tiger at Seoul Grand Park in Gyeonggi Province, died on the 18th of last month, leading to a significant public outcry due to the circumstances surrounding her death. According to a report released by Seoul City Council member Lee Young-sil, Miho was attacked by another tiger, Kumgang, because of insufficient security measures on the enclosure gate. The caretaker's failure to ensure the gate was locked resulted in a confrontation that ultimately led to Miho's tragic demise, which has highlighted not only the grief surrounding her death but also serious flaws in the animal management system at the country's largest public zoo.

What amplifies public outrage is that this incident is not an isolated event. A similar incident led to the death of another tiger named Garam in 2022 due to a similar oversight during enclosure cleaning. Since 2019, the number of Siberian tiger fatalities at Seoul Grand Park has reached 15, attributed to various health issues as well as enclosure-related accidents. The recurring nature of these tragic events reflects poorly on the zoo’s commitment to safety, particularly the lack of adherence to the 'two-person work guideline' for caretakers, and raises questions about whether these issues are merely a case of negligence or indicative of deeper systemic dysfunction.

As of last year, Seoul Grand Park was home to over 1,900 animals across 200 species, overseen by only about 110 caretakers. While this might seem manageable numerically—suggesting each caretaker attends to about ten animals—the complexities of animal care cannot be underestimated. Many enclosures house multiple species with diverse needs, and the varying preferences for diet, space, and individual handling significantly complicate the responsibilities of the caretakers. Thus, the tragic incidents point to an urgent need for a thorough review of the procedures and staffing levels at the zoo to ensure the safety and wellbeing of the animals under its care.