Illusionist Roy Horn, of the world famous Siegfried and Roy show, was still in critical condition on Monday after being mauled by a white tiger. Doctors say he is now responding to voices and touch, however.
The 59-year-old received a severe neck wound during a show at a Las Vegas hotel last Friday and has been operated on twice since. He is still on a ventilator, but made a thumbs up sign after the second operation. Friends have been keeping vigil at the hospital, and Roy's partner Siegfried Fischbacher was said to be "shocked and devastated".
The two German-born men have performed thousands of times with their troupe of white tigers, and there has never been an incident of this kind. As Roy was being taken away for emergency treatment after the attack, he issued an instruction that the animal should not be killed.
Roy was on stage along with the seven-year-old big cat when the incident occurred. After the tiger refused to lie down at Roy's command, he gave it a tap on the nose with his microphone, at which the animal lunged, dragging the performer off stage and causing extensive neck bleeding.
All Siegfried and Roy shows have been cancelled and it is not clear if the illusionist will ever be able to perform in the demanding spectacle again.
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