A zookeeper in Thailand was mauled to death by a group of lions, prompting officials to investigate the zoo’s possession of wild animals and safety rules.
The fatal, which visitors recorded, occurred at Safari World, a popular private zoo in Bangkok that regularly offers lion-feeding shows.
Witnesses said at least three lions dragged the zookeeper to the ground on Wednesday and attacked him after he stepped out of his work vehicle in violation of safety regulations, according to the state-run Thai News Agency.
The victim, who was in his 50s, was pronounced dead at the hospital after his colleagues managed to pull him away from the lions, which reportedly mauled him for about 15 minutes, TNA said.
The dead staff member, who had worked with tigers and lions for over 20 years, was tasked with driving a pickup truck to help guide the animals within their designated areas, it added.
Wildlife officials have been dispatched to investigate whether the zoo legally possessed the lions and to evaluate the safety of the animal enclosures.
Safari World expressed its “deepest condolences” to the victim’s family and said it would provide them with “full care and support.” It said that such an incident had never occurred before in over 40 years of operation and that all the animals were being monitored by a team of experts.
“The company will urgently review and strengthen safety measures to prevent a recurrence of such incidents,” it said in a statement.
Fatal attacks by wild animals have long been an issue in Thailand. Wild elephants caused at least 227 deaths over 12 years, officials reported last year.
In January, a 22-year-old Spanish tourist died after an elephant gored her with its tusk while she bathed the animal.
NBC
