Tiger kills keeper in front of zoo crowd

Death of woman, 55, is probed

A ZOOKEEPER was attacked and killed by a giant Siberian tiger in front of horrified visitors.

The 55-year-old woman was in the animal’s enclosure at Zurich Zoo when it pounced on her without warning.

A park visitor witnessed the gruesome incident and raised the alarm, but the zookeeper could not be saved.

Workers lured the five-yearold female tiger, named Irina, into a pen after the attack on

Saturday. The Swiss zoo said the animal arrived from a park in Odense, Denmark, a year ago.

Director Severin Dressen said it was unclear why Irina and the zookeeper were in the enclosure together. He said the animal had previously “behaved entirely naturally as a tiger does”.

Park visitors and staff who witnessed the killing have been offered counselling. Zurich Zoo reopened a month ago after being closed due to Covid-19. The zoo said: “Our internal emergency centre received a message that an animal keeper had been attacked by a Siberian tiger.

“A group of zookeepers immediately moved to the enclosure.

“They succeeded in luring Irina away from the animal keeper, out of the facility and into the stable. Despite immediate resuscitation measures, the 55-year-old woman was unfortunately too late to help and died on the spot.

“How the tragic incident happened is now being examined by the public prosecutor, the police, and forensics.”

The zoo sent its sympathies to the family of the dead keeper, who was described as a “long-term member of staff ”.

Irina had replaced a female who died from complications after a fight with Sayan, another tiger in the enclosure.

POUNCED A Siberian tiger