An experienced animal handler is currently recovering after sustaining serious injuries during a shocking tiger attack.
According to The New York Post, the incident happened at Queenland’s Gold Coast amusement park Dreamland on Monday, Sept. 2. The 47-year-old animal handler was working in the park’s Tiger Island exhibit just before 9 a.m. local time when the tiger attack occurred.
Queensland Ambulance Service director, Justin Payne, confirmed the incident happened. “We were advised that at that location a 47-year-old female, an experienced handler, had been bitten by one of the tigers,” Payne explained.
He then revealed some details about the handler’s injuries during the tiger attack. “The patient obviously had received some serious lacerations and puncture wounds from the animal. She was quite pale and feeling unwell, but generally well.”
Payne further revealed that the incident happened right before the theme park was to open for the day. Following the tiger attack, the handler was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital in stable condition.
The identity of the animal handler has not been released.
It’s Unclear What Led to the Tiger Attack
Meanwhile, it has yet to be determined what caused the tiger to attack the animal handler.
“She is one of the experienced and senior handlers there at Dreamworld,” Payne pointed out. “it’s good to see that she was able to be looked after by other support staff there.”
Dreamworld issued a statement, noting the attack was an “isolated and rare incident” that is being investigated.
“Dreamworld acknowledges an incident that occurred involving one of the park’s tigers and a trained tiger handler,” the amusement park’s spokesperson shared. “Dreamworld’s immediate focus is on the support of the team members. This was an isolated and rare incident, and we will conduct a thorough review accordingly.”
Dreamworld claims that its Tiger Island attraction is considered one of the only interactive tiger exhibits in the world. The attraction opened in 1995.
Tiger Island is notably home to nine Sumatran and Bengal tigers. The exhibit offers a tiger feed experience for guests over the age of 13. It also gives guests an up-close look at the tigers through viewing tunnels.
“As part of our conservation work with DWF, our tigers are ambassadors for their cousins in the wild, as we work towards protecting the species,” Dreamworld states on its website. “Be mesmerized by their grace as you watch them glide underwater at the splash pool and amazed by their might and raw power during feeding time.”
The attack on the handler comes a little over a decade after Dreamworld’s Bengal tiger, Kato, bit two handlers.