Guest The Pom Queen Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 THE Australia Zoo trainer mauled by a tiger is being flown to the Royal Brisbane Hospital in a serious condition. The man is on board the RACQ Careflight helicopter where he is being treated for a wound to the neck. The RACQ Careflight helicopter landed at the zoo shortly after 3pm where paramedics are treating the man for a bite to the neck. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Ooh that sounds nasty. Hope he's OK. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Nothing is being said apart from he is in a serious condition which I'm sure he will be. I've been bit by an Asian Leopard Cat and I know the damage and pain caused and that is nothing compared to the size of a tiger. The problem is the tiger may have only been playing but what will they do now, put it to sleep, I hope not. Zoos need to realise that wild animals will always have their natural instincts. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Que Sera Sera Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 They go for necks don't they even playing so he may well have been. I do hope it's not put to sleep. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest The Pom Queen Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Update SPECTATORS have spoken of the shocking moment a Sumatran tiger lashed out at its trainer at Australia Zoo this afternoon. The trainer was believed to have been mauled following a tiger show about 3.15pm. The man, believed to be aged 30, has been flown to the Royal Brisbane Hospital in a serious condition. Up to 50 people witnessed the attack happen. Emergency services were called to Qld's Australia Zoo after a man was attacked by a tiger. Among them was 14-year-old Jake D'Olimpio who had been watching the performance with his mother. He told The Courier-Mail he saw the tiger jump on the front of its trainer and lunge at the man's neck with his jaws. ``It was horrifying,'' he said. A trainer has been bitten by a tiger at Australia Zoo at Beerwah, on the Sunshine Coast. ``They fell in the water and the tiger was trying to hold him under. ``The other trainers, maybe four of them, tried to fight the tiger off. ``One of them was hitting it with a stick.'' Jake said prior to the attack the handler had been patting and playing with the animal. Australia Zoo director Wes Mannion said the zoo's focus now was on the injured trainer and his family. He said the man had wounds to his shoulder and the side of his neck. ``It was an accident,'' he said. ``It was not an act of aggression. ``It was part of a routine and just an unfortunate mistake.'' When asked what would happen to the tiger, Mr Mannion said: ``Nothing.'' EARLIER, the man was taken aboard the RACQ Careflight helicopter where he was being treated for a wound to the neck. The helicopter landed at the zoo shortly after 3pm. "They are treating the patient at the moment,'' a spokeswoman said. She said the man, believed to be aged 30, would be assessed airlifted to hospital once the severity of his injuries have been assessed. Australia Zoo keeps three Bengal and eight Sumatran tigers. The zoo offers visitors photos with the tigers at 3:15pm every day for $400 per person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nic1171 Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 It's 'nice' to see animals up close and I appreciate there are breeding programmes going on but it's not natures intent to have animals in particular tigers perform so if incidents like this occur it's unfortunate but the animal can hardly be blamed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alaska Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 Hope the man is ok - sounds nasty. I have been to the tiger show at Australia Zoo and was really surprised about how they are treated as if they are completely "tame" - the trainers in with them and having the tigers put their paws up on their shoulders etc. I always wondered how it was possible to trust a wild animal in that way. Will be interesting to find out exactly what happened. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
starlight7 Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 It all sounds familiar- I am sure the same thing happened a few years back. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LKC Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 I do hope that the tiger is not destroyed. It is simply doing what comes naturally to it. Unfortunately, the big cat handlers are taking a risk by getting in to the same area as the cats. The way I look at it, is that the tiger (or lion or whatever) is a bigger and more wild version of a domestic cat. If you had a dog which was bigger and more wild than a domestic dog, would you get in to a small arena with it and make it do tricks? Probably not, so why is it acceptable with big cats? I hope that makes sense...! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boganbear Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 I hope he recovers but unless a zoo's primary aim is to breed endangered animals for release in the wild they should be shut down. I'm no politically correct lefty but animals should not be used for entertainment or kept in cages where they cannot behave normally. The last time I visited a zoo was many years ago and was shocked to see how the larger animals in particular were kept at Paignton Zoo. The giraffes looked so depressed, I have refused to go to a zoo ever since. If you want to see these animals watch a documentary or go on a safari. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BritChickx Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 We saw the tigers at Australia Zoo 2 years ago...probably one of the same trainers we saw....they definitely like to encourage the tigers so it doesn't surprise me! It might have been an accident. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
roger2shirts Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 The keeper has had surgery and is "comfortable". However there will be some "do gooder" or "official" who will no doubt be demanding the Tiger is put down. Come on everyone this is something we can do to help - support the Tiger - contact your MP today. I have! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Johndoe Posted November 26, 2013 Share Posted November 26, 2013 The tiger is an integral part of an endangered species breeding programme............ It will not be put down................the keeper's injuries were not caused through aggression but through over-zealous play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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