A tiger bit an animal handler’s arm in an attack at an amusement park in Australia.
Queensland Ambulance Service director Justin Payne said emergency services were called to Dreamworld in Coomera just before 9am (midnight in the UK).
The woman, 47 who is an experienced animal handler, “had been bitten by one of the tigers” an hour before the park opened on Monday morning, he added.
She was taken by ambulance to the Gold Coast University Hospital in a stable condition.
“The patient obviously had received some serious lacerations and puncture wounds from the animal. She was quite pale and feeling unwell, but generally well,” Mr Payne said.
In a statement to ABC News, Dreamworld said: “Dreamworld’s immediate focus is on the support of the team member.
“This was an isolated and rare incident, and we will conduct a thorough review accordingly.”
Dreamworld said they are investigating the ‘isolated and rare’ incident. Pic: AP
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Kelley Edwards, lead official for the United Workers Union, also told the outlet: “It’s a stark reminder of the inherent risks faced by workers in a high stakes environment.
“We expect Dreamworld to have high standards across the workplace, to make sure that [staff] are adequately looked after when doing their day-to-day role with a dangerous animal.”
The park’s website says it houses nine Sumatran and Bengal tigers at its Tiger Island exhibit.
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It’s understood the park also saw a similar incident in May 2011 when a Bengal tiger bit a handler, according to local reports at the time.
In September of the same year, another handler was left with a “laceration to the lower right calf” by the same big cat.
Watch Sky News’ The World with Yalda Hakim from Monday night at 9pm.