Tiger bites handler at Dreamworld
A tiger has bitten a handler at the Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast, news reports say.
Paramedics say the man has been taken to Pindarra Private Hospital with two puncture wounds to the calf after the big cat attacked him at around 8:15 am (AEST) today.
Dreamworld's Al Mucci says it is the second tiger bite this year but each incident has involved different handlers.
"It's not significant at all. My understanding is [it's] one laceration to the lower right calf," he told ABC.
"They're at the hospital now getting the treatment so they might even be back by the end of the day or early next week."
Mucci they will review the incident.
"When you're working with large animals you cop your bumps and scratches, just like cattle farmers do, and you know the same applies with tigers," he said.
This is the second time in four months that a tiger handler at Dreamworld has been attacked by one of the big cats.
In May, handler Daniel Jans, 30, was bitten by nine-year-old Bengal tiger Kato, sustaining deep puncture wounds to his lower thigh and upper calf.
Dreamworld spokeswoman Melinda Lloyd had said it was "only a nip and that there was no aggression shown.
“It's just cheeky behaviour," Lloyd said, "This kind of thing happens now and then”.
She said there was no need to monitor Kato's behaviour.
