Zookeeper mauled and killed by tiger in 'freak accident'
A zookeeper has been mauled to death by a tiger in a freak accident in an English zoo.
Rosa King, a 33-year-old employee at Hamerton Zoo Park in Cambridgeshire, was killed when the tiger got into an enclosure where she was working.
Terrified families fled the scene in a panic after hearing "blood-curdling screams".
It's understood staff were seen desperately trying to distract the tiger by throwing chunks of meat into the enclosure but were unsuccessful in their attempts.
Visitor Pete Davis said families ran screaming from Hamerton Zoo Park, The Sun reports.
“All hell broke loose. It was total panic," he said.
Shaken Pete Davis, 55, said: “There’s no doubting it was a girl’s scream and something terrible had happened."
“She let out a blood curdling scream and then another keeper ran out shouting ‘run!’
Another witness, Victoria Northover Holmes, said she was taking photos at the time.
“I was taking photos of tigers in the field when some keepers came running down the hill towards the next tiger enclosure," she said.
“We didn’t know what was happening but they looked worried. I carried on walking towards the next enclosure when someone shouted ‘Run!’"
Staff said they were left "distressed" after the attack and confirmed the zoo would remain shut on Tuesday.
A statement read: "This appears to have been a freak accident.
"A full investigation is currently underway and we hope that more details can be announced as soon as we are able," it read.
"At no point during the incident did any animals escape their enclosures, and at no point was public safety affected in any way.
"All our thoughts and sympathies are with our colleagues, friends and families at this dreadful time."
This isn't the first incident for the zoo.
In October 2008 a cheetah escaped and was found by Toby Taylor, nine, in his family’s back garden.
Police said at no time was an animal out of an enclosure in this instance.
It remains unknown if the tiger has been killed.
