Circus tamer mauled to death by four tigers
A circus tamer has been mauled to death by four tigers during a training session in Italy.
Orfei Circus tamer Ettore Weber, 61, was killed in Triggiano, a small town in the Puglia region, on Thursday about 7.30pm (local time).
Weber is considered one of the best tamers in the world.
The attack began with one tiger pouncing on him before three others joined in and continued to “play” with him for an ensuing 30 minutes, according to La Gazzetta del Mezzogiorno.
Medics and fellow performers watched in horror, with some making efforts to distract the animals from the defenceless Weber.
Medical staff said he suffered severe trauma in the attack, including spinal injuries.
Circo Orfei was spruiked as an “interactive journey with Siberian tigers, royal Bengal tigers, camels, dromedaries, giraffes, zebras , llamas, horses, bison and many others”.
The incident has sparked renewed calls to outlaw the use of animals in Italian circuses, ABC News reported.
Eight tigers used in the circus were seized and impounded to a nearby safari park by police, causing outrage from animal welfare group Anti-Vivisection League (LAV).
The LAV appealed for the animals responsible for Weber’s death not to be killed and urged for the government to bring forward its ban on animals in circuses.
"Tigers must be saved … and placed in an environment suitable for their natural needs," LAV said in a statement.
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