AUSTRALIA Zoo has played down its third tiger attack in less than a year, saying a 130kg Sumatran tiger had only “tagged” a keeper with its teeth.
Doctors will today assess whether the Big Cat handler who was bitten on the leg yesterday will have to undergo surgery.
Experienced handler Mark Turner was bitten on the calf mid-morning while routinely walking big cat Juma from one area of the zoo to another.
The attack left him with an injury the zoo described as a “tooth puncture wound”.
The incident did not happen during the tiger show which is held daily.
The incident comes after another handler was dramatically mauled on the neck in November last year during a public show in the Big Cat arena.
About a month later, another handler was knocked to the ground during the tiger show. Yesterday’s bite coincided with the official International Tiger Day promoting conservation of the last remaining 3000 tigers in the wild.
Mr Turner is described as one of the zoo’s “most experienced” handlers with more than 20 years’ working in the industry – 19 years at Wellington Zoo and three years at Melbourne Zoo.
He quit Melbourne Zoo in 2008 following the controversial death of a tiger cub and joined the Australia Zoo Big Cat team in June that year.
A spokesman for Australia Zoo said the keeper and the 10-year-old male Sumatran were both “fine”.
“The keeper received a tooth puncture wound on his leg. First aid protocol was followed, the same as Australia Zoo renders all staff, and the keeper is going to be fine,” the statement said. “Juma the tiger is fine as well.”
Keeper Dave Styles was badly injured eight months ago when he was sensationally jumped by an “overexcited” 114kg Bengal tiger who mistook him for a toy because of his plastic suit.
The handler of eight years suffered puncture wounds to his neck and significant blood loss and was flown to the Royal Brisbane and Women’s Hospital, where he spent 10 days in *intensive care.
Styles had been wearing a blue plastic poncho which resembled the tigers’ favourite mauling toys - a plastic bag - and had a Go-Pro camera strapped to his head.
He recently returned to work after several months’ leave and has been back working with the tigers.
Australia Zoo’s website describes Juma as “very laid-back”.
“Juma is often used for filming and is the first of our adult tigers to be introduced to new handlers,” the website said. “Juma can be a very laid-back individual and he is usually seen resting for the majority of the day.”
