tarongazoofan
Member
It took paramedics five minutes to restart the heart of a Taronga Zoo worker after she was pinned against a bollard by a young male elephant who shot to fame as Mr Shuffles.
Lucy Melo is in a critical but stable condition in Royal North Shore Hospital after the incident this morning.
The paramedics who treated the Taronga Zoo female keeper. Photo: Marco Del Grande
Zoo director Cameron Kerr this afternoon told media the accident occurred about 11.30am during a training exercise in which the young elephants learn to wash themselves.
Mr Kerr said 2½-year-old Asian elephant Pathi Harn pushed Ms Melo against a pole in the barn area of the elephant enclosure.
Advertisement
Two other keepers heard Ms Melo call out, moved the elephant away and immediately called an ambulance.
Mr Kerr said he believed some members of the public would have seen the accident.
Zookeeper Lucy Melo pictured in May alongside elephant Tang Mo.
It took five minutes for paramedics to get Ms Melo's heart beating after she suffered a serious chest injury from being crushed, Ambulance Service of NSW acting Inspector Andrew Wood said.
Mr Kerr said the zoo had launched an investigation, but it was so far unclear why the animal had set upon the keeper.
WorkCover NSW is also investigating.
Read more: Mr Shuffles the Elephant Crushes Taronga ZooKeeper
Lucy Melo is in a critical but stable condition in Royal North Shore Hospital after the incident this morning.
The paramedics who treated the Taronga Zoo female keeper. Photo: Marco Del Grande
Zoo director Cameron Kerr this afternoon told media the accident occurred about 11.30am during a training exercise in which the young elephants learn to wash themselves.
Mr Kerr said 2½-year-old Asian elephant Pathi Harn pushed Ms Melo against a pole in the barn area of the elephant enclosure.
Advertisement
Two other keepers heard Ms Melo call out, moved the elephant away and immediately called an ambulance.
Mr Kerr said he believed some members of the public would have seen the accident.
Zookeeper Lucy Melo pictured in May alongside elephant Tang Mo.
It took five minutes for paramedics to get Ms Melo's heart beating after she suffered a serious chest injury from being crushed, Ambulance Service of NSW acting Inspector Andrew Wood said.
Mr Kerr said the zoo had launched an investigation, but it was so far unclear why the animal had set upon the keeper.
WorkCover NSW is also investigating.
Read more: Mr Shuffles the Elephant Crushes Taronga ZooKeeper