Australia Zoo Man Bitten by Tiger at Australia Zoo

A zookeeper has been hospitalized after a tiger (no details of individual name yet) caused scratches and puncture wounds:

No Cookies | The Courier Mail

A MAN has been bitten by a big cat at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast.

The 41-year-old, described by Terri Irwin as a tiger keeper, was taken to Nambour Hospital in a stable condition with scratches and puncture wounds to his wrist and forearm.

There are reports he also has wounds to the head.

A Queensland Ambulance spokeswoman said the puncture wounds were not severe.

The incident happened about 10.50am.

Terri Irwin has tweeted about the incident, saying one of the zoo’s tigers got “hot and bothered”

“Keeper is OK, tiger is OK”.

Australia Zoo has been contacted for comment.
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the Courier Mail article in Jabiru96's link has been updated:
No Cookies | The Courier Mail
A SENIOR zookeeper who was “scratched” by a Sumatran tiger at Australia Zoo today has been discharged from hospital with stitches to the left arm and head.

The zoo has confirmed Che Woolcott received what was described as a “playful swipe” from the 12-year-old tiger Ranu during their routine morning walk in an off-display area.

Head curator Kelsey Engle said Ranu became “interested in his surroundings and as the guys approached and changed direction he threw out a paw and one of our keepers ended up with a couple of scratches”.

Ms Engle played down the incident, saying the tiger had acted like a domestic cat would when being mischievous.

“It wasn’t an attack or a mauling,” she said, adding that Ranu was one of the Sunshine Coast zoo’s most affectionate tigers.

Che has worked closely with Ranu since the animal was a cub and has a close relationship with the tiger.

The senior keeper, who started in zoo construction but has been with tigers for more than 10 years, is expected to return to work in days.

Meanwhile Ranu is being pampered with affection and may be treated to an ice block, according to Ms Engle.

It’s the third known tiger attack at Australia Zoo since Kepler Dave Styles was mauled on the throat in 2013 and underwent multiple surgeries and keeper Mark Turner was bitten on the leg in 2014.

EARLIER: A MAN has “deep scratches” to his head after being attacked by a big cat at Australia Zoo on the Sunshine Coast.

The 35-year-old tiger keeper was taken to Nambour Hospital in a stable condition with two puncture wounds and scratches to his forearm and head.

Queensland Ambulance senior operations supervisor Mark Fisher said the man was conscious and breathing when paramedics arrived just after 11am on Thursday.

Australia Zoo owner Terri Irwin tweeted that one of the zoo’s tigers had got “hot and bothered”.

“Keeper is OK, tiger is OK”.

A Workplace Health and Safety spokesman said the inspectors were on site making initial inquiries.

Australia Zoo are due to hold a press conference into the incident at 2.30pm.

The incident is the third serious tiger attack on a keeper at the zoo in just over two years.

In November 2013, experience tiger handler Dave Styles suffered puncture wounds to his neck and significant blood loss after he was mauled by male Bengal Charlie.

A Workplace Health and Safety investigation found Mr Styles had deliberately excited the 114kg cat to put on a better show and could have died from his injuries.

About a month later, another handler was knocked to the ground during the tiger show but was unharmed.

In July 2014, tiger trainer Mark Turner was bitten on the calf by 130kg male Sumatran Juma.

Mr Turner said the tiger had reacted to the smell of a rival big cat.

Australia Zoo played down the incident, saying the tiger had only “tagged” Mr Turner with its teeth.
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There's a video on the link as well.
 
It never bodes well when a zoo tries to play down any incident, a scratch and a puncture wound are two different things in my book, one is from claws the other from teeth. I can understand the wish of zoo staff to interact with an animal I myself would if i where a zoo keeper but there are limits and I don't think human big cat contact can ever be safe long term. Especially solitary cats such as tigers, if they smell a rival as one of the above reports claim, natural instincts will kick in and that would be too horrible to think of.
The reference to domestic cats made me smile, A report in our UK papers before Christmas stated that the domestic cat is "really out to kill it's owner" I didn't read the article but I'm sure it will be on line if any one wishes too.
 
I personally wouldn't enter an enclosure with any animal that could kill me (ie. orca, bear, big cat etc.). At the end of the day, animals are not rational and do not know or care of the long term consequences of their actions, nor could they be expected to. If a domestic cat bites or scratches it's owner, at most it will hurt like hell, if a tiger bit it's handler, it could cause fatal injury.

However, this is my opinion and there are many people more knowledgeable than myself in the husbandry of these animals that are willing to take the risk of open contact. As a result, these animals live less natural, but perhaps more stimulating lives than those confined to their enclosure all day, not to mention the increased interaction with visitors which increases the profits for conservation (people paying to do encounters).
 
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