Northland's Zion Wildlife Gardens has named the staff member who was hospitalised after being bitten on the knee by a white tiger while trying to move it between two enclosures.
The wildlife park near Whangarei, which holds both lions and tigers, said the injured handler was Demetri Price.
The wound required flushing and Price needed some minor surgery to his knee, the park said in a statement on Thursday morning.
The Department of Labour is investigating the incident.
The statement from the park said Price was one of two experienced big cat handlers who were moving the animals and did so daily. Three additional staff are on standby if needed.
"The male tiger was moved into a raceway which had been set up to lead it to the new enclosure and was proceeding well but following an altercation between the tiger and an adjacent pride of lions, the tiger paced back along the raceway," the statement said.
"The tiger was walking along the raceway (when) he bumped his rear end into the fence, got a fright where Demetri Price was standing, suddenly turned and bit him in the knee..."
Price fell backwards and was bitten three more times on the knee.
Though the park said there was no indication the tiger "wished to pursue further damage", Price then grabbed the tiger on the nose while holding its lip over the teeth, a standard practice to avoid biting.
Experienced handler Dalu Mncube (crct) then approached the tiger and used his hands to open its jaws.
"The animal backed away, Dalu picked up the fire extinguisher and gave the cat two quick squirts. The cat then immediately entered the desired enclosure."
Price was taken to hospital by staff soon afterwards. A hospital spokeswoman said he is in a stable condition and has recovered well from surgery.
The statement said neither of the tigers are used as part of the park's daily programme of cat interactive tours.
It said staff and the cats are today back to normal business, "with visitors still queuing up to enjoy the unique close encounters that have been so popular".
The wildlife park is the subject of a court battle between TV personality "Lionman" Craig Busch and his mother Patricia.
The attack is the second attack this year at the park, which is home to more than 40 lions and tigers.
A Scottish teenager working at the park, Lisa Baxter, was left scarred for life, when Timba, an African white lion, sunk his teeth into both her hands.
Busch and Baxter were both criticised by a Department of Labour Occupational Safety and Health investigation.
Baxter was chastised for putting her hands through a hole in the fence designed for television cameras to stroke a cub, while Busch failed to notify the authorities.
