A handler has been rushed to hospital after she was mauled by a tiger in a horrific theme park attack.
The 47-year-old woman was mauled while on shift at Dreamland on Australia’s Gold Coast where she suffered “serious lacerations and puncture wounds” on her arm and shoulder.
She remains in hospital receiving treatment.
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The theme park said in a statement: “This was an isolated and rare incident, and we will conduct a thorough review accordingly.”
(Image: Getty Images)
Queensland Ambulance Service acting district director Justin Payne said the theme park’s first aid providers handled the incident “very well”.
“She was quite pale and feeling unwell, but in general well and was able to be transported to hospital,” he told the ABC.
Payne wasn’t able to say how the attack unfurled, but added: “She is one of the experienced and senior handlers there at Dreamworld.
(Image: Getty Images)
“We believe she was well trained, and it’s good to see that she was able to be looked after by other support staff there.”
Dreamworld issued a statement acknowledging the incident “involving one of the park’s tigers and a trained tiger handler”.
It went on: “Dreamworld’s immediate focus is on the support of the team member.
“This was an isolated and rare incident, and we will conduct a thorough review accordingly.”
(Image: Twitter/X/10NewsFirstQLD)
However, it seems the terrifying ordeal isn’t actually that rare. A series of incidents at the enclosure have been reported over the years.
This includes the 2011 incident where a nine-year-old Bengal tiger, Kato, bit two handlers and another incident in 2022 involving one of the park’s most senior handlers. In 2017, two tiger handlers at the theme park were slammed after a video emerged showing them dragging a tiger by its tail.
Dreamland’s Tiger Island opened nearly 30 years ago and puts on two shows a day. It is homes to nine Sumatran and Bengal tigers. Spectators are welcome to watch tigers swim in a pool and eat during meal time.
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