A zookeeper at Beekse Bergen Safari Park in Hilvarenbeek was left with serious injuries after being attacked by leopards on Saturday. A spokesperson for the park has announced that she is unlikely to survive.
Usually, staff do not work in the room while the predators are in there, NOS reports. However, due to the bad weather caused by Storm Boelo, the two Persian leopards were left inside their enclosure on Saturday.
While the woman was working alone inside the same enclosure, the leopards attacked.
Serious injuries
The zookeeper was able to notify her colleagues of the attack using her walkie talkie, however, she sustained serious head and neck injuries by the time she could be rescued.
She was taken to hospital, where she underwent surgery. While the operation went well, her condition remains “concerning”, NOS reports.
The woman remains unresponsive and is being kept unconscious, however, the park has announced that her chances of recovery remain slim.
“We are naturally deeply saddened by this news and are doing everything we can to support her family, colleagues, and other loved ones as much as possible and to provide additional guidance where necessary,” the park says.
Forty years of experience
The zookeeper has been working at the park for nearly forty years, eight of those with leopards.
“She has a big heart for the animals and the park. In consultation with her family, the park will therefore remain open,” the park says.
The leopards will not be punished for the attack as they only demonstrated their natural behaviour as predators.
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