German zookeeper hospitalized after being attacked by lion
A zookeeper in Germany was attacked by a lion Sunday morning while cleaning the animal’s cage.
The 25-year-old employee of the Osnabrück Zoo, in northwestern Germany, near the border with the Netherlands, was not seriously injured but was rushed to a nearby hospital as a precaution, police said.
According to NDR, a gate was not properly closed to separate the lions from the zookeeper when she entered the enclosure. The lion injured the woman’s back but she was able to quickly escape the enclosure without suffering further harm.
The animals are also safe and healthy, the zoo added.
“Our colleague and we are currently in shock and will work through the events in the next few days and get to the bottom of the cause,” zoological director Andreas Wulftange said.
Police told NDR that the incident was a result of negligence and would be considered an industrial accident and not investigated as a criminal matter.
The zoo has been closed to the public due to COVID-19 restrictions in the country.
The injury is not the first for a German zookeeper in 2021. In January, a 54-year-old employee of the Perleberg Zoo was seriously injured when a camel bit him on the face while cleaning the habitat and feeding the animal.
With News Wire Services
