An incident at Dreamworld amusement park on the Gold Coast in Australia has left a 47-year-old tiger handler hospitalized with serious injuries. The handler was attacked by one of the park's tigers on Monday morning, sustaining lacerations and puncture wounds to her arm.
According to the Queensland Ambulance Service, the tiger attack occurred before 9 a.m. Park staff were able to restrain the tiger before paramedics arrived on the scene. The handler was provided with first aid at the park, effectively managing the bleeding.
The injured handler was described as pale and unwell but is now in stable condition at Gold Coast University Hospital. Dreamworld has stated that the incident was isolated and rare, with their immediate focus being on supporting the injured team member.
Dreamworld's Tiger Island exhibit offers an interactive experience for visitors to get up close with Bengal and Sumatran tigers. The park allows visitors to feed the tigers as part of the experience.
This is not the first time a tiger has injured staff at Dreamworld. In 2011, a Bengal tiger named Keto was involved in two separate incidents where handlers were bitten.
Despite the incident, Dreamworld remained open to the public on Monday. The park has not provided further details on the welfare of the tiger involved in the attack.
