MEMPHIS, Tenn. (AP) – A spokesman for the Memphis Zoo said a zookeeper was in stable condition after being bitten in the leg by a Bengal tiger.
Spokesman Drew Smith said that the 3-year-old tiger bit the man in the lower calf on Sunday morning. The attack came before visitors were in the park in a secure area off-limits to the public.
Smith said the tiger, named Kumari, was sedated after the attack and zoo officials were investigating. Smith said zoo officials didn’t know whether something provoked the tiger, but added that wild animals “don’t necessarily need to be provoked.”
Kumari is one of three Bengal tigers at the zoo.
The zookeeper is expected to make a full recovery. Zoo officials said he is well-trained and highly experienced in handling tigers.
Send questions/comments to the editors.
Success. Please wait for the page to reload. If the page does not reload within 5 seconds, please refresh the page.
Enter your email and password to access comments.
Hi, to comment on stories you must . This profile is in addition to your subscription and website login.
Already have a commenting profile? .
Invalid username/password.
Please check your email to confirm and complete your registration.
Only subscribers are eligible to post comments. Please subscribe or login first for digital access. Here’s why.
Use the form below to reset your password. When you've submitted your account email, we will send an email with a reset code.