Woman dies after leopard attack at Dutch safari park

Summarised from Belfast Live's report · Updated 27 Oct, 22:03 · Archive

A zookeeper has died following a leopard attack at Beekse Bergen Zoo in the Netherlands.

A female zookeeper, believed to be in her fifties, has died following a leopard attack at Beekse Bergen Zoo in Hilvarenbeek on Tuesday. She was attending to two male Persian leopards within their enclosure when the attack occurred. Authorities have not yet determined whether a single animal or both were involved. The woman managed to issue a distress call over a two-way radio during the mauling, with a colleague hearing her screaming. Zoo staff provided first aid before she was taken to hospital by helicopter and underwent surgery.

Martin van Hees, head of animal care at the zoo, said she had worked at the facility for 25 years and with leopards for eight of those. 'She is a very experienced colleague who is always very alert to safety,' he said. Visitors at the zoo fled in terror when the attack happened. Zoo attendee Annelies de Jonge reported seeing staff members and cars rushing towards the scene, with people on a safari bus having to evacuate.

An investigation into the attack has been launched. The zoo has experienced a previous fatal incident: in 2003, a 37-year-old employee was killed by an elephant at the site.

Read the report

• Horror as leopard mauls woman at Dutch zoo and visitors flee in terrorThe woman has sadly diedBelfast Live · 27 Oct, 21:34

In this story: Beekse Bergen Zoo · Hilvarenbeek · Netherlands · Martin van Hees

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