A woman in her 50s was attacked and injured severely by a lion at Darling Downs Zoo. Credit: Google Maps
Emergency services rushed to Darling Downs Zoo near Toowoomba, Australia, at around 8:30AM on Sunday (July 5) after reports that a woman in her 50s had been bitten by a lion while observing keepers working in the carnivore precinct.
“Inexplicably, at this stage, one animal grabbed her by one arm and caused severe damage to it. At no stage did this animal leave its enclosure, and there was no risk at all to staff members or members of the public,” the zoo said in a statement, per News.com.au.
The woman, who is well known to the zoo staff, had been in the area “many, many times”.
“This is something that she has done many, many times over the past 20 years,” the zoo said. “She is well-versed in safety protocols around potentially dangerous animals.”
The woman was airlifted by LifeFlight helicopter to Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital, where she remains in stable condition.
According to Queensland Ambulance and the Daily Mail, the attack caused the woman to lose her arm. “At no stage did this animal leave its enclosure, and there was no risk at all to staff members or members of the public,” Darling Downs Zoo confirmed, cited by PEOPLE.
In a follow-up update, the zoo clarified that the woman “was not one of our immediate family nor a keeper” and confirmed that the lion involved “will definitely not be put down or punished in any way”.
Darling Downs Zoo, operated by Steve and Stephanie Robinson for over 20 years, is home to multiple big cat species, including lion cubs, Sumatran tigers, cheetahs, and leopards.
Recently, the zoo promoted closely monitored visitor encounters with its lionesses, emphasizing that the experiences were “strictly monitored to ensure their enjoyment of them and their wellbeing”.
The Australian establishment expressed gratitude for the community’s support following the incident. “We are extremely grateful to the QAS, QPS, and LifeFlight for their prompt attendance and to all of the people and organizations who have rallied round us with messages of support,” it shared on Facebook.
Police and Workplace Health and Safety Queensland inspectors have launched an investigation and were on site throughout Sunday to determine how the incident occurred, noting that full details are unlikely to be known until the woman is out of surgery.
The zoo remained closed after the incident and is expected to reopen to the public on Tuesday (July 8).
