An employee at the Jerusalem Biblical Zoo is in critical condition after being attacked by a leopard on Friday, Israel Police said and is receiving treatment in hospital
A zoo worker has been rushed to hospital after being seriously injured in a mauling by a leopard.
The 25-year-old employee suffered severe injuries to his neck when he was attacked by the big cat at Jerusalem Biblical Zoo in Israel. Police said that officers from the Moriah Station in the Jerusalem District were dispatched to the scene to investigate the incident. Paramedics found the man bleeding and unconscious, according to Magen David Adom, and he was rushed to Hadassah Hospital in Ein Kerem for emergency treatment.
The world-renowned zoo is known to have two rare Persian leopards which arrived in January and it is one of the biggest tourist attractions in Jerusalem.
But in August 2024, in another incident involving an employee a crocodile attacked a worker. The man, aged in his 40s, suffered serious injuries to his body and face. A security guard opened fire on the crocodile, likely saving the worker’s life.
The Jerusalem Biblical Zoo covers over 62 acres of terrain in the south of Jerusalem. The park centres on a vast man-made lake complete with waterfalls and spacious lawns.
The park also encompasses a wildlife savannah with free-roaming animals and a visitor’s train that provides transportation throughout the park. Visitors can see over 170 diverse species of animals, many of which are mentioned in the Bible.
This accident comes just weeks after a schoolteacher was seriously injured at a zoo in Australia.
Joanne Cabban, in her 50s, was attacked by a lion at Darlin Downs Zoo, near Toowoomba, at about 8.30am on July 6, with emergency services racing to the scene after they were alerted to reports of an attack on a woman.
She was flown to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane and was reported to have lost her arm. Ms Cabban, from New South Wales, is the sister of Stephanie Robinson, who co-owns the zoo with her husband Steve. Mr Robinson previously told reporters at the zoo the attack was not the “lions fault” and that is appeared “the lion was just playing.”
According to News.com.au, he said: “We’ve raised these lions ourselves. Their temperaments are excellent. We can still interact with them through the mesh of the cage.” When the incident happened, his sister-in-law was with Stephanie and a carnivore keeper.
Mr Robinson said Joanne had not been inside the lions’ enclosure while a second keeper, who was trained in first aid, was close by and he has been credited as saving her life.