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Lion mauls keeper to death at Seoul zoo

February 12, 2015
Seen above is the entrance to a lion enclosure at the Children's Grand Park Zoo. (Yonhap)

Seen above is the entrance to a lion enclosure at the Children’s Grand Park Zoo. (Yonhap)

SEOUL (Yonhap) — A lion mauled a zoo keeper to death at a zoo in eastern Seoul on Thursday, police and zoo officials said.

The 53-year-old keeper, identified only by his surname Kim, was found on the ground in a lion enclosure at Children’s Grand Park around 2:20 p.m. while bleeding heavily with bite marks all over his body including his neck.

Though medics there gave him first aid, he later died, according to zoo officials.

No other casualties were reported and no visitors were present as the entire facility has been temporarily closed since Sunday out of fear of the spread of avian influenza.

“Closed-circuit television footage shows that he entered the cage to put some toys there,” said an investigator at Seoul Gwangjin Police Office.

The keeper “appeared to have died after being bitten on his neck,” said a doctor, adding the exact cause of death would be available after performing an autopsy.

While detailed information on the beast or the exact conditions in which the animal was kept were not available, zoo officials said they shut down the enclosure after the accident and completely isolated the lion after tranquilizing it.

It is the first fatal incident at the zoo since its opening in 1973, according to the officials. It now has some 4,100 animals representing 95 species.