Zookeeper of 25 Years Heard Screaming Over Walkie-Talkie as Leopard Attacked Her at Safari Park
A Persian leopard reportedly attacked a woman at a safari park in the Netherlands on Saturday, Oct. 24. The longtime Beekse Bergen employee suffered head injuries and was rushed to hospital in critical condition. An investigation has been launched and the park’s safety protocols are being reviewed.
A zookeeper was hospitalized after being seriously injured by a leopard at a safari park in the Netherlands.
At around 11 a.m. local time on Saturday, Oct. 24, a woman in her 50s was attacked while looking after two Persian leopards in an enclosure at Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek. This was reported by Dutch outlets Algemeen Dagblad, NRC Handelsblad and Nieuwsblad.
After the attack, she was heard screaming for help over a walkie-talkie, and colleagues rushed to the scene, per those outlets. She suffered head injuries, was taken to hospital, and underwent surgery.
The park’s Head of Animal Care, Martin van Hees, told Metro that she was in hospital undergoing surgery and that her condition was worrying.
The leopards had remained in their indoor enclosure because of a storm on Friday, Oct. 23, Metro reported. It is unclear whether both leopards attacked her.
The zookeeper has not been publicly identified at this time. According to Algemeen Dagblad, she had worked at the park for 25 years and had spent eight years routinely caring for the animals.
Park spokeswoman Linda Engels told Nieuwsblad that the woman was doing her regular rounds and, according to protocol, was working alone in the enclosure where two Persian leopards are kept. Although work was reportedly arranged so employees are never in the same room as the predators, she was attacked.
Engels said something went wrong but it was not yet known what; there were no cameras in the enclosure and she was working alone.
Hees added to Algemeen Dagblad that she was a very experienced colleague who was always very alert to safety, and he called the incident deeply tragic.
Witness Annelies de Jonge told Algemeen Dagblad that she was with family and grandchildren by the safari bus when several employees and cars suddenly headed in that direction; people already on the bus had to get out, and later they heard that a caretaker had been injured.
The incident is being investigated by the Netherlands’ Labour Inspectorate alongside the safari park, per NRC Handelsblad. Victim support has been arranged for colleagues.
A spokesperson said in a statement to Algemeen Dagblad that they honestly did not know what happened, which made it very upsetting. The Labour Inspectorate added that it is looking into safety protocols following the incident.
Hees confirmed the leopards will remain in their enclosures for now. He told Algemeen Dagblad that nothing would be done with the panther, describing the animal as simply having sat in its enclosure and done what it did, and saying the animal cannot help it.
PEOPLE states it has reached out to Safaripark Beekse Bergen and the Labour Inspectorate for further comment; no reply is reported in the article.
