The Cambridgeshire zookeeper that was killed by tiger on Monday has been named as Rosa King.
Ms. King, 33, was killed on Monday morning in what Hamerton Zoo Park Management has called a “freak accident”. It is believed the tiger entered into an enclosure in which Ms. King was working.
Officers from a Cambridgeshire police station confirmed that they attended a serious incident at the zoo on Monday and that a female Zookeeper (whom we now know as Ms. King) was killed at the scene.
“At no time did the animal escape from the enclosure,” said Cambridgeshire police. “The incident is not believed to be suspicious.”
Visitors at the zoo were evacuated amid fears that the tiger was on loose. These fears were soon put to rest as the zoo confirmed the tiger was secured.
Police confirmed that was the case, adding that no members of the public were in danger. The air ambulance service also attended the incident, which happened at about 11.15am.
Hamerton Zoo Park has released the following statement: “We are sorry but our staff are too distressed to speak directly to the media as one of our colleagues was killed this morning. This appears to be a freak accident.
“A full investigation is currently under way and we hope that more details can be announced as soon as possible. At no point during the incident did any animals escape their enclosures and at no point was public safety affected in any way.
“All our thoughts and sympathies are with our colleagues, friends and families at this dreadful time.”
The zoo is remaining closed this Tuesday as the investigation continues. The tiger is in a good condition.
This incident comes after a zoo in Cumbria was fined £255,000 after a tiger killed a zookeeper. You can read SHP’s coverage of the incident here.
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Hamerton has one m not two…
Thank you Gemma, the article has been amended.
Maybe it’s post holiday cynicism but this smacks of Merlin’s response following the Alton Towers incident last year. I very much doubt that this is a “freak accident” but more likely a management / engineering / maintenance / training / systems / procedure failure. Why do I say that?
1. I don’t believe in “accidents / bad luck”, only a failure to prepare adequately.
2. I doubt that the poor girl meant to be in the enclosure at the same time as the tiger
3. They have form when it comes to not managing dangerous animals effectively. If memory serves, a big cat escaped a few year back because of a poorly maintained electric security fence. At the time the zoo director / owner said the cheetah was “tame and posed no danger to humans”. Really?
4. The zoos statement speaks volumes:
a. They concluded that it was a “freak accident” before the investigation had been completed (Not our fault)
b. “At no point during the incident did any animals escape their enclosures, and at no point was public safety affected in any way.” (we don’t want the public to stop paying to come to our zoo)
c. “All our thoughts and sympathies are with our colleagues, friends and families at this dreadful time.” (this was the last comment in the statement – it should have been the first)
Discuss
Inclined to agree Dave, can only be a procedural failure. Freak accidents happen only very rarely, if the keeper was in the enclosure it shouldn’t have been possible for the tiger to be there and vice versa.
As a visitor of the zoo and recently had the pleasure of meeting Rosa, these animals and the zoo were her life.
Based on memory from my meeting with Rosa a few weeks back, located directly between the 2 enclosures is a glass viewing area. In this area their is a staff pedestrian door leading to a corridor with a viewing room either side, these are accessible by the tigers from the external exclosure. During my visit, this was where they was left food but I can’t remember how the access system for the tigers entering this area worked.
Hamerton is firstly an animal sanctury and secondly a zoo, from my dealings with them I do honestly believe financial gain is not their main interest.