Zookeeper dies in the Netherlands after leopard attack

Death of a zookeeper

A zookeeper at the Beekse Bergen safari park in the south of the Netherlands has died several days after being attacked by leopards, BBC News reported, citing a statement from the park. The woman, who had worked at the park for 40 years, was attacked on Saturday while caring for two Persian leopards in an enclosed indoor space. She suffered head and neck injuries and underwent emergency surgery, but on Tuesday the park confirmed her death.

Circumstances of the incident

The park said the zookeeper had begun her career there at the age of 17 and had worked there, with interruptions, for four decades. The two leopards, which are normally kept separate from staff, had been moved indoors that day due to bad weather. The exact course of events is unknown: there are no security cameras inside the enclosure. According to the local website NL Times, despite her injuries, the woman managed to alert colleagues via radio; she was taken to hospital by helicopter in critical condition.

The park's response

Beekse Bergen announced that an independent investigation into the incident will be conducted. A park representative told the local outlet Omroep Brabant that the leopards behaved naturally and will not be put down: 'They are, and remain, predators.' The park will also create a memorial place where visitors and staff can express their condolences. In its statement, the park noted that the employee's death had deeply affected everyone, and that the priority now is supporting her family and colleagues.

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