Lion Attack in Japan: Zookeeper Mauled to Death by Big Cat While Luring Beast into Cave for Lunch at Tohoku Safari Park
The veteran zookeeper reportedly forgot to lock the door of the cage, which separated him from the big cat. The incident came to light when Kenichi Kato was found bleeding from his neck.
Mumbai, September 29: In a horrific incident that took place in Japan, a veteran zookeeper was allegedly mauled to death by a lion when he tried to lure the animal into a cave for lunch. The deceased zookeeper has been identified as Kenichi Kato. Reportedly, Kato was feeding the big cat when he forgot to lock the door of the cage. The alleged incident occurred at Tohoku Safari Park in Japan when the veteran zookeeper was feeding the big cat.
According to a report in Mirror.Co.UK, the veteran zookeeper reportedly forgot to lock the door of the cage, which separated him from the big cat. The incident came to light when Kenichi Kato was found bleeding from his neck. The lion had reportedly attacked the veteran zookeeper and held him by his neck with its powerful jaws. Lion Attack in South Africa: Man Mauled to Death and Eaten Alive by Big Cat in Dinokeng Game Reserve.
Soon after he was found bleeding, Kenichi Kato was immediately rushed to a hospital nearby, where he succumbed to his injuries. As per the report, the 53-year-old zookeeper worked at the popular zoo located in the Fukushima region of Japan for 27 years. While Kato died due to the wounds, it is still unclear how the experienced zookeeper made the error that eventually led to his tragic death.
Speaking about the incident, a spokesman explained the process, saying first, they open the door, place the food, and immediately lock the door after closing it. "We deeply apologise to Mr. Kato and his family. We regard this extremely seriously. We will take measures to prevent similar accidents," the spokesman said. Man Gets Mauled by Two Lions, Left Bloodied After Trying To Click Pictures Near the Cage, Disturbing Video Goes Viral (Graphic Warning).
Meanwhile, the Tohoku Safari Park is reportedly said to be closed for a few days as a result of the tragic incident. Last year, a keeper named Jose de Jesus (23) was allegedly mauled to death when he tried to pet a tiger during feeding time. Horrific footage of the incident, which took place in Periban, western Mexico, had also gone viral on social media. The video showed the tiger attacking the keeper after it strokes its neck.
(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Sep 29, 2023 02:35 PM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).