Female intern-volunteer killed by lion at private wild animal park in California

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Founder: Worker killed by lion was female intern
DUNLAP, Calif. (AP) — A female intern-volunteer was killed Wednesday by a lion at a private wild animal park in Central California, the founder of the facility said.

Cat Haven founder and executive director Dale Anderson was crying as he read a one-sentence statement about the fatal mauling at the exotic animal zoo he has operated since 1993.

The intern was attacked and killed when she entered the lion's enclosure, he said.
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The African lion, a 4-year-old male named Couscous, had been raised at Cat Haven since it was a cub, said Tanya Osegueda, a spokeswoman for Project Survival, the nonprofit that operates Cat Haven.
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A sheriff's deputy shot and killed the lion after the attack, California Fish and Wildlife spokesman Lt. Tony Spada said.
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more at the link
 
A friend and fellow cat-love once said about our pets: "The only reason they don't kill us and eat us is they aren't big enough."

Cat instincts are lightning quick and they don't disappear in one, captivity-raised generation. Unfortunately, those instincts are somehow turned against their caretakers.
 
Here we go again ... :(

... Wild african dogs, lion ... :(
 
I agree with comments below the article that a tranquilizer gun should have been used and been on hand. The article didn't seem clear about if workers ever go into the enclosure or not.
 
From the OP link:

Authorities said the intern was attacked and killed when she entered the male African lion's enclosure at Cat Haven about 45 miles east of Fresno.
Authorities said the intern was attacked and killed when she entered the male African lion's enclosure at Cat Haven about 45 miles east of Fresno.
Her father said:
Hanson said she had been fascinated by big cats from an earlier age.
"She was absolutely fearless," he said. "I always had a premonition I would get a call like this one day."
WTH?
California Department of Fish and Wildlife spokeswoman Janice Mackey said she was unaware if any state regulations would prohibit an employee from entering an exotic animal's enclosure.
Actress Tippi Hedren, who founded the Shambala Preserve in Southern California, home to 53 seized or abandoned exotic pets, expressed dismay over the killing of the lion.
"It wasn't the lion's fault. It's the human's fault always," Hedren said.

It seems like this could end up in a huge liability battle in court. Meanwhile this young woman (and the lion) are both dead. :sigh: :sigh:
 
Hanson said she had been fascinated by big cats from an earlier age.
"She was absolutely fearless," he said. "I always had a premonition I would get a call like this one day."


It seems like this could end up in a huge liability battle in court. Meanwhile this young woman (and the lion) are both dead. :sigh: :sigh:

There is a show called "Deadly Attractions" or something like that about folks that keep dangerous exotic pets. The big cat people especially seem to have this fixation/belief that "they are special" and because "they are so special" they won't ever be harmed by the cats.

It is some weird egocentric thing that unfortunately ends up with their animals being killed.
 
Heard two news reports.

One I've heard she was on her cell phone.

Another stated she was killed by one swipe of the lions paw, broke her neck.

I'm not too happy with accurate news reports lately so take it until confirmed.

Here's another to add to the list of "it can't happen to me."

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) -- A self-taught bear expert who once called Alaska's brown bears harmless was one of two people fatally mauled in a bear attack in the Katmai National Park and Preserve.
 

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