A tragic incident occurred at Pitești Zoo in Romania when a 52-year-old janitor was fatally attacked by a tiger on Monday, December 9.
The man had entered the tiger’s enclosure to clean it, but did not adhere to the proper safety protocols, which led to his death.
Judicial sources revealed that the tiger bit the man on the head, and witnesses described the attack as “extremely violent.”
The zoo’s safety guidelines require that tigers be secured in a high-fenced cage behind a safety door before workers enter their enclosures.
However, the janitor neglected to close the security door, allowing the tiger to re-enter while he was still inside. “Unfortunately, this deviation led to a fatal attack by the animal,” a city official told Adevărul.
Local police have launched a manslaughter investigation into the incident. “[The worker] did not respect [security procedures],” a police spokesperson said. “He forgot to close the safety door, the tiger entered back in his cage and bite him from the head.
” The mayor of Pitești expressed his condolences, calling the death a “huge loss” and ordered a temporary halt to zoo operations. “We will take all necessary measures to prevent other tragedies of this kind,” he said.
This tragic event marks the first such incident at the zoo in 50 years, and authorities are working to determine the exact circumstances. However, it raises ethical questions about the nature of keeping wild animals in cages.
This article by Trinity Sparke was first published by One Green Planet on 11 December 2024. Image Credit :Thinker360/Shutterstock.
