A zookeeper has been killed after he was attacked and eaten by three escaped lions he was trying to recapture- while filming himself to “impress his girlfriend”.
The animals had escaped into a courtyard at Lion Park, a private zoo in Parkent, Uzbekistan. The keeper, named as 44-year-old F Iriskulov, was working a night shift on December 17 when he tried to get them back to their enclosure.
The lions initially seem relaxed, and quietly watch him as he unlocks a padlock and approaches them. However, they suddenly spring up and take him by surprise. He repeatedly calls to one of the animals: “Simba, be quiet”.
He was attempting to make a video to later give to his girlfriend, the Mirror reports. Around two minutes after he entered the courtyard, the lions pounced on him in a vicious attack.
The lions were said to have “consumed” the man’s body.
(Image: Will Stewart)
The keeper can be heard screaming as he appears to be bitten while the camera is still running. He repeatedly tries to quieten them before the footage cuts out, with reports stating the lions then devoured him.
His remains were only discovered by rescuers four hours after the tragedy, with the lions not making any further escape. One was shot dead, with the other two tranquilised.
An official statement read: “The lions killed him and partially consumed his body”.
The keeper attempted to film himself with the lions to show his girlfriend.
(Image: Will Stewart)
The regional police stated: “Today, December 17, three lions kept in a single cage at the Lion Park private zoo, located in the Parkent district of Tashkent Region, escaped into the zoo’s courtyard. […] The lions entered the yard, attacking and injuring a 44-year-old keeper born in 1980. Unfortunately, the keeper later died from his injuries.”
The Lion Park is home to 10 African lions, five lion cubs and other animals including brown bears and eagles.
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