STUNNED tourists watched in horror as a zookeeper was dragged to the ground and eaten alive by a pride of lions in Thailand.
The gruesome attack happened at Safari World Bangkok when 58-year-old Jian Rangkharasamee stepped out of his jeep in the lion enclosure.
He exited his jeep in the enclosure, leading to the horror attack[/caption]
The veteran keeper had worked with lions for nearly 30 years[/caption]
Witnesses said a lion crept up from behind before pouncing on him – with several others quickly joining in.
Visitors honked their car horns and shouted in a desperate attempt to scare off the beasts, but the big cats mauled Rangkharasamee to death as families looked on in horror.
Professor Tavatchai Kanchanarin, doctor at a leading hospital, saw the tragedy unfold at around 11am on Wednesday.
He said: ”The lion attacked the zookeeper while he was getting out of his car.
“It was about 10 metres away, then slowly approached and grabbed the zookeeper from behind, dragging him to the ground and biting him.
“Three or four other lions then joined in with biting the zookeeper.
“Many people witnessed the incident but didn’t know how to help. They honked their own car horns and shouted for help.”
He added the ordeal lasted around 15 minutes before staff managed to reach the victim.
Rangkharasamee – a veteran keeper who had worked with lions for nearly 30 years – was rushed to Intrarat Hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival, according to Nation Thailand.
Police believe the zookeeper broke strict safety protocols by leaving his vehicle.
The drive-through safari zone has a no-exit policy for both staff and visitors, People reported.
Pol Col Niruchphon Yothamat of Khannayao Police Station said: “Normally, he would stay in the vehicle, and the lion would move away once the engine was started, but in this case, the vehicle’s door was still open.”
A fellow keeper, Phanom Sitsaeng, was the first to try to help after hearing horns blaring, but the lions had already inflicted fatal injuries.
The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation (DNP) has since ordered the temporary closure of the safari zone while safety checks are carried out.
“The incident will be further investigated to determine what happened,” said DNP director-general Atthapol Charoenchansa.
A senior Safari World official told local media all 32 lions at the park are licensed, insisting: “We have rules and we repeat them often as we work with dangerous animals.”
He described Rangkharasamee as “a kind man”.
Conservation groups blasted the park for putting both workers and animals at risk.
The safari zone is now closed for safety checks following the tragic incident[/caption]
The horror ordeal lasted around 15 minutes before staff managed to reach the zookeeper[/caption]
Edwin Wiek of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand said: “This incident should serve as a stark reminder that these animals, even when raised by humans from birth, still pose a serious threat to human life that can be triggered without warning.”
Animal rights group PETA added: “Safari World must relocate the lions, who have done nothing wrong other than exhibit their natural behaviours, to a sanctuary.”
Safari World – which also faces criticism for allowing an orangutan to hug and grope female tourists for photos – charges visitors 1,200 baht (£26) for lion and tiger feeding trips.
Lion ownership is legal in Thailand, where the captive population has soared in recent years to nearly 500 across zoos, breeding farms, petting cafes and even private homes, according to the South China Morning Post.
The deadly mauling comes just months after another zookeeper was killed by a rare white Bengal tigress in Mariupol Zoo, Ukraine.
Alexey Melnikov died instantly in April after the tigress Lucy “attacked him and gnawed his head,” as his colleague recalled.
