A woman in her 50s was rushed to hospital with severe injuries after being mauled by a lion at Darling Downs Zoo in Queensland on Sunday morning, July 6.
The victim, believed to be a member of the zoo owner’s extended family, suffered a “significant arm injury” and was flown to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane. It is understood she lost her arm in the attack. She was in a stable condition and underwent surgery later that day.
The incident occurred around 8:20 a.m. while the woman was observing zookeepers working in the carnivore precinct—something she had reportedly done many times over the past two decades.
In a statement released on Sunday evening, Darling Downs Zoo clarified that the woman is “not one of our immediate family nor a keeper,” but was familiar with the zoo’s safety protocols.
“Inexplicably, at this stage, one animal grabbed her by one arm and caused severe damage to it,” the statement read.
The zoo stressed that the lion remained inside its enclosure at all times and there was no risk to staff or members of the public. The animal will not be euthanised or punished.
Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is investigating the incident, and the zoo said it is cooperating fully.
“The full circumstances will not be known until the injured woman can be interviewed,” the zoo added.
Darling Downs Zoo was closed on Sunday following the incident and is expected to reopen on Tuesday, July 8.
