Woman Loses Her Arm After Being Attacked By A Lion At A Zoo

A woman was urgently transported to a hospital with serious injuries after a lion attacked her at a zoo in Queensland.

The woman, in her 50s, was airlifted to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane with a “significant arm injury” following the terrifying incident at Darling Downs Zoo, near Toowoomba, at approximately 8:20 a.m. on Sunday, July 6.

It is believed the woman lost her arm. She was in stable condition and had surgery on Sunday afternoon.

The zoo stated that the woman, a member of the zoo owner’s extended family, was watching zookeepers work when the incident happened.

In a statement issued late on Sunday, Darling Downs Zoo clarified that the injured woman was “not one of our immediate family nor a keeper” and was observing zookeepers in the carnivore precinct.

“This is something that she has done many, many times over the past 20 years,” the statement said.

“She is well versed in safety protocols around potentially dangerous animals.

“Inexplicably, at this stage, one animal grabbed her by one arm and caused severe damage to it.”

The zoo emphasized that the lion remained in its enclosure at all times, posing no threat to staff or the public.

According to the statement, the lion will not face euthanasia or any form of punishment.

“At no stage did this animal leave its enclosure and there was no risk at all to staff members or members of the public,” the statement said.

The zoo noted that Workplace Health and Safety officials were investigating the incident.

“The zoo is working with them to establish how this incident occurred but the full details will not be known until (the woman) can be interviewed,” the zoo said.

The zoo was closed on Sunday and is expected to reopen on Tuesday, July 8.⁠

A Gentle Reminder: Every obstacle is a stepping stone, every morning; a chance to go again, and those little steps take you closer to your dream.

Nnamdi Okoli