ZOOKEEPER DIES AFTER HORRIFIC LEOPARD ATTACK — HER FINAL CALL FOR HELP CAME OVER A WALKIE-TALKIE

A devoted animal caretaker in her 50s has died after being attacked by a leopard at a safari park in the Netherlands. She had spent nearly 40 years working at the park, caring for animals she knew so well.

A longtime zookeeper has tragically died days after a leopard attack left her with critical head and neck injuries at Safaripark Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek, the Netherlands.

The woman, whose name has not been publicly released, was attacked on Saturday, October 24, while inside an indoor enclosure housing two male Persian leopards. Despite emergency surgery and efforts to save her life, the park confirmed on Tuesday that she had died from her injuries.

HER DESPERATE CALL FOR HELP

The experienced caretaker managed to alert colleagues over her walkie-talkie after the attack.

When a coworker heard her call for help and rushed to the enclosure, the woman was found seriously injured. Emergency responders were dispatched, and she was transported to hospital for urgent treatment.

Although she underwent surgery, her condition remained critical and later deteriorated. Her death has left colleagues and loved ones devastated.

NEARLY FOUR DECADES CARING FOR ANIMALS

The zookeeper began working at Beekse Bergen when she was just 17 years old. With only brief interruptions, she spent almost 40 years at the safari park, including approximately eight years working in its predator section.

Park officials described her as highly experienced and expressed profound sorrow over her death. The park and her family have asked for privacy as they grieve this devastating loss.

WHY DID THE ATTACK HAPPEN?

That question remains unanswered.

The park has launched an independent investigation to establish how the incident occurred. Keepers are generally not supposed to share an enclosure with dangerous predators, and there were no cameras inside the enclosure to capture what happened.

The leopards had been kept indoors because of severe weather, but investigators have yet to establish exactly how the attack unfolded or whether one or both animals were involved.

Park officials have also confirmed that the leopards will not be euthanised, explaining that they acted according to their natural instincts.

A DEVASTATING LOSS

For a woman who devoted much of her life to caring for animals, the tragedy has left a community of colleagues mourning someone who had been part of the park for decades.

As investigators work to understand what went wrong, her family and coworkers are left facing an unimaginable loss.

May she rest in peace. Our thoughts are with her family, friends, and colleagues as they navigate this heartbreaking time.