A zookeeper has died after being attacked by a tiger in front of horrified visitors at the zoo in Zurich, Switzerland.
The 55-year-old worker died at the scene, and an investigation is underway.
An onlooker reported the attack, and zoo staff were able to lure the five-year-old tiger, named Irina, away from the victim and into a stall.
Tragically, by the time medics were able to get to the woman, it was too late.
Circumstances of the attack were still under investigation.
The tiger enclosure in Zurich also holds a four-year-old male called Sayan, according to the zoo's website.
Irina, who was still alive after the incident, originally came from a zoo in Odense, Denmark, a year ago and replaced a female who died from complications after a fight with Sayan.
"This is a young animal that so far has behaved entirely naturally as a tiger does," Zoo Director Severin Dressen told reporters, adding that it was unclear why the tiger and the zookeeper were in the enclosure at the same time.
The zoo tweeted: "An animal keeper was fatally injured in Zoo Zurich by a Siberian Tiger.
"We are investigating the tragic incident … Because of this tragic incident, the zoo will be closed tomorrow."
Witnesses to the incident and zoo staff were receiving counselling.
The Zurich zoo reopened a month ago after being closed due to the coronavirus crisis.
