Woman mauled by tiger at Dreamworld

A woman has been raced to hospital with deep lacerations after being attacked by a tiger at a Gold Coast theme park.

The woman, an animal handler at Dreamworld, was working with the tiger about 9am Monday when things took a turn for the worse.

She sustained several deep cuts as a result of the attack.

A Queensland Ambulance spokesman said a woman in her 40s was taken to Gold Coast University Hospital with lacerations to her arm following an incident with a tiger.

She is in a stable condition.

A Dreamworld spokesperson said the woman was trained in handling tigers and called it an “isolated and rare incident”.

“Dreamworld’s immediate focus is on the support of the team member,” the spokesperson said.

“This was an isolated and rare incident, and we will conduct a thorough review accordingly.”

Dreamworld’s Tiger Island has nine Sumatran and Bengal tigers, with parkgoers able to book in for “Get Up Close” experiences.

Guests are invited to “get mere centimetres” from the tigers via viewing tunnels and large viewing areas “so close you could feel the breath of a tiger”.

The theme park also offers a feed experience, where guests over the age of 13 can feed tigers with tongs for 15 minutes.

However, guests between the ages of 13 and 15 must be accompanied by a paying adult for the tiger feed experience.

Suzanne Milthorpe, Head of Campaigns at World Animal Protection Australia, a global animal welfare organisation said thoughts are with the trainer and her family.

“This is another sad reminder that close interactions with wild animals held captive for entertainment purposes can be dangerous for both humans and the animals,” Ms Milthorpe said.

“Tigers are wild animals and should not be trained to perform, be used as photographic props or be handled by visitors.

“We call on the tourism industry to stop promoting close encounters with wild animals.”

A nine-year-old male Bengal tiger, Kato, previously bit two separate handlers back in 2011.

In May 2011, a handler was taken to hospital with puncture wounds, with the incident being described as a “love bite” at the time, according to The Courier-Mail.

A senior handler was taken to hospital four months later after the same tiger bit them.

The handler suffered a calf laceration.