Visitors at a Thai zoo were horrified to see one of the zookeepers eaten alive by lions right in front of their eyes last Wednesday, according to reports from local outlets.
A Bangkok Post report identified 58-year-old Safari World Bangkok supervisor Jian Rangkharasamee as the victim, citing police from the Khannayao station. He was attacked in a drive-in zone of the zoo after exiting his vehicle and leaving the door open, the report said. Guests are asked to keep vehicle doors closed when in this area.
Per its website, Safari World Bangkok is a popular tourist attraction located on about 200 acres in the heart of the bustling city. It can be explored by foot or car, and “visitors can get up close and personal with wild animals such as tigers, lions, bears and zebras wandering freely in their natural habitats, the site added.
According to the Bangkok Post’s report, Rangkharasamee was attacked from behind by a lion after getting out of his vehicle. Then, several other lions joined in as shocked visitors watched from their cars.
This attack went on for about 15 minutes before another keeper – identified as Phanom Sitsaeng – could reach the victim. Rangkharasamee was rushed to Intrarat Hospital, where he died from his injuries.
He has worked in the zoo’s lion and tiger zones for almost two decades, Surachai Rangkharasamee, the victim’s younger brother, said.
Attapol Charoenchansa, director-general of the Department of Wildlife in Thailand, said Rangkharasamee was attacked while the lions were feeding.
“It is assumed that one of them was not in a good mood and started the attack,” he explained.
Lions are carnivores that can weigh up to 550 pounds and in the wild they hunt large animals that weigh up to 1,000 pounds, including zebras and wildebeest, according to the Smithsonian Zoo in the U.S. Their powerful forelegs, teeth and jaws make them fearsome hunters.
The Bangkok post said that officials were looking into the zoo’s lion possession licenses and records. Citing these official records, the zoo had licenses to possess 45 lions and 13 of those lions have died.
CBS News noted that lion ownership is legal in Thailand and that the captive lion population has exploded there recent years. Currently, there are nearly 500 registered in zoos, breeding farms, petting cafes and homes.
While lion attacks in zoos are rare, CBS also reported that this is the second incident in less than a year. Another group of lions mailed a zookeeper in Crimea to death last October after a door inside their enclosure was left unlocked. In Thailand, there was also a fatal elephant attack at a sanctuary this year, CBS reported. Last year, Audacy reported on a lion attack in a Kenyan national park.
“After an inspection, the lions and all other animals are in good condition and are being closely monitored by a team of experts,” said a translated statement posted on Safari World’s Facebook page. “The company would like to confirm that in over 40 years, such an incident has never occurred before. The company places the highest priority on the safety of all visitors and staff, emphasizing the strict adherence to vehicle regulations while visiting the open zoo, especially in the wild animal zone. The company will urgently conduct an inspection and strengthen safety measures to prevent similar incidents from occurring again.”
After the incident, the zoo ordered the drive-in zone closed until further notice.
People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) Asia Senior Vice President Jason Baker said in a statement that “this tragic death should serve as a wake-up call that it’s time to stop treating animals as exhibits and start treating them as fellow beings who deserve freedom and respect.” He called on Safari World to relocate the lions to a sanctuary and said they “have done nothing but exhibit ordinary feline behavior.”
Safari World said in its statement that “the company expresses its deepest condolences to the family of the deceased and will provide the best possible care and support to the family.”
Rangkharasamee is survived by his 57-year-old wife, Ratanaporn Jitpakdee. She said he loved his job and that he was the breadwinner of their family.