Tiger mauls handler at Australian theme park

The woman, in her 30s, suffered "lacerations to her arm" but was otherwise in a stable condition.

02 Sep 2024 11:39am
The entrance to the Dreamworld theme park is seen on Gold Coast on Oct 25, 2016. - (Photo by Tertius Pickard / AFP)
The entrance to the Dreamworld theme park is seen on Gold Coast on Oct 25, 2016. - (Photo by Tertius Pickard / AFP)

SYDNEY - An animal handler was mauled by a tiger at Australia's Dreamworld theme park on Monday, emergency services said, and rushed to hospital with deep wounds on her arm.

Queensland Ambulance Service said the woman, in her 30s, suffered "lacerations to her arm" but was otherwise in a stable condition.

"Dreamworld acknowledges an incident that occurred involving one of the park's tigers and a trained tiger handler," the theme park said in a statement.

"Dreamworld's immediate focus is on the support of the team member.

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

Located in Australia's Gold Coast tourist hub, Dreamworld says it is the largest theme park in the country.

The park's "Tiger Island" houses nine Sumatran and Bengal tigers.

Promotional material invites audiences to be "amazed by their might and raw power during feeding time".

Four people died when Dreamworld's Thunder River Rapids Ride malfunctioned in 2016. - AFP