A zookeeper was mauled to d3ath by a rare white Bengal tigress after a critical mistake during feeding at Mariupol Zoo in Russian-occupied Ukraine.
Alexey Melnikov, an experienced animal keeper who had previously appeared on Russian TV, was attacked and killed by the tigress named Lucy. According to reports, Melnikov failed to move the tigress from her den before entering the enclosure, unaware that she was still inside.
The tigress, believed to be defending her four cubs, sprang from the wooden den and fatally mauled him. Zoo director Savely Vashura said, “She came out from behind, and bam – the man was gone. Maybe he got distracted, maybe something else happened – he was only human.
Graphic images showing blood inside the tiger’s cage and Melnikov’s bloodstained clothes have not been released. The Russian Investigative Committee has launched a criminal investigation into the tragic incident.
Melnikov, who previously worked at Yalta Zoo in Crimea, had spoken of his deep love for animals and his dedication to caring for predators. “I love animals very much – I can’t live without them,” he once said.
This tragedy follows other recent fatal incidents involving zookeepers, including the death of an animal keeper in Uzbekistan who was killed by lions after entering their cage to impress his girlfriend, and a zookeeper in Romania was mauled to death by a tiger.
Investigations are ongoing.
