The female Siberian tiger attacked and killed the 55-year-old female zookeeper at Zurich Zoo just before 1.20pm local time on Saturday in front of horrified visitors. But the five-year-old animal named Irina will not be euthanised, the zoo has confirmed.
The zoo described the incident as “highly tragic” but said the tiger is a wild animal and followed her natural instincts.
In a statement the zoo said: “The zoo maintains that the tiger is a wild animal.
“A person in her exhibit is an intruder into her territory. In her reaction she followed her natural instincts exclusively.”
The zoo will reopen to visitors from Monday but the tiger exhibit will remain closed.
“A group of zookeepers immediately moved to the enclosure.
“They succeeded in luring Irina away from the animal keeper, out of the facility and into the stable.
“Despite immediate resuscitation measures, the 55-year-old woman was unfortunately too late to help and died on the spot.
“How the tragic incident happened and why the animal keeper was in the enclosure at the same time as the tiger is now being examined by the public prosecutor, the police, and forensics.”
Zoo director Severin Dressen added: “Our full sympathy is with the relatives of the victim.”
Counselling has been offered to visitors and zoo staff.
Irina originally came from a zoo in Odense, Denmark, a year ago and replaced a female who died after a fight with Sayan.
Zurich Zoo reopened a month ago after being closed due to the coronavirus crisis.