Beekse Bergen keeper dies after panther attack
The safari park in Hilvarenbeek said the keeper, seriously injured on Saturday, has died. The labour inspectorate (Arbeidsinspectie) is investigating.
The animal keeper of Safaripark Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek has died of the injuries she suffered in a panther attack on Saturday, the park said in a statement. She was working alone in the enclosure of two male Persian panthers when they attacked her. She suffered serious injuries to her head and neck.
The park said she started there at 17 and worked at the park, with short breaks, for almost 40 years. “Her death affects us all deeply and we feel intensely for her family, friends and loved ones,” it said.
Staff are normally kept out of the same space as the predators. The enclosure has no cameras, the park said. The Arbeidsinspectie, the labour inspectorate, has started an investigation, and the park says it will start its own independent one.
The park is setting up a place where people can leave condolences.
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Arbeidsinspectie
The Arbeidsinspectie is the Dutch labour inspectorate, the government body that supervises whether employers follow rules on working conditions and workplace safety. It can investigate serious workplace accidents, check workplaces, and enforce compliance, including by imposing fines. It operates under the Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment (SZW).