Tiger kills keeper at Hamilton Zoo

A female zookeeper has died after being attacked by a Sumatran Tiger at a New Zealand zoo.

Emergency services were called to the Hamilton Zoo on Sunday morning (20th September) with police confirming that the woman, named as Zoo Curator Samantha Kudeweh, died at the scene.

Senior Sergeant Juliet Burgess stated "this is a tragic incident.

“It is too early to determine exactly what’s happened.”

The tiger attacked the woman while the enclosure was being cleaned, according to media reports.

Police are working with the Zoo's management and WorkSafe New Zealand to investigate the incident.

It is not the first time a zookeeper has been fatally attacked in New Zealand.

In 2012, a woman was killed by an agitated elephant at Franklin Zoo and Wildlife Sanctuary, south of Auckland.

In 2009, a South African zookeeper at Zion Wildlife Gardens was mauled and killed by a white tiger.

Image: Hamilton Zoo's marketing highlights its captive tigers.

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