A rare tiger attacked a guard at the Topeka Zoo in the US state of Kansas on Saturday, hitting her head and neck before other workers succeeded in seducing the animal to escape, officials said.
The guard was in a state of consciousness when she was taken to the hospital, which described her condition as stable, spokeswoman Molly Hadfield said by telephone.
Brendan Wiley, director of the zoo, told a news conference that the victim, the main tiger guard at the Topeka zoo and care center, was in an open tigers' area when it was attacked.
"There is something wrong here," Wiley said, adding that the incident was under investigation. "Some of our colleagues have seen things you would never see during your career."
He explained that some visitors to the zoo saw Sanjeev attacking the guard, who was hit by bruises and wounds to the head and neck, and was hit in the back and one arm.
Two workers in the park were able, ten minutes later, to lure the tiger with his share of food to enter a cage, Wiley said.
The park was closed for 45 minutes after the attack and the guards kept the six tigers inside the cage, including Sangiv and his four young children. All the Tigers were allowed into the open area except for Sanjeev.