A zookeeper in Uzbekistan tragically lost his life after being attacked and eaten by three lions he was trying to recapture. The incident occurred at a private zoo named Lion Park in Parkent when the man, identified as F. Iriskulov, was on duty during the night shift. In a video filmed in 2024, the keeper can be seen approaching the lions in the courtyard, initially appearing calm before the lions suddenly turned aggressive.
Despite the keeper’s attempts to calm one of the lions named “Simba,” the situation escalated quickly. One of the lions attacked the man, causing him to cry out in pain as the camera captured the horrific event. The zoo staff found Iriskulov’s remains in the lions’ cage the next morning, with two lions tranquilized and one shot dead after escaping.
This unfortunate incident is not isolated, as another zookeeper in Bangkok, Thailand, was previously attacked and killed by lions in front of horrified tourists at Safari World. Witnesses described how the lions pinned down the keeper as he exited his vehicle in an open enclosure. The attack only ceased when zoo officials intervened, but it was too late to save the victim.
These incidents serve as a stark reminder of the dangers that zookeepers face while working closely with wild animals.