A LION has bitten off the finger of a worker who put his hand through a cage at Jamaica Zoo.
The horrifying incident was captured on video, which has since gone viral on social media.
In the video, filmed at the Jamaica Zoo, based in St Elizabeth, a man can be seen attempting to touch the lion, by poking his hand through the cage.
After a couple of attempts to pet the lion, the huge animal slams its jaw shut, trapping the mans fingers inside.
The man can be seen trying to desperately pull his finger from the lion’s mouth and after a struggle he manages to free his right hand.
According to the Jamaica Observer Online, the man’s right ring finger was partially bitten off in the incident which occurred at approximately 4:22pm on Friday.
One witness told the Jamaica Observer Online they thought the incident was a joke.
“When it happened, I thought it was a joke,” one woman who didn’t want to be named said.
“I didn’t realise the seriousness of it, because it’s their job to put on a show.
“Obviously, when he fell on the ground everybody realised that it was serious. Everybody started to panic.
“The entire skin and about the first joint of his finger was gone.
“I ran away from the whole thing, because me nuh like see blood and it was too graphic for me.”
According to local media reports, the man got up and walked to a vehicle before leaving the popular attraction.
The zoo, which is located close to Lacovia, west of Santa Cruz, has a wide range of animals including llama, zebras, monkeys, crocodiles and toucans.
The zoo has issued a statement in response to the viral video.
The statement said: “The actions displayed in a video by a contractor of Jamaica Zoo, is tragic and do not represent the safety procedures and polices that must be adhered to at all times at Jamaica Zoo.
“We are currently reviewing the video, with a view of preventing any future recurrences.
“It is an unfortunate event that should never have happened, and we, the family of Jamaica Zoo, are doing everything to assist the gentleman in moving forward.”
The managing director of Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Pamela Lawson said her organisation is currently looking into what happened.
“We will be going down there and I will be communicating with the National Environment and Planning Agency who has oversight over Jamaica Zoo,” she said.
She told Our Today that it was not the first allegation regarding treatment of animals she had heard regarding Jamaica Zoo.
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3 Comments
This is unfortunate but taunting the lion and NOT expecting this is highly stupid.
No one is to blame. No need to point fingers. There’s a committed animal caretaker. He deserves a hand of applause. I just thought I’d point that out. Don’t get mad now, it was just a finger of speech.
A bored lion being teased by a keeper who puts his fingers into the cage of a lion.
The roaring lion suddenly bites onto the Keeper’s finger and will not let go.
The lion seems to be intuitively aware of the keeper’s finger in his mouth.
After serious pulling from the Keeper, the Keeper escapes by leaving his finger with the triumph and excited Lion.
.