Australia: Tiger Mauls Handler at Dreamworld Theme Park

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Facts

  • A 47-year-old trained animal handler received 'serious lacerations and puncture wounds' after she was attacked by a tiger at the Dreamworld theme park near Queensland's Gold Coast on Monday.[1]
  • The veteran handler, identified as Melissa Reynolds, was transported to Gold Coast University Hospital at about 9 am local time after a five-year-old 180-kg (396-pound) tiger bit her on the forearm and shoulder.[2][3]
  • According to Queensland Ambulance Service Director Justin Payne, Reynolds, an 'experienced' handler, arrived in the hospital 'pale and feeling unwell.' She is reportedly in a stable condition.[4]
  • Describing it as an 'isolated and rare incident,' a Dreamworld spokesperson said she was 'looked after' by the park's support staff, and 'a thorough review' of the attack is underway.[1]
  • Opened three decades ago, Dreamworld — home to nine Sumatran and Bengal tigers — allows visitors to watch the animals 'glide underwater' in a splash pool and eat their meals during feeding time.[5]
  • In 2020, Dreamworld's parent company, Ardent Leisure, was fined $3.6M for breaching the Work Health and Safety Act, which reportedly caused the 2016 Thunder River Rapids ride tragedy that killed four people.[6]

Sources: [1]New York Post, [2]Daily Mail, [3]CBS, [4]Evening Standard, [5]BBC News and [6]Guardian.

Narratives

  • Narrative A, as provided by Abc. Animals, especially endangered ones, are unpredictable. This incident is a stark reminder of the inherent risks handlers face in amusement parks and animal exhibits. It also shows that Dreamworld has yet to learn from previous mauling incidents and fatal tragedies. The park must implement robust risk management strategies and enhance safety protocols — including adopting a no-contact policy for its tigers — and reduce the likelihood of future accidents and injuries.
  • Narrative B, as provided by Guardian. Tigers belong in the wild, not in a theme park. Close interactions with wild animals held captive for entertainment purposes cause significant distress to them, which could make them over-excited and violent and even cause their death. Just like the handler, the tiger was experienced. There's no way this incident can be avoided in the future. The tourism industry must stop such animal exhibits and instead adopt ways to meet the wild animals in their natural habitats.
  • Narrative C, as provided by Dreamworld. Poaching is the most immediate threat to wild tigers. Traditional zoos and theme parks are among the last remaining places where endangered species stay safe as these facilities maintain high animal care and husbandry standards. Dreamworld's captive facilities are well-designed and well-managed, helping tiger conservation efforts in the country. The tigers in the Gold Coast park aren't trained to perform for the visitors. This was an isolated and rare incident that will be investigated.

Predictions