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"Simply torn to pieces." Crimean safari park manager mauled to death by lions. What caused the tragedy?
Leokadia Perevalov, manager of the Crimean safari park "Taigan", was torn to pieces by a lion. According to the Investigative Committee, on Wednesday, October 16, an employee of the lion park went into a cage with three predators to clean and did not close the latch on the door between the cages, as a result of which the lions attacked the woman. And inflicted fatal wounds on her.
Investigators inspected the scene and seized documents confirming compliance with safety standards and labor laws. A responsible group is currently being formed to assess the actions.
In connection with this incident, a criminal case was opened under Part 2 of Article 143 of the Criminal Code of the Russian Federation (“Violation of labor protection requirements due to negligence”).
According to Oleg Zubkov, director of the Taigan lion park, the cause of Perevalova's death was the human factor: "forgetfulness." He emphasized that the animals could not open the bolts leading from the outer enclosure to the inner one. "How did this happen and why was it not closed? Animals could never do this, and there were no strangers in the room where the lions lived," the park director said.
According to Zubkov, Perevalova was the most experienced employee, who knew everything about predators and taught other employees how to handle the animals.
He made it clear that the lions that mauled the manager would not be euthanized. "They are predators and remain predators, so they do not forgive human mistakes," explained director Taigan. Zubkov added that assistance would be provided to the families of the victims.
There have already been incidents involving predators in Taigan.
This is the third incident involving a predator in the safari park. In September 2021, a tiger bit off part of a finger of a one-year-old child. "I went up to one of the cages, and all the tigers were sleeping. Pasha raised his hand and pointed at the tiger, when at that moment an animal jumped out from somewhere on a branch. "The cat grabbed the child's hand with its claws through the bars of the cage, pulled it towards itself and bit the child on the finger," the child's mother said.
In May 2022, a leopard attacked a Safari Park employee. According to the Telegram channel "Mash on the Wave", the victim of the attack was 40-year-old Mikhail Fedorov, a pet of the park. It is assumed that the man violated safety rules by opening the gate of the predator's enclosure, after which the leopard grabbed his hand.
Two witnesses helped the victim fight off the predator and called an ambulance. Fedorov received lacerations to his extremities.