A zoo keeper died from a single bite to the throat after he forgot to lock a door and a tiger pounced on him.
The experienced 56-year-old keeper was laying food in the outside area of the tiger compound in a Munster zoo, Germany, when the predator crept up behind him.
The animal sunk its teeth into the keeper’s throat, killing the employee instantly.
The keeper, known only as Martin. H, was carrying out a routine feed when the tragic accident happened in front of visitors.
He had failed to lock the inside enclosure door properly, which allowed the Siberian tiger to get to him.
An investigation is inspecting the circumstances around the death, but the strongest theory is that the death occurred because of human error.
Zoo chief Jörg Adler said despite help being immediately called for, there was nothing emergency services could do for the keeper.
