WARNING GRAPHIC CONTENT: The tourist and her companion, thought to be a South African tour guide, were taking a ‘routine’ drive through the 20-acre compound with about a dozen big cats near Johannesburg. Gauteng Lion Park employee Scott Simpson, 28, told MailOnline that a lioness came up close to the open window and lunged through. Paramedics who rushed to the scene were unable to save her.
A 22-year-old American woman has been
mauled to death and another person seriously injured after being pulled
through their car window by a lion in a safari park in South Africa.
The tourist and her companion, thought
to be a South African tour guide, were taking a ‘routine’ drive through
the 20-acre compound containing about a dozen big cats near
Johannesburg.
Gauteng Lion Park employee Scott
Simpson, 28, told Daily Mail Online: ‘The lion approached from the left
of the vehicle, the passenger side and walked quite close to the car.
‘The witnesses said they saw the guests
taking pictures of the lion from a meter away, then the lion lunged at
the car and bit the lady through the window.’
WARNING: GRAPHIC CONTENT
A 22-year-old American woman died after being
dragged out of her SUV (pictured) while on safari on Monday in Gauteng
Lion Park near Johannesburg, South Africa
A police van arrives at the Lion Park where an American tourist was killed by a lioness on June 1
Mr Simpson said park staff rushed to
pull the lioness off the young woman and carried out CPR. Paramedics
were called but could do nothing to save her.
‘When the paramedics were treating the lady she unfortunately passed away,’ he said.
He has been working for less than a year at the Park, which is an hour from Johannesburg.
It’s the third big cat attack at the park in just four months.
Police confirmed that the tourist was 22 years old and an American citizen.
The U.S. Embassy confirmed a U.S.
citizen had been killed but were revealing no further details, only that
they were providing consular services.
The lioness responsible for the attack has been identified and is being kept alone in a separate enclosure.
There were no plans to destroy the animal.
The woman was dragged out the window of the
vehicle. Visitors to the park are strongly advised by staff to keep the
windows closed (another van of tourists is pictured, not involved in the
incident)
A rare white lion peers at a vehicle at the
Lions Park near Johannesburg. The American woman’s death was the third
big cat attack in four months
In March, an Australian tourist was injured by a lioness after going on safari with his car windows open.
Brendan Smith, from Perth, was left with deep flesh wounds after the big cat pounced through the window and bit his leg.
Smith posted pictures of his injuries on Facebook which happened after he’d only been in South Africa for 36 hours.
Two days later, a 13-year-old from a nearby slum was attacked by a cheetah while riding a bicycle through the grounds.
In December 2013, a former South African
franchise rugby player Brett Tucker and his family were attacked by a
lion at the same park. Tucker’s father reportedly suffered minor
injuries.
Lion mauls American tourist to death in South African park
Warning: The manager of the lion park said
he doesn’t understand why people leave their windows open despite
warnings dotted around the compound (pictured)
Park employees said that their repeated
warnings about the big cats were ignored by tourists trying to get
better pictures on safari
The park has more than 85 lions, including rare white lions, and a variety of other animals, including giraffes and ostriches.
According to its website, Lion Park
guarantees ‘super close-up animal views’ but it does order visitors to
keep their car windows shut.
The park has previously come under fire
for allowing visitors to pet lion cubs. It was also accused of breeding
lions for ‘canned hunting’, a charge that the park has refuted.
The park offers tented accommodation and also hosts children’s birthday parties.
A visitor to the Lion Park last year uploaded a video to YouTube of a lion opening a car door.
Employee Mr Simpson said visitors to the park were warned not to leave their windows open to avoid attacks.
He told ENCA: ‘We make it so clear. We put signage up everywhere that people must keep their windows closed.
‘We hand them a slip of paper when they
enter the park, I really don’t understand why people think its okay to
leave windows open.
He added that the park takes safety seriously.
‘We have signage up everywhere informing
people to keep their windows closed. We hand out flyers as they are
driving in reminding them to keep their windows closed. We really do
everything we can to make sure that people know that,’ he added.
The park boasts ‘guaranteed super-close up views’ of the animals on its website.
Lucky escape: Australian tourist Brendan
Smith, from Perth, was left with deep flesh wounds after a lion pounced
through the window and bit his leg at Gauteng Lion Park in March
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