Michigan zoo staff member injured after attacked by bobcat
A Michigan zoo staff member is recovering after she was attacked by a bobcat on Thursday.
Officials with the Wilderness Trails Zoo in Saginaw say the woman was a trained carnivore keeper who entered the bobcat's enclosure to place items, including grass and catnip. The animal then scratched the woman's hand and head.
Another staff member helped move the bobcat to another area and get the woman out of the enclosure. Zoo officials say the woman received stitches for a 9 millimeter laceration and treatment for other scratches.
Officials say the bobcat is "in good health and is under routine observation," and they will review the incident "to reinforce our existing safety protocols."
"WTZoo maintains rigorous training protocols and safety procedures for all animal interactions. We are proud of the swift, professional response from our staff, whose actions ensured the safety of both humans and animals involved," officials said in a news release.
"This was a rare and unfortunate accident, but not the result of negligence by staff, policy, or the animal. Interactions such as this, while uncommon, can occur even with domestic animals, particularly during inclement weather when natural animal behaviors may be heightened."
