Tiger bites handler at Australian theme park

SYDNEY – A Bengal tiger bit one of its handlers at an Australian theme park on Sunday, with paramedics treating the man for five deep puncture wounds to his thigh and upper calf.

The animal, named “Kato”, was being led to the Tiger World natural habitat at Dreamworld on the Gold Coast when he lunged.

Staff at the park, popular with overseas tourists, said it was just “a nip” and the handler should be back at work in a few days.

“The handler’s taken a bit longer than the tiger would have liked and has given him just a little nip on the thigh,” Dreamworld spokeswoman Melinda Lloyd said.

“The tiger’s just nipped, but because of the natural bite force of a tiger it’s gone through his skin and muscle there.

“If the tiger wanted to attack the handler, it would have been a lot worse. This is just the tiger saying ‘let’s move things along’.”

The amusement park will conduct an internal investigation into the incident.

“Kato”, who was born in captivity, has been at Dreamworld for 10 years.