Experienced zoo feeder killed by lion in South Africa

An experienced zoo lion feeding worker was dead after suffered the fatal attack by his zoo' s farm lion in the central South African province of Free State, local police said on Tuesday. The man, 63, had worked for nearly 40 years at the zoo's farm Rietkuil in the Vredefort area in Free State. However, he was suddenly attacked by a female lion as he was either feeding or cleaning its cage at the farm several days ago, police said. Other workers found him deadly injured and sent him to a hospital for urgent treatment. Doctors tried their best to save his life, but they finally failed, police added. A zoo spokesperson said all the workers were deeply shocked to learn the tragedy and that they were in mourning , because the man was a much-respected, experienced worker with a training of various safety procedures. The spokesperson said there were strict measures in the zoo to prevent lions from harming any person, including animals feeders and cages cleaners. The cause of the lion killing its feeder in the zoo was still not available. It was the latest lion killing human being incident in Free State. On Dec. 6, 2011, a 23-year-old youth was killed by a three- year-old male lion climbed over a three-meter-high gate of its enclosure on the farm Leeubank in the same province.