Bengal tiger attacks Jonathan Kraft, founder of Keepers of the Wild animal rescue charity
- Kraft suffered multiple wounds and two broken bones in what he described as an ‘accident’
A Bengal tiger that attacked an animal rescue charity’s founder in northwestern Arizona will not be put down after the man said it was his own fault.
Keepers of the Wild in Valentine, Arizona, about 56km (35 miles) east of Kingman, confirmed in a statement posted on Wednesday on its Facebook page that Jonathan Kraft suffered multiple wounds and two broken bones when a Bengal tiger named Bowie pushed open a gate and attacked.
Kraft was trying to protect animals from heavy rain, lightning and hail during a storm on Monday when the attack happened.
Kraft took the blame for what he called an “accident” and said “these situations occur when there is human error”.
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“I was concerned for his welfare and did not stay focused on him,” Kraft said. “It only takes a fraction of a second for a captive wild animal to revert to their instinctual behaviour.”
The declawed 11-year-old tiger used his teeth to hold Kraft until staff intervened, the sanctuary said.
Kraft was taken to a nearby hospital. He will be recovering for several months.
Bowie is fine and will not be euthanised, the group said.
It only takes a fraction of a second for a captive wild animal to revert to their instinctual behaviour
Kraft is a former Las Vegas performer who stopped using big cats in his shows. He began urging other entertainers to stop and developed Keepers of the Wild to provide a home for exotic animals.
Keepers of the Wild is home to 50 different species and subspecies of exotic and native wildlife, according to the statement. The various habitats occupy more than 0.23 sq km (0.09 square miles) of developed land, and the big cat species occupy 20 individual areas.
The zookeeper was hospitalised with cuts and puncture wounds.
Officials have said they are reviewing the zoo’s animal handling protocols because the tiger should have been secured and wasn’t. The zoo did not consider euthanising the tiger.
