Girl (2) and mother horribly savaged by tapir at the Dublin Zoo

the Dublin Zoo tapir involved in an attack on a two-year-old girl yesterday, with her new calf

Rio,

 

A TWO-year old girl is in serious condition in hospital after being attacked by an animal in Dublin Zoo.

The young girl received serious abdominal and arm injuries after she was attacked by a female tapir in the zoo.

The toddler's mother was also hurt when she tried to intervene and stop the usually docile animal from savaging her young daughter.

The horrific incident happened yesterday afternoon during a supervised encounter visit to the Brazilian tapir enclosure.

It is understood to have left the child unconscious and with deep lacerations on her stomach and arm caused by the animal's powerful jaws.

The child was last night continuing to receive treatment from surgeons at Temple Street Children's Hospital while the toddler's mother was treated in the Mater Hospital.

The incident happened after the family were allowed to view the animals from a closer vantage point than most visitors.

Despite being closely monitored by expert workers, it is understood the female tapir called Rio, who just gave birth to a calf last month, was panicked.

The attack followed, resulting in the child receiving serious injuries.

A Dublin Zoo spokesperson said "there was an unfortunate accident involving a mother and her child in the Brazilian tapir area" during one of the facility's "regular supervised animal visits".

She said zoo managers have launched an investigation into what exactly happened. As a result of the incident they are reviewing all procedures, especially in relation to supervised animal visits.

"Dublin Zoo would like to underline this was very much an isolated incident. We would also like to emphasise that our immediate concern is the health and well-being of the visitors involved in this accident."

"The staff of Dublin Zoo are deeply upset by this incident and their utmost concern lies with the visitors and their speedy recovery," she added.

A tapir is a Brazilian animal that looks similar to an anteater. The usually docile animal is fast and powerful.

Rio gave birth to a baby tapir in the zoo recently. The calf was the second to be born to the tapir at the zoo.

In 1998 a zookeeper lost her arm after being attacked by a tapir at the Oklahoma City Zoo.

Zoo officials were not certain why the tapir, a female from Malaysia, attacked the keeper, who was feeding the animal before the zoo opened to visitors. The tapir's two-month-old calf was also in the cage at the time.

Irish Independent