Deadly White Tiger Attack Kills Guardian at Japan Zoo

In this archival photo from February 7, 2006, a white tiger sits in his pen at Zion Wildlife Park in Whangarei, New Zealand. A zoo keeper was killed on Monday, October 8, 2018 by a white tiger at Hirakawa Zoological Park in Kagoshima, Japan.

Police in southern Japan announced Tuesday that she was investigating the death of a zookeeper during an apparent attack by a white tiger.

According to police, Akira Furusho was found in blood, lying on the ground and lying on the ground Monday night in a tiger cage at Hirakawa Zoo in Kagoshima.

Zoo officials said they believed that Furusho had been attacked while he was trying to move a male tiger from his cage to his night cage.

The 170-kilogram (375-pound) animal is one of four rare white tigers in the city's zoo.

Furusho was transported to the hospital but his death was later made. The results of his autopsy are pending.

Police said she was investigating the establishment of adequate security measures at the zoo.

Nobody saw the moment of the apparent attack. The tiger was calmed with a calming pistol.

Director of Akinori Zoo Ishido said at a televised press conference that he was saddened by the loss of his staff. He added that safety procedures at the zoo are designed so that guards do not enter a cage to feed or clean themselves while the animals are inside.

The guardian had entered the same space as the animal, said Ishido.

Furusho's family has asked the zoo to keep the tiger alive, according to NHK public television.

The white tiger area was closed to the public while the police were investigating.

Copyright Associated Press