Witnesses tell of shocking moment trainer Dave Styles mauled by tiger at Australia Zoo

UPDATE: Australia Zoo tiger handler Dave Styles and his family do not want the animal that attacked him euthanised, it was said today.

AUSTRALIA Zoo tiger handler Dave Styles and his family do not want the animal that attacked him euthanised, it was said today.

Mr Styles is recuperating in the Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital after surgery to repair soft tissue damage to his neck and shoulder.

He was yesterday bitten on the neck by Charlie, a male Sumatran-Bengal mix that he had raised from a cub.

Zoo director Wes Mannion told media today the attack was not the tiger's fault because the big cat thought it was just playing.

"There was nothing malicious in it, he just got excited," said Mr Mannion.

"There's a line, it's just like when playing with family dog or cat you know when you get them to a point and you go hang on sit down and unfortunately he got a little bit over the top that particular time and we'll look closely."

Mr Mannion said the experienced keeper was surrounded by family and friends and did not want retribution against Charlie.

When asked if the tiger should be put down, Mr Mannion said, "no".

"I know Dave and his family don't want that and of course it's not the animal's fault, plain and simple," he said.

"It was just over-exuberance from the animal's part and it's not his fault."

Mr Mannion said the zoo would review its internal processes, "crossing all the I's and dotting all the T's" to prevent future incidents.

Workplace Health and Safety is also investigating.

Earlier it was reported, THE tiger that attacked an experienced cat handler at Australia Zoo on Tuesday had been raised by him since it was a cub.

Shocked witnesses told of seeing Dave Styles grabbed and dragged into the pool inside the tiger enclosure just after the daily show while he was apparently wrestling with the animal.

During the attack Mr Styles - who has worked with big cats since 2005 - was bitten on the neck while in the water, suffering several puncture wounds near vital blood vessels and significant blood loss.

Shocking moment Australia Zoo tiger attacks

Australia Zoo handler Dave Styles is attacked by the tiger, He was left with serious injuries. Picture: Channel 7

RACQ Care Flight Doctor Andrew Haggerty said the injuries could have been much worse, and the Australia Zoo worker is lucky to be alive thanks to quick thinking from mates and emergency workers.

"When you consider the power of a tiger it could have been a lot worse," Dr Haggerty said.

"The three puncture wounds to his neck were very severe. These sorts of injuries are very dangerous and have the ability to go from stable to potentially life threatening in a matter of minutes.

"He can credit the quick thinking of his mates for getting him out of the enclosure to safety and the work from local ambulance crews for his survival. It was a real team effort."

Dr Haggerty said the man was able to speak to medical crews about his injuries before falling unconscious.

"It wasn't as though he was making light conversation, but initially he was able to talk to us and tell us the extent of his injuries," he said.

"It was difficult at first to establish how much blood he had lost as he was pulled from the water by his crew, so having him tell us what was happening was a big help.

"The staff at Australia Zoo were well trained and worked quickly on scene.

"It's not everyday you get a call for a tiger attack, hopefully it's my first and last."

Another handler moves in to help Dave Styles as the tiger attacks. Picture: Channel 7

Mr Styles was in Royal Brisbane Hospital in a stable condition after having surgery on puncture wounds to his neck.

Australia Zoo curator Kelsey Engle said Mr Styles was on the mend.

Still from Jake D'Olimpio's camera showing Australia Zoo tiger...

"Dave Styles is in a stable condition and continues to improve," Engle said ina statement.

Earlier, Mr Styles was flown from the Sunshine Coast by the RACQ CareFlight rescue helicopter.

Witness Carly Fritsch, of the Gold Coast, said the cat seemed to being trying to keep the man in the water after its initial grab at him.

"(The trainer) was wrestling with one of the tigers and it suddenly grabbed his shoulders and lunged at his neck,'' she said, adding other zoo workers quickly came to the rescue.

Witness Jake D'Olimpio, 14, from Perth said perhaps four other workers physically fought to separate the pair in the water.

"One of them was hitting it with a stick,'' Jake said.

Still from Jake D'Olimpio's camera showing Australia Zoo tiger...

Ms Fritsch said when the injured trainer stood back up "you could see he had been pierced''

About half the crowd from the scheduled tiger show had lingered after its end to watch some more action as trainers played with the big cats - an event which was being filmed for the BBC.

RACQ CareFlight Rescue doctor Andy Haggerty said: "The gentleman was obviously a seriously ill man."

An Australia Zoo handler (left) swings a stick at the tiger as other staff move to get Mr Styles, now bleeding from the neck, away from the animal. Picture: Jake D'Olimpio

Australia Zoo staff manage to get Mr Styles (at right in dark pants) away from the tiger. Picture: Jake D'Olimpio l

Mr Styles was in Royal Brisbane Hospital in a stable condition after having surgery on puncture wounds to his neck.

Australia Zoo curator Kelsey Engle said Mr Styles was on the mend.

Jake D'Olimpio used his phone to catch the shocking moment a tiger attacked a trainer at Australia Zoo. Picture: Glenn Barnes

"Dave Styles is in a stable condition and continues to improve," Engle said ina statement.

Earlier, Mr Styles was flown from the Sunshine Coast by the RACQ CareFlight rescue helicopter.

Witness Carly Fritsch, of the Gold Coast, said the cat seemed to being trying to keep the man in the water after its initial grab at him.

"(The trainer) was wrestling with one of the tigers and it suddenly grabbed his shoulders and lunged at his neck,'' she said, adding other zoo workers quickly came to the rescue.

Witness Jake D'Olimpio, 14, from Perth said perhaps four other workers physically fought to separate the pair in the water.

"One of them was hitting it with a stick,'' Jake said.

Director of Australia Zoo Wes Mannion said the senior tiger handler had raised the male tiger since it arrived at Australia Zoo as a cub.

Australia Zoo would not reveal which tiger was responsible.

The Zoo's website says it keeps three Bengals and eight Sumatrans.

"Our priority is the well-being of the handler, who is a valued member of our Australia Zoo family," Mr Mannion said.

"At the time of the incident, our emergency response team were on the scene immediately. They acted professionally and calmly. My hat goes off to them".

Mr Styles has been working with tigers since 2005 after making the switch from marine mammals.

###