Zoo’s radical move as more details emerge on lion mauling

The Queensland zoo where a teacher lost an arm in a lion attack has made a massive change as the victim prepares for a second round of surgery.

Joanne Cabban was at the Darling Downs Zoo and she lost her arm after being mauled by a Lion. Picture 7News

The schoolteacher who lost an arm in a lion mauling at Queensland zoo will undergo a second surgery today as the facility bans anyone but keepers to enter the area where the attack happened.

Joanna Cabban was visiting the Darling Downs Zoo, which is owned by her sister Stephanie and Steve Robinson, when she was attacked by a lioness.

The Courier-Mail revealed Ms Cabban was inside a “holding pen” alongside her sister and a young keeper when the attack happened about 8.30am on Sunday.

Ms Robinson’s belt was used as a tourniquet after the attack to save Ms Cabban, who was flown to Princes Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane where she remains in a stable condition.

On Wednesday, Mr Robinson said his sister-in-law was expected to undergo a second surgery on Thursday, and his wife had been at her bedside since Sunday.

“She is feeling terrible … they are very close,” he said.

“It’s going to be a long process.”

NSW teacher Joanne Cabban has been identified as the zoo keeper who lost an arm after being attacked by a lion.

Ms Cabban lives in Parkes with her husband Rick Cabban and teaches at Red Bend Catholic College in Forbes and was visiting for the school holidays at the time of the incident.

Mr Cabban has since made the 936km journey to his wife’s bedside and arrived in Brisbane on Monday.

According to Ms Cabban’s LinkedIn page she has been an administration co-ordinator and

Physics teacher at the college since 1993.

In a statement to The Courier-Mail on Wednesday, the college described Ms Cabban as a “much loved member” of the community.

“Jo Cabban is a much-loved member not only of our Red Bend College community but also of our broader Forbes and Parkes communities,” the statement said.

“Our prayers and thoughts are with her and her family.”

Mr Robinson said Ms Cabban often took photographs of the animals and turned those photos into calendars at Christmas for friends and family.

An investigation by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland remains ongoing into what led to Ms Cabban’s attack.

Owner of the Darling Downs Zoo Steve Robinson. Picture 7News

A WHSQ spokeswoman said inspectors had issued a number of “compliance notices” to the zoo including a “prohibition notice to prevent similar incidents from occurring”.

The spokeswoman would not confirm what the prohibition notice was in relation to.

But Mr Robinson said it was in regards to the “holding areas” of the zoo where the incident had occurred.

“The zoo has made several new protocols as a result of the [prohibition notice] we won’t have anyone other than keepers in the core area, that is the area behind the animal enclosures where the keepers service the animals,” he said.

“We have issued new protocols only trained keepers to enter the area where the incident happened.”

The WHSQ spokeswoman said once the investigation was completed, it would be determined whether the matter was referred to the Office of the Work Health and Safety Prosecutor Queensland office for review.

“WHSQ inspectors have issued a number of compliance notices to the business to ensure compliance with WHS legislation, including a prohibition notice to prevent similar incidents from occurring,” the spokeswoman said.

Originally published as Zoo’s radical move as more details emerge on lion mauling