Shoalhaven Zoo’s second animal attack after keeper bitten by lion

A zoo keeper bitten by a lion at a New South Wales zoo today is not the first time there’s been an animal attack at the park.

Shoalhaven Zoo has been hit with a second animal attack in six years.

The animal park in Nowra in NSW made headlines in 2014 after a popular zoo keeper was attacked by a huge crocodile during a feeding demonstration.

Today a woman is fighting for her life after being bitten by a lion at the zoo.

Her attack comes after Trent Burton, once described on social media as “the Shoalhaven’s version of Steve Irwin”, was bitten by a croc six years ago.

Mr Burton was feeding 3.7m monster John when the reptile clamped down on his hand.

A zoo keeper is loaded from an ambulance to a helicopter after a lion attacked her at Shoalhaven Zoo. Picture: Sam Strong

The woman is said to be fighting for her life. Picture: Sam Strong

Shocked zoo visitors watched on as Mr Burton was dragged into the water by the hand before he managed to escape.

Thankfully no visitors had been at the park today during the lion attack because of coronavirus lockdown restrictions.

It’s understood there are at least six lions at the zoo, some of them white lions named the “Roarsome Foursome”.

The moment Trent Burton was attacked by a croc. Picture: 7 News

Made up of two female and two male white lions, the natives of South Africa’s Timbavati region can grow to about 300kg.

Last year, the males Jabari and Kibwana, weighed in about 200kg.

When the zoo is open guests can feed the cats alongside a keeper.

The park received the white lions in 2016 from a zoo in Tasmania.

In 2019 it also got two young male lions from Africa, named Ariel and Juda.

The wait is over! We are very excited and would like to introduce you to our 4 White Lions who arrived late last night....

Posted by Shoalhaven Zoo on Saturday, April 9, 2016

WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT THE ZOO

Shoalhaven Zoo was formerly known as the Nowra Animal Park.

It has more than 100 species of animals and is set on 6.5ha of native bushland on the South Coast of NSW.

It is family owned and operated.