Big cat expert offers terrifying theory behind what might have triggered lion’s attack on woman in Darling Downs zoo

A big cat expert has offered a terrifying theory behind what may have triggered a lion to maul a woman inside an enclosure at an Aussie zoo, ripping her arm off.

A big cat expert has revealed why a woman may have lost her arm during a lion attack in the enclosure of a Queensland zoo.

Emergency services were called to Darling Downs Zoo, near Toowoomba, at about 8.30am on Sunday to reports a woman in her 50s had been bitten by one of the big cats.

It’s understand the woman, who was not employed by the zoo but has had more than 20 years experience with lions, was watching over the keepers working inside the carnivore enclosure.

Conservation Biologist and Scientist Dr Alexander Braczkowski believes the incident could be a result of “one million different things” when it comes to a behavioural standpoint.

“It could be a lowering of the human body level, generally big cats respond in some sort of fear to humans,” he told news.com.au.

“Humans in an upright stance, they kind of see us as a bipedal (two legged) ape with forward facing eyes – so if you get low, and if you change your body shape, that can obviously trigger certain inquisitiveness from the animal.

Dr Alex Braczkowski believes a change in body language may have sparked the attack. Picture: Supplied

“From what I saw (the woman) was watching the keepers in the predator precinct.

“These people are in an enclosure with an adult lioness, even if it is in ‘human hand raised’.”

Dr Braczkowski, who splits his time between the Sunshine State and running a lion monitoring effort in Uganda, said regardless of the woman’s experience no one except for registered staff should have been inside the enclosure.

“Essentially, gold international standard of managing big cats and any kind of large mammals is a practice known as protective care – it’s protective care of both the keepers and the animals,” he said.

“That protective care is really about trying to minimise dangerous contact between the animals and the caretaker … so keeping actual space from the enclosure, or separating the animal in a secondary enclosure when you are cleaning or maintaining that cage.

Dr Braczkowski (pictured wearing grey shirt) runs a lion monitoring effort in Uganda. Picture: National Geographic

“The second question is how did a non-member of staff even get into close proximity with an adult lioness?

“I’m not trying to be patronising, but I find it quite difficult to use the argument ‘oh, this person has experience’.”

The big cat expert said it was dangerous being in close proximity with a lion regardless of being in a captive setting.

Talking about the lioness encounters offered to visitors by the zoo, Dr Braczkowski said: “I’ve said to people 95 per cent of the time it’ll probably be okay, but 5 per cent of the time it won’t be okay – if you’ve got a 250kg male lion, 180kg lioness.

“You know they’re going to do damage to you.”

A woman in her 50s has lost her arm after being bitten by a lion at Darling Downs Zoo on Sunday. Picture: 7News

He praised the paramedics and hospital staff treating the woman, who remains in a stable condition at Brisbane’s Princess Alexandra Hospital and is set to undergo further surgery.

“I think the Australian medical authorities should be immensely proud of themselves,” he said.

“Just the sheer damage that lions can do in terms of blood loss, in terms of actually hurting a person – I mean this is pretty much smack bang testament to that.”

The woman – described as a “much-loved member of our family” – had been observing keepers working when the incident occurred, the zoo said in a social media post on Sunday.

“This is something that she has done many, many times over the past 20 years,” it wrote.

“She is well-versed in safety protocols around potentially dangerous animals.

She was observing keepers in the enclosure. Picture: 7News

She remains in a stable condition in hospital after the attack. Picture: 7News

“Inexplicably, at this stage, one animal grabbed her by one arm and caused severe damage to it. At no stage did this animal leave its enclosure and there was no risk at all to staff members or members of the public.”

The zoo confirmed the animal did not leave its enclosure at any stage and there was no risk to staff members or the public.

Another follow-up post indicated the woman was not a keeper or an immediate family member of the owners, and also asserted the animal “will definitely not be put down or punished in any way”.