American woman dies after lion attack in park

A LION has dragged a woman from an open car window and killed her at a popular South African game park. WARNING: GRAPHIC IMAGES

CREDIT: GETTY ONLINE USE ONLY JOHANNESBURG; SOUTH AFRICA - JUNE, 1: The vehicle believed to have been carrying the victim seen in a cordoned-off area inside a lion enclosure on June, 1, 2105, in Johannesburg, South Africa. A 22-year-old American woman has been killed by a lion at the Lion Park in Johannesburg, South Africa. Another person has been injured in the attack which took place on Monday, June, 1. According to reports, eyewitnesses saw a lioness jump through the window of the vehicle, killing the woman and leaving the other person in the car in hospital. The set includes a photo of what is believed to be the vehicle the deceased was travelling in at the time of the attack. PHOTOGRAPH BY Greatstock / Barcroft Media (Photo credit should read Greatstock / Barcroft Media via Getty Images)

A LION has leapt through an open car window and mauled an American tourist to death at a privately run game park just outside Johannesburg.

“There was a car driving to the lion camp and the lion did come through the window and bite the lady,” Scott Simpson, operations manager of The Lion Park venue told Talk Radio 702.

“The ambulance arrived quite soon, but the lady had passed away.”

Popular ... the incident is the latest in a series of attacks at the park. Picture: Facebook/Prakash Gupta

The 22-year-old woman and another American tourist were travelling through the park, northwest of South Africa’s biggest city, with their car windows open on Monday.

The second tourist, a man, suffered serious injuries while trying to save the victim who was sitting in the car passenger seat.

The incident is the latest in a series of attacks at the park, which is popular with both locals and foreigners.

You're at LION PARK (a place roaming lions), with your window open...what do you think can going happen?

— Swaz'elimhlophe! (@mgagaso) June 1, 2015

Its a Lion Park, not a "Lion Themed Park".. This aint no staged production!

— Bond.. Mortgage Bond (@SuperTed_X) June 1, 2015

Visited Lion Park 6yrs ago… saw a caution sign, "…lions have a habit of chewing on tyres…" i U-Turned the hell out of there! #LionAttack

— Outside Fighter™ (@ladyj_oy) June 1, 2015

In March, an Australian tourist was injured by a lioness after driving through the park with his car windows open. Perth man Brendan Smith had touched down in South Africa less than 36 hours before a lion had jumped “through the car window and decided to go to town on my legs.”

I wish I was LION but can now say I have life access to the people who have been mauled by a lion group. No later then...

Posted by Brendan Smith on Thursday, March 26, 2015

Two days later, a 13-year-old from a nearby slum was attacked by a cheetah while riding a bicycle through the grounds.

In December 2013, a former South African franchise rugby player Brett Tucker and his family were attacked by a lion at the same park, with his father reportedly suffering minor injuries.

The park has more than 85 lions, including rare white lions, and a variety of other animals, including giraffes and ostriches.

Warning ... visitors are encouraged to have close interactions with many of the animals but remail inside vehicles. Picture: Getty

According to its website, Lion Park guarantees “super close-up animal views” but it does order visitors to keep their car windows shut.

The park has previously come under fire for allowing visitors to pet lion cubs.

It was also recently accused of breeding lions for “canned hunting” — a trophy hunt in which an animal is kept in a confined area — a charge it refutes.

I hope Lion Park doesn't put the lion down!

— Swaz'elimhlophe! (@mgagaso) June 1, 2015

#savethelion Please don't let there be a knee jerk reaction to the Lion Park death, and the lion is put down!!!

— Sharon Peetz (@SharonPeetz) June 1, 2015