Dreamworld to scrap major interaction

Dreamworld in the Gold Coast has made a huge move regarding its tigers – and it may leave them depressed.

Dreamworld in the Gold Coast has put an end to human interaction with tigers following an incident in September.

The popular theme park stopped allowing visitor encounters with tigers, including photos and walks with members of the public, several years ago.

And after one of its handlers was attacked by a resident tiger leaving her with “serious lacerations and puncture wounds” to her arm and shoulder, it promised a full review.

Prior to the September incident, two handlers were taken to hospital after being injured in 2011.

The venue will now install a series of fences and gates after it “invested significantly” in upgrading its tiger habitats and facilities.

Dreamworld will end human interaction with tigers. Picture: Nigel Hallett

This means the theme park will no longer have team members handle tigers — a proposal it floated several years ago, but that has now become official.

“In November 2022, Dreamworld shared its intention to transition Tiger Island to an

environment in which tigers and handlers do not interact directly,” it said in a statement.

“Since this time, Dreamworld has invested significantly in upgrading its tiger habitats and

facilities to enable this transition. Construction of the alterations required is near complete.

“The safety of team members, guests and animals are Dreamworld’s highest priority.”

It has transitioned its tiger program to a non-handled operation. Picture: Nigel Hallett

It continued: “As a result, Dreamworld has now transitioned its tiger program to a non-handled operation.

“Tigers remain a critical part of the experience at Dreamworld and for Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation, which has contributed over $2.2 million in funding for tiger conservation projects in the field via Wildcats Conservation Alliance since 2012.”

The theme park is moving away from handler and tiger interaction. Picture: Nigel Hallett

The theme park said tigers remain a critical part of the experience at Dreamworld and for Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation.

The statement said guests will continue seeing tigers on exhibit, and in time, will receive a re-imagined educational presentation at Tiger Island about the importance of tiger conservation.

According to its site, guests can “get up close” to tigers in its Tiger Island Up Close exhibit.

It features “viewing tunnels into the exhibit, which children can crawl through, and large viewing areas where you can get so close you could feel the breath of a tiger”.

There’s a Tiger Island Up Close exhibit and feed experience. Picture: Dreamworld website

There’s also a tiger feed experience where guests, over the age of 13 unless accompanied by an adult, can have a 15-minute experience with the animal, feeding it through a specially designed hole.

The newly installed fences and gates will allow the tigers to move between the Tiger Island attraction and areas back-of-house without having to come into direct contact with humans, the Courier Mail reported.

A source told the publication tigers may struggle with the changes as all they have ever known is to be around handlers.

“[And] and this sudden cessation could have an impact on their welfare,” an insider said.

During covid lockdowns, studies showed Dreamworld tigers exhibited signs of stress and depression due to the lack of human interaction – as such staffers spent their breaks at the Tiger Island attraction to give the tigers a greater human presence, according to the publication.

News.com.au has contacted Dreamworld for further comment

Meanwhile, in July this year Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary also scrapped its iconic koala cuddle photo opportunity with visitors.