Footage featured on a television program.
In November 1997, a zookeeper cleaning an enclosure at Nasu Safari Park was attacked by a female lion, sustaining severe injuries—including claw wounds that reached his lungs. This incident is counted among the park’s “three major animal-attack accidents.” A video captured by a tourist at the time contains the raw, real-time audio of the zookeeper during the attack.
Visitor: “What’s being eaten? Oh god, what if it’s a person?”
Male zookeeper: “It hurts…”
Visitor: “Huh?”
Video
Recurring animal-related incidents at Nasu Safari Park
The footage appears to refer to an incident on November 13, 1997—one of the three major animal-related injury accidents at Nasu Safari Park. It is reported that a female lion attacked two staff members—a zookeeper and a female trainee—after preparations for feeding began without the enclosure door being properly closed. Following the incident, the park established a safety management manual for staff handling carnivorous animals, and the person in charge at the time was referred to prosecutors for violating occupational health and safety regulations. Tochigi Prefecture reportedly urged the park to join the Japanese Association of Zoos and Aquariums, but the park did not comply.
However, this manual was not strictly enforced; on December 25, 2000, a male zookeeper was bitten by a lion while cleaning, leaving him in critical condition. On January 5, 2022, three zookeepers were attacked by a tiger that had been left inside an enclosure; one woman suffered severe injuries, including the loss of her right wrist, and in 2024, individuals involved were issued fines. Furthermore, a fatal accident involving a zookeeper occurred in 2023 at Tohoku Safari Park in Fukushima Prefecture—which is operated by the same company—indicating that issues with safety management systems extend beyond a single facility.
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