A zookeeper has died after being attacked by a lion in front of horrified visitors at a zoo.
Babaji Daule was an experienced lion handler at the Presidential Library Wildlife Park in Abeokuta in Nigeria’s Ogun state.
According to reports, the 35-year-old had taken a group of visitors after hours to show them the lion’s feeding routine on Saturday evening (September 28).
But tragically, during the demonstration the big cat attacked Babaji and mauled him to death.
A statement from police spokesperson Omolala Odutola said: “The lion inflicted serious fatal injuries to the man’s neck.”
Officers had to shoot the lion in order to ‘release its grip on the handler’, with a statement from the Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library (OOPL) saying: “To prevent further mutilation of the body, the animal was put down immediately by personnel of the park.”
The statement went on to say that Babaji had left a safety protection gate open while feeding the animal.
The lion mauled the keeper to death (Paul A. Souders / Getty Stock Image)
It explained that he had done so as he had felt ‘comfortable’ around the lion.
The statement read: “The zookeeper, apparently, feeling comfortable with the animal, left the safety protection gate open and proceeded to feed the animal. He was mauled by the animal and died on the spot.”
According to the Daily Post Nigeria, the OOPL said in a statement: “It is important to state that this activity fell completely outside the standard feeding routine of the park.”
The attack has reportedly caused concern about the the regulation of zoos which handle dangerous animals.
In the case of the Presidential Library Wildlife Park, information on the park’s website says: “Highlights of our Zoo’s collection are lions, spotted and striped hyenas, a Marabou Stork, pythons and a striking aviary that houses several species of fowl.”
The tragedy raised questions about safety procedures (Nag Arjun / 500px / Getty Stock Image)
The zoo’s website states that it houses more than 140 indigenous and exotic wild animals.
It explains that the zoo was founded as a way to encourage conservation of wildlife and to educate the public about the natural world, as well as being a way to promote tourism.
A police statement about the tragedy said: “On September 28, 2024, at about 7:40 hrs [p.m. local time] the Chief Security Officer of Olusegun Obasanjo Presidential Library informed the divisional police officer that a 35-year-old man named Babaji Daule from Bauchi State, who is a trained handler of a male lion at the Zoological Garden in OOPL Abeokuta, tragically lost his life.”
The ‘world’s loneliest lion’ is finally on track to make some new friends and we couldn’t be happier for him.
15-year-old Ruben, who was left by himself at an abandoned zoo in Armenia for five years, has found freedom after being rescued by a sanctuary in South Africa.
According to the animal rescue organisation Animal Defenders International (ADI), he was the only remaining animal left at a private zoo in Armenia that closed five years ago.
New homes were found for the shuttered zoo’s other animals, but none had the space and facilities the lion required.
As a result, he was abandoned in a concrete cell where he stayed for five years, his mobility deteriorating due to malnutrition and lack of exercise.
YouTube/NewYorkPost
“Lions are the most sociable of the big cats, living in family prides in the wild,” ADI President Jan Creamer explained in a statement. “So it must have been devastating for Ruben to have no contact or communication with other lions.”
Fortunately, ADI were able to help the ‘world’s loneliest lion’ and, alongside Qatar Airways Cargo’s WeQare charity, arranged for Ruben to make 5,200-mile trip to the ADI Wildlife Sanctuary in South Africa.
After a successful flight, Ruben is now settling in to his new home where he will live alongside 32 other rescued lions and tigers.
“Ruben was really in trouble until Qatar Airways Cargo stepped up,” Creamer said. “ADI had been funding his care in Armenia since December, and when we could find no flights for him, we feared he could be stuck there.”
YouTube/NewYorkPost
His habitat at the sanctuary has been adapted with ramps and guard rails to help the lion stay safe while he works on regaining his mobility.
And Ruben seems a whole lot happier in his new home.
In an official news release, ADI said: “Ruben has already started to get his roar back, his morning calls getting steadily louder as he regains his confidence.”
“Seeing him walk on grass for the first time, hearing the voices of his own kind, with the African sun on his back, brought us all to tears,” said Creamer.
She added that Ruben’s demeanour has totally changed since he arrived at the sanctuary, claiming he is a lot less fearful.
“His determination to walk is inspiring. If he stumbles or falls, he just picks himself up and keeps going. He is nothing short of heroic. Incredibly, in just a few days, his movement is already improving,” she said.
“We know this will be a long road and will require ongoing veterinary treatment, but the start of his new life could not have been better.”
Is anyone else crying?
A woman in the Netherlands learned the horrific and unexpected consequences that can come from simply smiling at an animal after she was attacked by a gorilla.
If you’re an animal lover, it can be pretty hard not to smile at the creatures.
It might be because they’re cute, funny, or even appear to be smiling at you first – there’s just something about them that brings joy.
But visitors to Diergaarde Blijdorp zoo in Rotterdam had been advised by a zookeeper not to smile or even make eye contact with one particular resident; a 400-pound gorilla named Bokito.
Bokito the gorilla managed to escape his enclosure (JERRY LAMPEN/AFP via Getty Images)
One man who visited the zoo with his 57-year-old wife recalled getting the advice from the zookeeper, but the woman was a regular visitor at the zoo and often smiled at Bokito when she saw him.
In fact, the woman had reportedly been visiting the gorilla almost daily since he was four months old, meaning she was very familiar with the huge creature.
“I even have pictures and videos from Berlin when he was only 4 months old,” the woman said in an interview with local newspaper De Telegraaf.
“If I laugh at him, he laughs back.”
It sounds like a friendly relationship, but things took a turn one day in 2007 after children visiting the zoo began throwing rocks towards Bokito.
The gorilla then jumped over his enclosure to where his regular female visitor was stood, and began attacking her.
Zookeepers had to tranquilize Bokito (Rob Doolaard/AFP via Getty Images)
Bokito reportedly dragging her around, bit her and caused multiple fractures. He then continued his rampage into a restaurant, where three more people were injured.
Eventually, zookeepers were able to get Bokito under control by sedating him with a tranquilizer gun, after which he was taken back to his enclosure.
Meanwhile, the woman was taken to hospital to be treated for her injuries.
According to the Great Adventure Safaris website, humans are advised against making eye contact with gorillas as they might be considered an ‘enemy’.
The site states: “To mountain gorillas, any person who keeps direct eye contact with them is a challenger and an enemy who comes to destroy the family.
“Direct eye contact will therefore force the silverback to charge and fight you in order to defend his family. If you want to be peaceful with gorillas, you should avoid eye contact.”
The woman admitted she thought she was going to ‘die’ while being attacked by the gorilla, but in spite of the incident she said had no ill feelings towards Bokito, saying: “He is and remains my darling.”
