Nadezhda Srivastava, 44, is still in intensive care with lung, chest and abdominal injuries after being savaged by a tiger
An experienced zookeeper who was badly mauled by a tiger in Russia is now facing prosecution over the attack, it has been revealed.
Nadezhda Srivastava, a 44-year-old mother-of-three, was left in critical condition after being savaged by male tiger Typhoon at Kaliningrad Zoo at the weekend.
But she now faces disciplinary and possibly criminal action after zoo bosses accused her of ‘a gross violation of safety regulations’ by failing to check a gate between sections of the tiger enclosure was locked before going to feed the big cat.
An internal investigation found ‘the reason why the tiger went out into the open-air enclosure at the moment when zoo-technician was cleaning the enclosure, was that the gate, which blocks the animal’s access from the inner cage, was not closed.
‘According to the safety rules, before entering the open-air enclosure, the worker is obliged to move the animal to the inner cage, to make sure that the animal is securely locked and only after that enter.’
A pre-investigation check is underway by the Russian FBI – called the Investigative Committee (IC) – which could lead to prosecutions under civil or criminal law.
Doctors have so far refused to allow the IC to speak with Mrs Srivastava about the incident.
The IC said: ‘Measures are being taken to establish all the circumstances of the incident, the condition of the victim and the nature of the injuries.’
Afterwards, a decision would be taken on any legal action.
But bosses at Kaliningrad Zoo say the experienced keeper is facing disciplinary action and possible prosecution after accusing her of safety failings
Zoo bosses say Mrs Srivastava failed to check that a gate between an inner and outer pen in the tiger enclosure was locked before going to feed the animal
Mrs Srivastava was attacked by 16-year-old male tiger Typhoon for 10 minutes until guests managed to distract the big cat, allowing her to get to safety
The case hit the headlines after deeply shocking images of the attack – which only finished after guests threw tables, chairs, and rocks to distract the tiger – went viral.
Mrs Srivastava, a doctor’s wife, is still in intensive care with ‘serious’ injuries but is able to eat and talk.
She suffered lung damage, chest, abdominal and limb injuries, according to chief doctor Alexander Makarevich.
However, a former director of the zoo has questioned why Mrs Srivastava – a keen wildlife photographer – was trying to feed the tiger and clean the compound alone when rules say a second employee must be there too.
She believed ‘staff shortages’ maybe to blame rather than the experienced keeper.
She also claimed the lock could have malfunctioned.
Lyudmila Anoka, 69, who headed the zoo for more than 20 years, said: ‘This was clearly an accident, not the overconfidence of the employee.
‘She knows perfectly well what a wild animal is.’
Lyudmila Anoka, a former director of the zoo, has spoken out against current director Svetlana Sokolova, saying under-staffing and faulty locks are more likely to blame
Horrified guests threw tables, chairs and rocks at Typhoon until he stopped his attack
Despite the attack, zoo bosses say Typhoon will not be put down and is ‘in a normal state’
The zoo has now thanked visitors for saving the keeper’s life by scaring away the predator.
Current director Svetlana Sokolova said: ‘Visitors did everything right when they started shouting and calling for help.
‘Many thanks to them for reacting quickly and helping to drive the animal away from Nadezhda.’
This commotion scared the 16-year-old tiger and it moved away from the keeper allowing her to flee covered in blood after the ten minute attack to a safe zone from where she was taken to an ambulance.
Male Siberian – or Amur – tigers are the largest big cats in the world.
Dmitry, one of those who saved the keeper said: ‘I saw the woman lying the tiger is on her, biting her elbows, hands, and fingers.
‘There was blood everywhere.
‘At first there were three men … and we threw paving stones at the tiger.’
The animal has not been put down and will not be destroyed, say the zoo, despite the attack.
The animal ‘is in a normal state’.