Tiger death: family hit back at zoo park claims

Photo: a Sumatran tiger similar to the animal that killed Sarah McClay, pictured right

The 24-year-old died when she was mauled by a Sumatran tiger at South Lakes Wild Animal Park, in Dalton-in-Furness, Cumbria, on Friday afternoon.

Her brother Stephen said that the family had been hurt by suggestions by the park’s owner, David Gill, that she had died because of a “keeper error” and “a sad error of judgment”.

“These are unsubstantiated claims by a man with an obvious axe to grind,” he said.

“My family and I feel his comments are ill-advised, premature and disrespectful. He’s laying the blame squarely at her door before the official police inquiries have begun. It has caused hurt to our family.”

These are unsubstantiated claims by a man with an obvious axe to grind. My family and I feel his comments are ill-advised, premature and disrespectful – Zoo worker’s brother

In a statement, Ms McClay’s family thanked the efforts of the emergency services and asked people to donate to a fund for the conservation of red squirrels in her memory.

An elaborate enclosure of gates at the Cumbrian zoo park means the animals and its keepers should remain apart at all times, Cumbrian police said. But this system failed with fatal consequences.

Victim in ‘staff area’

Cumbrian detectives said they do not suspect foul play or suicide: they said Ms McClay was carrying out her routine duties in an enclosure to which animals are not allowed access, but that she was then confronted by the animal which somehow managed to access to the pen.

Detective Chief Inspector Bob Qazi said: “We are still trying to establish exactly how and why the tiger has been able to get from the pen into the staff area and at the moment believe this to be because of a human or system error, or mechanical failing, or combination of both.”

Writing on the park’s Facebook page, Mr Gill said: “We have made a statement that from the investigations that have taken place it is clear that this tragedy was caused by a sad error of judgment and breach of protocols, in essence, keeper error.

“This is not blame, it is not anything but defining the facts as they appear.

“This does not mean Sarah killed herself on purpose it means simply she died from her own tragic mistake.”