Siberian tigers at a wildlife park in Beijing killed one woman and injured another after they exited their car in an enclosure, according to Chinese media.
The tragedy took place on Saturday when the younger woman, in her 30s, left her private car while touring Beijing Badaling Wildlife World.
Video footage shows a tiger immediately pouncing on her. He then drags her away and out of the camera’s view. A male driver leaps out of the car seemingly unsure of what to do before going after the woman.
Video: Tiger drags woman off, mauls another to death after they leave car following wildlife park row in Beijinghttps://t.co/asK5BUKasJ
— China Xinhua News (@XHNews) July 25, 2016
The victim’s mother, 57, also gets out of the car from the back seat to help.The video shows a green jeep going after the family.
“That is the security assurance patrol car of the park,” local government spokesperson, Wang Shuqin, said, according to China.org. “Before she got out of the car, the staff members in the jeep had used the loudspeaker to warn her not to do it. But she ignored the warning and still stepped out.”
Badaling’s staff quickly rushed to save the family but the mother was instantaneously mauled to death by another tiger.
The daughter was severely injured in multiple places. But she survived after being rushed to the hospital and going under surgery. However, she is still in the intensive care unit, according to China.org.
It also said there was a child present in the vehicle.
A family friend denied the reports of the younger woman storming out of the car after having an argument with the man. “That was not true. The couple had a very good relationship.”
Instead, a friend told the Beijing Youth Daily, “She thought they had already gotten out of the wild area, so she got out of the car.”
The 6,000-acre park, located at the foot of the Great Wall of China in the Yanqing Badaling area, has about 10,000 wild animals.
Visitors have the option to join a tour or drive themselves around the open space where the animals roam freely. But it strictly warns people not to leave their cars at any point. In addition, visitors have to sign agreements to close the door and window and not to feed wild animals.
According to China.org, Wang said, “The agreement made it clear that if anyone disobeyed the rule and got hurt, or if their cars were damaged, the visitors should shoulder the responsibility and consequences.”
Two years ago, a security guard was also mauled to death by a tiger, according to Sohu.
An official of the park said they are going to decide on how to deal with the tigers once the investigation concludes, China.org reported.
