Man mauled by lion at Australian crocodile park

Myles Morgan

Last Updated: Fri, 2 Mar 2012 17:53:00 +1100

A contractor has been mauled by a lioness at a Darwin wildlife park famed for its crocodiles.

The man has been taken to Royal Darwin Hospital after being attacked at the Crocodylus Wildlife Park at Berrimah on the city's outskirts.

The park is a popular tourist attraction and has a number of big cats kept in cages.

Park owner Grahame Webb says the man has suffered severe cuts to his forearm.

"There was someone spraying weeds down around the back of the lion cage or at the lion cage," he said.

"It looks like they have put their arm in the cage because the lion has grabbed it."

"He has got pretty big lacerations on his arm from his elbow down.

"But he looks like his fingers and hands are all OK.

"I still can't come to grips with why someone would (do it) ... I wouldn't put my arm in with a lion if my life depended on it."

The lioness, Shebe, and her companion, Leo, looked unfussed by the incident as they moved around their enclosure after the attack.

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