Lion Kills American Tourist in South Africa
JOHANNESBURG, South Africa, June 1 (UPI) — A 22-year-old American woman was mauled to death by a lion at a wildlife park in South Africa on Monday.
The woman was visiting Lion Park, near Johannesburg, and reportedly taking pictures of the animals through the open window of an SUV, when a lion jumped up to the car and attacked her.
The SUV’s driver, a park tour guide, was injured trying to free the woman.
Scott Simpson, the assistant operations manager of the park, told eNews Channel Africa that ambulances “were called immediately but it was too late.”
Simpson said the park warns visitors to keep their windows closed.
“We make it so clear,” he said. “We put signage up everywhere that people must keep their windows closed. We hand them a slip of paper when they enter the park, I really don’t understand why people think it’s OK to leave windows open.”
Simpson told ABC News that the lion would not be euthanized.
Lion Park’s website promises to provide “super close-up views” of the animals to tourists, who visit the park to see its lions, cheetahs, hyenas, zebras and giraffes.
