A 44-year-old zookeeper in Uzbekistan met a tragic fate after walking into a lion enclosure at a private zoo in Parkent to film himself petting the big cats.
The incident, which took place on December 17, ended in a horrific attack that claimed his life.
The zookeeper, identified as F. Iriskulov, was working a night shift when he decided to enter the cage of three full-grown African lions.
Video footage retrieved from his phone shows him unlocking the enclosure and addressing the lions by name. Initially, the animals remain calm, but moments later, they become alert and approach him. The video abruptly ends with his terrified screams as the lions pounce.
Four hours later, his partially eaten remains were discovered. The zoo later confirmed that one lion was shot, while the other two were tranquilized after escaping through the unlocked enclosure.
While Uzbek media reported that Iriskulov had attempted the stunt to impress his fiancée, regional police initially framed the incident differently, claiming the lions had escaped and attacked him in the yard. However, circulating footage clearly shows him voluntarily entering the enclosure.
The tragic event has sparked concerns about safety protocols in private zoos and the risks of human interaction with wild animals.
