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Animal keeper seriously injured in panther attack at Beekse Bergen

A caretaker at safari park Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek suffered severe injuries on Saturday after being attacked by a Persian panther in an indoor enclosure.

25 October 2026Tagblick Newsdesk

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Archive photo: Animal keeper seriously injured in panther attack at Beekse Bergen — Archive photoPhoto: JHGS · Wikimedia Commons · CC BY-SA 3.0 nl

The incident occurred on Saturday around 11 a.m. in the panthers' enclosure, which is closed to visitors. According to a park spokesperson, the caretaker was feeding and cleaning when she was attacked. The woman, a Dutch animal caretaker in her 50s who lives in Flanders, managed to alert colleagues via her radio. Coworkers found her in the indoor enclosure, and a trauma helicopter was immediately dispatched to the scene.

The injured caretaker was transported to hospital in critical condition, where she underwent emergency surgery. According to the park spokesperson, the operation went well. Nevertheless, her medical condition remains serious. The woman has been sedated.

The park is home to two panthers. It remains unclear at this time whether the caretaker was attacked by one or both animals. The woman said she had worked with big cats at the park for eight years.

The safari park has launched its own investigation into the incident. The Labour Inspectorate is also investigating how the accident occurred. A spokesperson said on Saturday that no further details about the circumstances would be disclosed at this time.

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