Lions mauled a park ranger in front of visitors (7 photos)

A 58-year-old caretaker died at Safari World in Bangkok, Thailand. Gian Rangkharasamy stepped out of his SUV and became the victim of a pride.

According to eyewitnesses, a lion snuck up behind him and attacked, and then the rest of the pack joined in.





People frantically honked and shouted, trying to scare the animals away, but to no avail.

Professor Thawatchai Kanchanarin, a doctor at a leading hospital, witnessed the tragedy. He said, "The lion attacked the zookeeper as he was getting out of his car. The lion was 10 meters away, crept up from behind, grabbed the man, and started biting. Three or four more lions then joined in. Many people saw the incident but didn't know how to help. They honked and screamed."



Park staff arrived within 15 minutes. Rangkharasamy, who had worked with lions for nearly 30 years, was taken to Intrarat Hospital. However, he was pronounced dead on arrival.





Police believe the zookeeper violated strict safety regulations by leaving his vehicle. This is prohibited in the safari zone for both visitors and staff.

Police officer Niruchphon Yothamat of the Hannayao station said, "Usually the lion would leave when the keeper started the car, but this time he left the door open."



The Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation has temporarily closed the safari area for inspections.

A Safari World representative stated, "We strictly adhere to regulations and regularly remind people of them when working with dangerous animals."

He described Rangkharasamy as a "kind person."



Animal rights groups have criticized the park for putting both workers and animals at risk.

Edwin Wik of the Wildlife Friends of Thailand Foundation stated, "This incident should serve as a serious lesson. Even if animals are raised by humans from birth, they can still pose a threat to life."

PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) called for, "The lions, who are merely showing their natural instincts, should be relocated to a sanctuary."



A safari with lion feeding costs 1,200 baht for park guests.

Keeping lions in captivity is legal in Thailand. In recent years, their numbers in zoos, farms, nurseries, and even privately owned ones have increased to almost 500.