In Thailand, lions tore apart an experienced safari park worker in front of visitors.

Tragedy at Safari World Bangkok

According to The Sun: Tourists watched in horror as a zookeeper fell victim to a pride of lions in Thailand.

This horrific incident occurred at Safari World Bangkok when 58-year-old Jian Rangharasami exited his jeep in a lion enclosure.

Zookeeper Jian Rangharasami became a victim of lions at Safari World Bangkok ViralPress ViralPress ViralPress

Witnesses reported that a lion approached from behind, soon joined by several other animals in the attack.

Visitors tried to scare the beasts away, honking horns and shouting, but the lions trampled Rangharasami while his colleagues and family watched the tragedy unfold.

Professor Tawatchai Kanchanarin, a doctor from a leading hospital, witnessed the incident around 11 a.m. on Wednesday. He noted:

“The lion attacked the zookeeper as he was exiting the vehicle. The distance was about 10 meters, after which it slowly approached and grabbed the zookeeper from behind, pulling him to the ground and biting.”

Several other lions also joined the attack. Many onlookers watched this horrific moment but did not know how to help.

The alarm lasted about 15 minutes before staff were able to reach Rangharasami. The experienced zookeeper, who had worked with lions for nearly 30 years, was rushed to Intrarat Hospital but died upon arrival.

Police believe the zookeeper violated strict safety protocols by leaving his vehicle. There is a prohibition on exiting the vehicle within the safari area for both staff and visitors.

“He usually stayed in the vehicle, and the lions would retreat as soon as the engine started, but this time the car doors were left open,”

said Colonel Niruphon Yotamat from the Khanayaao police station.

A fellow zookeeper, Panom Sitsaeang, was the first to respond after hearing the horn, but the lions had already inflicted fatal injuries.

The Department of National Parks, Wildlife, and Plant Conservation (DNP) ordered the closure of the safari area for safety inspections.

“The incident will be thoroughly investigated to determine all circumstances,”

said DNP director Attapol Charoenchanta.

A senior Safari World employee told local media that all 32 lions in the park are licensed, assuring:

“We have rules, and we regularly reiterate them as we work with dangerous animals.”

He referred to Rangharasami as a “good man.”

Animal welfare groups expressed outrage at the dangers posed by the park to both workers and animals.

ViralPress ViralPress

Edward Vick from Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand emphasized:

“This incident should serve as a stark reminder that these animals, even when raised by humans from birth, still pose a serious life-threatening risk that can arise without warning.”

The animal rights group PETA added:

“Safari World should relocate the lions, who are not to blame for showcasing their natural instincts, to a sanctuary.”

Safari World, which has also faced criticism for allowing orangutans to hug and push women for photographs, charges visitors 1,200 baht (26 pounds sterling) for lion and tiger feeding trips.

Lion ownership in Thailand is legal, and the population of captive animals has increased in recent years to nearly 500, including zoos, breeding farms, animal cafes, and even private homes, according to data from South China Morning Post.

Fatal attacks occurred just a few months after another zookeeper was killed by a rare white Bengal tiger at the Mariupol Zoo in Ukraine. Oleksiy Melnikov died instantly in April when the tiger Lucy “attacked him and bit his head,” according to his colleague.

Animal rights groups criticized the park for creating danger for workers and animals ViralPress