Zoo Horror: Veteran Keeper Eaten Alive by Lions in Front of Terrified Tourists in Thailand
- Tourists watched in horror as lions mauled zookeeper Jian Rangkasamee, 59, to death at Safari World In Bangkok
- The keeper was attacked when he stepped out of his jeep to clear trash, with one lion grabbing him from behind and dragging him to the ground
- Fellow zookeepers tried to scare the lions away with car horns, but they continued to attack, exposing the keeper’s bones and leaving him in a pool of blood
In a shocking incident that has left animal lovers around the world reeling, a veteran zookeeper was **savagely** eaten alive by lions in front of horrified tourists at a popular zoo in Thailand. The attack, which was captured on camera, is a stark reminder of the dangers faced by those who work with wild animals.
Jian Rangkasamee, 59, a seasoned zookeeper with 30 years of experience, was attacked early Wednesday morning at Safari World In Bangkok when he stepped out of his jeep to clear trash from the floor of the lions’ open enclosure. **Tragically**, his decision to get out of the vehicle proved fatal.
“The first lion was about 30 feet away, then slowly approached and grabbed the zookeeper from behind, dragging him to the ground and biting him,” said Professor Tavatchai Kanchanarin, a doctor at a leading hospital who witnessed the horrific attack. “Three or four other lions then joined in biting the zookeeper.”
**Frantic** tourists screamed as they watched the lions pin Rangkasamee down and tear at him with their teeth. Fellow zookeepers, not wanting to get close to the danger, blared on their car horns in a futile attempt to scare the big cats away, but the attack continued unabated.
By the time zoo staff were able to intervene, the lions had **brutally** gnawed on Rangkasamee’s body, exposing his bones and leaving him in a puddle of blood. Hospital staff said the keeper had suffered multiple broken bones and the “majority of his flesh was damaged or missing.”
The park has been shut down as authorities consider euthanizing the attacking lions. The incident is being investigated by local police.
Rangkasamee had worked with animals for 30 years and had been with the Bangkok zoo since 2019. Park employees said there is a rule in place barring customers and employees from getting out of their vehicles to keep everyone safe.
Owners at the Bangkok World Safari Park have yet to comment on the incident. Thailand’s Department of National Parks, which is responsible for the country’s zoos, said staff were on their way to the facility to investigate what happened.