Early evidence suggests that the man was either touching or feeding the big cat, according to the sheriff’s office.

A tiger attacked a member of a cleaning team at the Naples Zoo in Florida on Wednesday night, injuring the person.

The man, who is in his 20s, allegedly approached an unapproved location near a tiger within its enclosure, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.

The man’s company is in charge of cleaning the facilities and the gift shop, but not the animal enclosures.

Following the preliminary investigation, the sheriff’s office determined that the man was either petting or feeding the huge cat, which they described as “unauthorized and dangerous” behavior.

The tiger reportedly grabbed the man’s arm and dragged it into the enclosure, according to initial findings.

The individual had already crossed a first fence barrier and slipped his arm through the enclosure’s fencing, according to the sheriff’s office.

When the first deputy arrived, he kicked the enclosure and attempted to coax the tiger into releasing the man’s arm. When that didn’t work, the deputy shot the animal, according to the sheriff’s office.

The man was seriously injured and taken to a nearby hospital as a trauma alert.

The 4-year-old male Malayan tiger’s condition remains unknown. After being shot, deputies said it retreated to the back of the enclosure.

According to the sheriff’s office, the animal has been drugged and will be examined when it is safe to do so.

Source: WFLA

Image Credit: Getty

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