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Zookeeper Dies After Leopard Attack at Beekse Bergen

By Drooid · Oct 30, 2026 · How we work

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Summary

A veteran zookeeper at Beekse Bergen Safari Park was mauled by a leopard on October 24 and died on October 27.
She suffered severe head and neck injuries and was airlifted for emergency surgery.
An independent investigation with the Dutch Labor Authority was launched while the leopards will not be euthanized.
She had worked at the park since age 17, totaling nearly 40 years, including eight with big cats.

History

After a Siberian tiger escaped at the San Francisco Zoo in December 2007, killing 17-year-old Carlos Sousa and injuring two others, California OSHA fined the zoo $18,000 and, with the city and state wildlife agency, required $2 million of enclosure upgrades by 2007. The incident followed seven U.S. tiger fatalities between 1998-2001 and spurred worldwide reviews of big-cat safety, including the October 24 leopard mauling in the Netherlands.

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After a Siberian tiger escaped at the San Francisco Zoo in December 2007, killing 17-year-old Carlos Sousa and injuring two others, California OSHA fined the zoo $18,000 and, with the city and state wildlife agency, required $2 million of enclosure upgrades by 2007. The incident followed seven U.S. tiger fatalities between 1998-2001 and spurred worldwide reviews of big-cat safety, including the October 24 leopard mauling in the Netherlands.

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