A woman in her 50s, identified as a family member of the Darling Downs zoo owners, lost her arm after being attacked by a lioness on Sunday. The incident occurred while she was watching keepers, not inside the animal's enclosure. The zoo, which insists the lioness was not hungry or maltreated, plans to reopen on Tuesday after an investigation by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, which has issued compliance notices.
Queensland zoo to reopen two days after woman loses arm to lioness
AustraliaQueensland
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TL;DR: Key points with love ❤️A woman in her 50s, identified as a family member of the Darling Downs zoo owners, lost her arm after being attacked by a lioness on Sunday. The incident occurred while she was watching keepers, not inside the animal's enclosure. The zoo, which insists the lioness was not hungry or maltreated, plans to reopen on Tuesday after an investigation by Workplace Health and Safety Queensland, which has issued compliance notices.
Trending- 1 September 2024: Dreamworld reportedly ended human interaction with its tigers after an attack on a handler.
- 2 Sunday (July 6, 2025) 8:32 AM: Woman attacked by a lioness at Darling Downs zoo.
- 3 Monday (July 7, 2025): Queensland health minister confirmed the injury; Workplace Health and Safety Queensland investigation ongoing; zoo announced reopening.
- 4 Tuesday (July 8, 2025) 9 AM: Darling Downs zoo to reopen.
- Woman lost her arm and is recovering in stable condition after surgery.
- Darling Downs zoo temporarily closed for investigation and received compliance notices.
- No plan for the animal to be put down.
What: A woman lost her arm after being attacked by a lioness. The zoo stated the woman was a family member of the owners, not an employee or visitor, and was not in the animal's enclosure at the time of the attack. The lioness was not hungry or maltreated.
When: Sunday (July 6, 2025) at approximately 8:32 AM; confirmed Monday morning (July 7, 2025); the zoo plans to reopen Tuesday morning (July 8, 2025).
Where: Darling Downs zoo, south of Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia. The injured woman is recovering in Princess Alexandra (PA) hospital.
Why: The specific circumstances leading to the attack are still under investigation, as the victim has not yet been interviewed. The zoo emphasized the animal's good condition.
How: A lioness attacked the woman, resulting in the loss of her arm. Workplace Health and Safety Queensland conducted an investigation and issued compliance notices.