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Attack by hungry bear leaves zoo worker dead

A file photo of Chen Chin-tsai with a tiger cub at the Leofoo Safari Park in Hsinchu. PHOTO: PENG JIN-CHING, TAIPEI TIMES

A zoo caretaker was mauled and killed by a bear yesterday when he entered the enclosure to feed the animal.

Chen Chin-tsai (陳進財), 41, was attacked by an Alaskan brown bear at the Leofoo Safari Park in Hsinchu, western Taiwan.

Chen was found lying in a pool of blood in the bear enclosure an hour after the attack occurred, and was pronounced dead after he was rushed to the hospital.

He died from loss of blood, with serious bite wounds to his head and thigh.

Leofoo Safari Park spokesman Yuan Hsiang-chieh (袁相杰) said animal feeders are required to drive into the bear enclosure, and leave the food once the bear is at a safe distance.

As of yet, officials have no explanation as to why Lee decided to leave his vehicle outside and then to walk into the enclosure to feed the 16-year-old bear, which stands over 3m tall and weighs about 780kg.

Yuan said that walking into an enclosure to feed dangerous animals was against the safari park's policy.

Chen's family members have accused the park of lowering safety standards, saying that in the past, feeding teams for dangerous animals were made of two to three people, who were able to watch out for each other when in the enclosure.

This is the second time an animal has killed a human at the Leofoo Safari Park recently.

In June last year, a fence painter was killed when he decided to take a shortcut through the lion enclosure on his way home.

Tsai had been working at the Leofoo Safari Park for almost 20 years. Park authorities have promised to improve training for staff, but the reason that Tsai decided to ignore park policy and basic safety by walking, rather than driving, into the enclosure remains a mystery.

Police are still investigating the incident.
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