A zookeeper in Uzbekistan filmed his own final, desperate moments before being mauled and partially eaten by three lions he was attempting to recapture, in an incident officials suggest may have been an attempt to impress his girlfriend.
The Fatal Night Shift
The tragic event occurred at the Lion Park, a private zoo in the Parkent district of the Tashkent Region. The animal keeper, 44-year-old F. Iriskulov, was on a night shift in the early hours of 17 December 2024.
At around 5am, Iriskulov recorded himself on his mobile phone as he unlocked a padlock to an area where three lions had escaped into a courtyard. In the chilling footage, the big cats initially appear calm as he approaches, but the situation rapidly deteriorates.
A Chilling Final Recording
The video shows the lions suddenly becoming agitated, pacing and sniffing the air. Iriskulov is heard repeatedly trying to calm one of them, saying "Simba, be quiet". After approximately two minutes, one lion clamps its jaws onto the keeper's arm, prompting a yell of pain.
The phone then falls to the ground, but the audio continues to capture the man's bloodcurdling screams and the low growls of the predators. He can still be heard shouting "Be quiet, be quiet" before the footage cuts out.
Aftermath and a Grisly Discovery
When other zoo staff arrived for work some four hours later, they made a horrific discovery. Iriskulov's partially consumed remains were found inside the enclosure, with the three lions still loose.
In the chaotic recapture effort, staff managed to tranquillise two of the animals. The third lion, however, posed too great a threat and was shot dead. An official statement from the zoo later confirmed the grim details: "The lions killed him and partially consumed his body."
Regional police also issued a statement outlining the basic sequence of events, confirming the escape and the fatal attack on the 44-year-old keeper.
A Global Pattern of Tragedy
This incident is a stark reminder of the inherent dangers of working with large predators. It echoes other fatal attacks worldwide, including a similar tragedy at Safari World in Bangkok, Thailand.
In that case, a zookeeper was killed by lions in front of horrified tourists after he exited his vehicle in an open enclosure. Eyewitnesses, including a visiting professor, described how lions slowly approached, dragged the man down, and were joined by others in the attack, with onlookers powerless to help.
These devastating events highlight critical ongoing questions about zoo safety protocols, emergency procedures, and the immense risk faced by animal keepers worldwide.
