Stacey Konwiser, 38, was attacked and killed by a 13-year-old male tiger in an enclosure known as the night house, where tigers sleep and are fed.
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Carter called Konwiser “the tiger whisperer” because of how well she worked with the site’s four Malayan tigers, the Palm Beach Post reported.
Konwiser was flown by Trauma Hawk helicopter from the zoo to St. Mary’s Medical Center, where she arrived in critical condition.
The Palm Beach Zoo said the male Malay tiger was tranquilized shortly after, and zoo guests were never in any danger because the animal never escaped. Just before 2pm, the head tiger-keeper for Florida’s Palm Beach Zoo was getting ready for an event at the zoo. Carter said the woman was very knowledgeable about the tigers and loved them dearly.
The zoo will remain closed over the weekend and an investigation into the attack is ongoing. The tiger is now “doing fine”, as she continues to recover following her run in with tranquilizers in the aftermath of the incident, Carter indicated.
The Animal Legal Defence Fund says the zoo keeper’s death was preventable and urged the authorities to impose penalties against the zoo. “We’ve lost a family member”. She moved to Florida after meeting here husband Jeremy while working at the Palm Desert zoo.
The Occupational Health and Safety Administration is investigating.
Konwiser “is someone that absolutely loved everything that had to do with keeping these tigers and seeing that they were enriched daily”, Carter said during a news conference. “We have also carpooled together to save fuel, participating in the Zoo’s carbon footprint initiative”.
Carter said Konwiser was “like a sister to many” and that she will be long remembered for her dedication to the zoo’s animals.
Konwiser had been employed at the zoo for three years and loved tigers, according to officials.
At the Palm Beach Zoo, grief counselors will be on hand in the coming days to help those who knew Konwiser deal with her sudden death.
“The entire Palm Beach Zoo family is saddened beyond what words can describe at this incident and tragic outcome”, said Palm Beach Zoo spokesperson Naki Carter.
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The animal is one of only 250 such tigers known to exist.
