An adult lioness injured a five-year-old boy when the Montekristo animal park “illegally re-opened” its doors yesterday.
The boy was taken to hospital by his parents after suffering back and neck injuries. This was the second such incident at the unlicensed park in recent months, after a three-year-old boy was seriously injured by a tiger which had been taken out of its cage by handlers while the facilities were still open to the public. A magisterial inquiry had been launched, the results of which are unknown.
The owners of the park yesterday refused to comment.
What happened today shows that the owners ignored orders given by the authorities
In a statement, the government yesterday said the zoo had re-opened illegally and action would be taken over the incident.
It said that, over the past few weeks, a number of inspections were made, the most recent on Wednesday, which confirmed that the place was closed.
“What happened today shows that the owners ignored orders given by the authorities, and action will be taken against them. The government will not tolerate a situation where the owners think they can take the law into their own hands,” it said.
It later described the incident as “unacceptable” and said an in-quiry was being set up.
The opening of the park yesterday coincided with the closing day of a massive hunting fair organised by the hunters’ federation, FKNK. When contacted yesterday, FKNK president Joe Perici Calascione insisted the zoo had not been opened on the federation’s request. In fact, Mr Perici Calascione denied any knowledge that the zoo had been opened.
Details on yesterday’s injuries were scant and witnesses declined to comment on whether the boy had been attacked or whether the cat had simply grazed him.
The victim of the first attack at Montekristo was injured after a tiger “lashed out at him”.