Zoo worker airlifted to hospital after reaching into tiger cage

A worker at a zoo in Oklahoma was airlifted to hospital after she reached into a tiger's cage and had her arm mauled.

Reuters reports that the woman had to undergo surgery after the incident on Saturday and is in a stable condition.

The woman was wearing a jacket that got caught in the cage wire, which meant the tiger was able to grab her hand and pull her arm through a hole, the Daily Mail reports.

In a statement, park president Joe Schreibvogel said: "This was an employee error of violating the safety protocols of placing any part of the body inside a cage," Schreibvogel said about the latest incident.

"During the entire event she was awake and saying it was her fault and plans to return to work."

The tiger will not be put down.

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