Pack of wolves maul zoo worker to death in Sweden
Stock photo: Rex
A female zookeeper has been mauled to death by a pack of wolves at a zoo in Sweden.
It is thought eight wolves attacked the woman, who was in her 30s, as she fed them in their enclosure at Kolmarden Wildlife Park, Sweden's largest zoo.
She had worked at the zoo for three years, and had looked after the pack of wolves since they were puppies.
AP
Her body was found by a colleague who realised something was wrong when the woman didn't answer her radio.
Zoo workers formed a human chain to enter the enclosure and push the wolves back but, by this time, it was too late.
According to The Sun, Jan Tengeborg, who organised the attempt to recover the body, said: "We couldn't get into the enclosure because the wolves clearly did not want us in there. You can't just walk right into a wolf pack."
The Independent reports that Olof Liberg, an expert in wolf behaviour at Sweden's University of Agricultural Sciences, told Swedish news agency TT: "It's very unusual for something like this to happen, but it has happened before."
"Zoo animals aren't afraid of humans and accidents can happen."
Zoo president Mats Olsson (sitting) at a press conference following the attack. Photo: AP
According to the Mirror, the zoo's president Mats Olsson added: "It has been a sad day at Kolmården and our thoughts are with the families.
"We are shocked by this incident and are now trying to process what has happened."
The zoo said it had no plans to put any of the wolves down.
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