A keeper was killed by a tiger at a U.K. zoo in a “freak accident”

On Monday, outside of Cambridge, England, a keeper was killed by a tiger in an incident the  zoo is calling a”freak accident.” According to police, Hamerton Zoo Park employee Rosa King was killed after a tiger entered the enclosure she was working in. After the incident, zoo visitors were evacuated to safety, and in a Facebook post later that day, Hzoo officials wrote that no animals had escaped their enclosures and the public was never in any danger.

In the Facebook post, Hamerton Zoo Park also wrote that the staff was too distressed to speak with the media in the wake of King’s death, adding that the park will be closed as an investigation into King’s death is held.

King, who was a fourteen year veteran of Hamerton Park Zoo was remembered by family and friends for her dedication to the zoo animals. Garry Chisholm, a wildlife photographer and friend of King’s, wrote a moving Facebook tribute to the zookeeper.

"Rosa wasn’t just a keeper at Hamerton Zoo – she WAS Hamerton Zoo. Her passion for the animals in her care was exceptional though her favourites were undoubtedly the cheetahs which she would refer to as her pride and joy," he wrote. "I feel privileged to have known Rosa and been able to call her a friend."

King’s mother Andrea spoke with the U.K. Press Association and said that working at the zoo was her daughter’s passion. “She wouldn’t have done anything else, it’s what she has always done, it’s what she has always loved,” King said.

According to police, the tiger hasn’t been put down and appears to be unharmed. We hope the investigation is conducted quickly so King’s family and friends can find closure soon.