Thailand: Zoo under fire after Trump's fatal attack

A Thai zoo has temporarily closed its predator area after lions killed a keeper, officials at the park, which has come under fire for its treatment of its animals, said Friday. As he was getting out of his vehicle, Jian Rangkarassamee, 58, was bitten by Trump, a 10-year-old male leader of a pride of lions at Safari World. An autopsy revealed numerous deep lacerations, a broken neck, and broken arteries. The five lions were confined to cages for monitoring.

Safari World, which bills itself as one of Asia's largest open-air zoos, has already been criticized for its shows featuring kickboxing orangutans and hula-hooping elephants. An inspection revealed damaged fencing, inadequate warning signs, and an insufficient number of surveillance cameras, said Chalerm Poommai, head of wildlife protection at the Department of National Parks (DNP).

According to him, the zoo's permit expired last October and was still pending renewal. "The zoo must comply with safety standards to prevent such an incident from happening again," he said. A Safari World representative said Friday that other parts of the zoo remained open to visitors.

The zoo is accused of exploiting more than 100 orangutans, forcing them to participate in kickboxing matches. Indonesian forestry officials even claim the primates were smuggled into Thailand by sea. Following the attack, animal rights groups Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand (WFFT) and People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) called for stricter controls on the keeping of wild animals in the kingdom.

Owning a lion is legal in Thailand, where the number of these captive cats has increased sharply in recent years. Nearly 500 individuals have been recorded in zoos, breeding farms, petting cafes, and even private homes. WFFT founder Edwin Wiek called on authorities to "ban private ownership of dangerous animals" like lions. "If this accident can happen in a zoo that follows safety guidelines, imagine what could happen in someone's backyard," he said.