NAPLES, Fla. (AP) — A sheriff’s deputy shot a Malayan tiger that grabbed the arm of a man who was either feeding or petting the animal at a zoo in southwest Florida, authorities said.
The Collier County Sheriff’s Office said the man, believed to be in his 20s, was seriously injured Wednesday evening when he entered an unauthorized area near the tiger’s enclosure at Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens. The man works for a third-party cleaning service contracted to clean restrooms and the gift shop, the sheriff’s office said.
News outlets reported the 8-year-old tiger named Eko later died. The zoo posted on its website that it will remain closed on Thursday.
“Preliminary information indicates that the man was either petting or feeding the animal, both of which are unauthorized and dangerous activities,” the sheriff’s report said.
Investigators said they…
