Inquest to open into death of zookeeper killed by tiger at Hamerton Zoo

An inquest into the death of a zookeeper who was killed by a tiger is due to be opened today, Wednesday.

Rosa King, 34, died at Hamerton Zoo Park, Cambridgeshire, on Monday May 29 in what was described as a “freak accident” by the zoo.

Rosa King with the tigers at Hamerton Zoo Park on World Tiger Day in 2013placeholder image
Rosa King with the tigers at Hamerton Zoo Park on World Tiger Day in 2013

A Cambridgeshire Police spokesman said officers were called to reports of a serious incident at the site at 11.15am and that a tiger had entered an enclosure with a keeper.

Police are not treating the incident as suspicious and a joint investigation with Huntingdonshire District Council is ongoing.

A photo of Rosa released by her familyplaceholder image
A photo of Rosa released by her family

Zoo bosses have said that the tiger will not be put down and that this decision was “fully supported” by the family of Ms King.

Following her death, Ms King’s family said she “lived and breathed a vocation that meant the world to her”.

The inquest into the death of Ms King is listed to be opened at Cambridgeshire Coroner’s Court in Huntingdon today.

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