Zookeeper is mauled to death while feeding lion he had brought up from its birth: Raging creature is shot dead by marksmen in Nigeria

A zookeeper in Nigeria has been mauled to death by a lion he has raised since birth.

The tragic and unprovoked incident occurred when zookeeper Olabode Olawuyi was feeding the lions at the Obafemi Awolowo University Zoo in Osun State.

Graphic video purports to show the aftermath of the mauling, with Olawuyi lying on his back, still and bloodied, with his eyes still open.

He could not be saved after sustaining fatal injuries.

The lion was later shot dead by zoo staff, something that was also captured on film.

Olawuyi, a veterinary technologist, had worked at the zoo for almost a decade and had taken all the lions housed there since birth.

Abiodun Olarewaju, a spokesperson for the university, told the BBC that Olawuyi “was taki”caring for the lions since they were born on campus approximately nine years ago.”

Olarewaju continued: “Tragically, the male lion killed the man who was feeding them.

“We never knew what happened to the male lion to make him attack (him).”

The university is now said to be in mourning for Olawuyi and has sent a delegation to his family to offer condolences over the devastating incident.

The Vice-Chancellor of the university, Prof. Adebayo Simeon Bamire, said he was “saddened” by the incident and ordered a thorough investigation.

Student union leader Abbas Akinremi told Nigeria’s Vanguard newspaper that the attack was caused by “human error” after the zookeeper forgot to lock the door after feeding the lions.

He described the incident as unfortunate, while paying tribute to Olawuyi as a “good and humble man, who kindly looked after us when we went to the zoo.”

According to Wildlife explainedliZookeepers can build extremely close relationships with their keepers, especially if they are raised from birth.

However, the wildlife explanatory site warns: ‘You can’t trust them completely. If a lion feels threatened by some of your actions or gestures or loses his temper, he can become ferocious and cause fatal injuries in no time.

‘So even if a human has raised a lion as a cub and they have the best bond, he still needs to be constantly aware of it.

‘Acting carefully is the most important thing.

‘You should always keep in mind that lions are dangerous, and you should understand their temper and temper and treat them kindly with love and respect to help them maintain their pleasant behavior.

‘A wild animal naturally acts out of wild instincts, even if it has never lived in a forest.

The lion was shot dead after the brutal attack on the zookeeper who had raised it since birth

‘They are dominant animals and do not like people to be in charge of them. It makes them feel threatened and can lead to them attacking.”

The BBC spoke to another zookeeper, Abba Gandu, who has been feeding lions at a zoo in Kano, northern Nigeria, for more than 50 years.

He said Monday’s incident was “unfortunate” and more safety measures were needed.

He said: ‘This incident does not affect me personally in any way as feeding lions is what I want to do until I die.’

He added that his worst experience was when a baboon he was trying to feed bit his finger.