A keeper killed by a tiger at a Florida zoo
this month broke the rules when she entered the big
cat's enclosure, zoo officials said.
Stacey Konwiser, 38, died after the Malayan tiger
attacked her. She was the lead tiger keeper at the
Palm Beach Zoo .
The 13-year-old male tiger was tranquilized and
remains at the zoo.
The April 15 attack happened as Konwiser secured
an area where tigers eat and sleep, zoo officials said
Friday.
She "entered that same portion of the night house
after it was clearly designated as accessible by a
tiger," said Andrew Aiken, president of Palm Beach
Zoo.
"Under Palm Beach Zoo policy, zoo employees are
never allowed to enter a tiger enclosure to which the
animal has access."
Threats against tiger
The rare tiger, one of four at the facility, is held in a
contained area where the animals are fed and sleep.
Zoo officials have declined to provide information on
the tiger, including its name.
"Identifying the animal only serves to stigmatize and
potentially places the tiger in harm's way," the zoo
said. It said it has received threats against the
animal.
Zoo officials have said the tiger was off-exhibit at
the time and no guests saw what happened.
Konwiser worked at the zoo for three years, and had
a lot of experience with tigers, according to zoo
officials.
"This was her specialty," zoo spokeswoman Naki
Carter said.
"You don't get into this business without the love for
the animals and understanding the danger that's
involved even more."
Endangered subspecies
Malayan tigers are a critically endangered
subspecies . The Palm Beach Zoo provides a special
program in which guests can pay extra to see the
tigers.
There are fewer than 250 left in the world, Carter
said. The zoo is part of a breeding program that
aims to keep the animals from becoming extinct.
The Occupational Safety and Health Administration is
investigating.
"Why or how this could possibly occur is the subject
of five ongoing investigations, including our own,"
Aiken said.
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