A tiger has attacked a vet from behind at a zoo.
The big cat was filmed leaping up at the vet to grab her jacket from behind and pull her into the wire fence separating them.
It then apparently tried to sink its fangs into her neck area.
But a colleague was able to remove the tiger’s claws from the grimacing vet’s clothes before any damage could be done.
The lucky escape was filmed at the Camino Real del Tigre zoo in Mazamitla, located west of Mexico City, Mexico.
After the clip went viral online, the park issued a video statement to confirm that the vet, named Alejandra Mora, and the tiger, called Rayita, were both fine.
Alejandra appeared in the video to explain that the Bengal tiger was intrigued by her camouflage-patterned jacket and was only “playing”.
She said: “First of all, thank you so much to everyone who has been concerned about my wellbeing.
“I’m doing fine, as is our resident Rayita.
“What happened yesterday was that my raincoat caught his attention and he wanted to play with it, so he grabbed me.
“One of our visitors tried to intervene, but we asked him not to because he was holding me a little too tightly.
“But fortunately, nothing went wrong.”
She added: “Our trained staff intervened, removed our tiger Rayita’s paws, and we are both doing well.
“I am very grateful for your continued support.”
Alejandra confirmed that she was carrying out a routine inspection when Rayita grabbed her from behind.
A park spokesperson said: “Don’t worry, family!
“Our veterinarian, Alejandra, had a little scare, but she’s doing great and continues to lovingly care for our cats.
“At Camino Real del Tigre, we’re a big family, and your safety, along with that of the animals, always comes first.”
One local said: “Poor things, they are more cramped than I am in my council house.”
“It just wanted to play a biting game,” added Edgar.
Mauricio remarked: “It wasn’t the raincoat, it’s because they have poor facilities, poor management, and no safety protocols.”
In December 2024, animal activists accused the park of drugging their big cats so visitors could take photos with them for £8 (MXN 200).
Days after the exposé, the Federal Attorney for Environmental Protection (PROFEPA) closed the park for four days to carry out an inspection, as reported by Need To Know.
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