An Ohio janitor is recovering after a cheetah attack on Thursday.
The incident occurred around 9:55 am, when two members of the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium staff were out walking with Isabelle, a 4-year-old cheetah, with a harness from her installation in the Heart of Africa area to a backstage yard for her exercise. routine.
The keeper was walking the same way, said the zoo. After Isabelle sat down and appeared to be calm, the caretakers invited the caretaker to come over, according to the authorities.
But when the keeper approached, Isabelle crouched down and launched herself at the victim, the zoo said.
Officials said the scent of the keeper, who works with giraffes and other hooves, may have made Isabelle attack. Zoo officials did not identify the handler or extent of the victim’s injuries, citing privacy concerns.
The Liberty Township Fire Department was quickly called in by staff members, and the injured handler received treatment at the scene. The victim was taken to a nearby hospital for further evaluation and later released.
The incident was Isabelle’s first documented attack, according to authorities. The cheetah was immediately quarantined for 30 days to ensure that there were no signs of disease, the zoo said.
Zoo officials said Isabelle shared a “close bond with her care team” and was up to date with her vaccines.
Isabelle came to the zoo in February 2017 with her sisters Ophelia and Luciana, reported The Columbus Dispatch.
The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium supervises more than 10,000 animals from around the world.
