Zoo lion bites off British tourist's forearm

A British tourist who tried to stroke a caged lion at a Spanish zoo has had one of her arms bitten off.

The 54-year-old is in a stable condition in hospital after the incident, in which her arm was ripped off at the elbow.

The woman, who has not been named, had been visiting the zoo in Benimantell, near Alicante, with a British group.

She reportedly strayed from her companions and put her arm through the bars of a lion pen.

A lioness named Marta bit her hand and eventually ripped it off at the elbow.

Other lions then pounced on the severed limb, Spain's Efe news agency said.

The woman is in hospital in Villajoyosa.

While I think it's just horrible for the poor woman and hope she will be ok, I have to admit, part of me is saying "HOW STUPID do you have to be, to stick any part of your body in a cage with a wild animal that size?!"

Blimey, poor woman, and also the people who had to witness that. But WHAT THE HELL WAS SHE THINKING????

I conqure.

I just hope they won't kill the lion over this. It was only following it's instincts. That must be the stupidest woman on the planet. But she still has one arm left, she can still hug an alligator with it.

I just hope this will be a lesson to any who think they can take on big cats and win...

[img]graemlins/choc.gif[/img]

Seesh, I don't even pet my cat if she even looks grumpy for fear of losing some skin, and she's just a 10 pound house cat!

Unfotunately I'm afraid the lions involved may be killed. Isn't it pretty standard operating procedure to put down animals that attack humans, no matter how stupid the human was to create the situation? Was there any mention in the article about the fate of the cats?

[img]graemlins/jawdrop.gif[/img] I feel sorry for the woman,but it was her own fault. I mean,did she really think that the lions over there like to be stroked? the lion only did what it thought was natural.I do hope that it wont be killed because of that. [img]graemlins/awcrap.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/kitty3.gif[/img]

Oh dear!I wonder if she will try and sue... How on earth did she come up with the thought to stick her hand into a lion cage? [img]graemlins/idontagreeatall.gif[/img]