Pilton’s Darling Downs Zoo made national headlines last Sunday following an attack by a lion that saw a woman lose her arm.

In a statement posted on social media later that day, the zoo said that at approximately 8.30am the woman, aged in her 50s, was watching keepers working in the carnivore precinct.

This was before the Zoo opened to the public at 9am.

“This is something that she has done many, many times over the past 20 years,” the statement said.

“She is well versed in safety protocols around potentially dangerous animals.

“Inexplicably, at this stage, one animal grabbed her by one arm and caused severe damage to it.

“At no stage did this animal leave its enclosure and there was no risk at all to staff members or members of the public.”

Queensland Ambulance Service (QAS) paramedics were quickly called to the scene and a LifeFlight helicopter crew was tasked by Retrieval Services Queensland at 8.40am and landed close to the zoo.

The LifeFlight critical care doctor and a Queensland QAS flight paramedic worked with local QAS paramedics to treat the patient for a severe arm injury.

She was airlifted to the Princess Alexandra Hospital in a stable condition and later underwent surgery.

Acting Sergeant Tim Read from Clifton Police said Workplace Health and Safety Queensland is taking the lead in investigating the incident.

“The zoo is working with them to establish how this incident occurred but the full details will not be known until our family member can be interviewed,” the zoo said.

The zoo said the animal involved had not been recently cubbed and will definitely not be put down or punished in any way.

As a result of the incident, the Zoo was closed all day on Sunday and on Monday and re-opened on Tuesday.

“We are extremely grateful to the QAS, QPS and LifeFlight for their prompt attendance and to all of the people and organisations who have rallied round us with messages of support,” the Darling Downs Zoo said in its statement.

This article appeared in On Our Selection News, 10 July 2025.