Florida keeper broke rules before tiger killed her, zoo says

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.

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.

Stacey Konwiser with her husband, Jeremy Konwiser.

"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.

Recent attacks by big cats

• Last September, a keeper was attacked and killed by a a Sumatran tiger at a zoo in Hamilton, New Zealand.

• In June 2015, police shot and killed a white tiger that killed a man in Tbilisi, Georgia, after severe flooding allowed hundreds of wild animals to escape the city zoo.

• In 2007, an escaped Siberian tiger attacked and killed one zoo patron and injured two others in a cafe at the San Francisco Zoo.

• In 2003, a white tiger attacked Roy Horn of Siegfried and Roy during a performance in Las Vegas. The tiger lunged at Horn's neck about halfway through the show and dragged him off stage as audience members watched.

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