A female zookeeper with more than 20 years' experience has been killed by a tiger at a New Zealand zoo.
Emergency services were called to the zoo just after 11am on Sunday, but senior Hamilton Zoo staff member Samantha Lynda Kudeweh, 43, died at the scene.
"This is a tragic incident," Senior Sergeant Juliet Burgess said.
"It is too early to determine exactly what's happened."
Hamilton City Council chief executive Richard Briggs said a male Sumatran tiger, named Oz, was involved in the incident.
"He is safely contained in his enclosure," Mr Briggs said in a statement.
"At no time today have any zoo animals not been contained. There has been no risk to visitors at the zoo today or the public.
"Our focus at this time is on providing the adequate support for our staff and family members who have been affected by this tragic incident."
Hamilton Zoo will remain closed until Thursday while investigations are completed and a blessing is arranged.
Mr Briggs said it was a very difficult situation for all zoo staff as well as family members of the staff member who died.
Police, WorkSafe and the Ministry for Primary Industries are all investigating.
It's not the first time a zookeeper has been fatally attacked in New Zealand.
In 2012, a woman was killed by an agitated elephant at Franklin Zoo and Wildlife Sanctuary, south of Auckland.
In 2009, a South African zookeeper at Zion Wildlife Gardens near Whangarei was fatally mauled by a white tiger.
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