Posted on 03/08/2013 5:43:42 AM PST by Uncle Chip
DUNLAP, Calif. (AP) — The investigation into a lion attack that killed a 24-year-old woman who loved big cats is focusing on a cage door that the 550-pound animal managed to escape through to reach the volunteer intern, officials say.
Authorities said Thursday they believe the 5-year-old male lion broke the neck of the woman at a Central California animal park after it got out of its feeding cage and attacked as she cleaned its bigger area.
The investigation is continuing into how the powerful beast and Dianna Hanson came tragically to be in the same place at the same time, Fresno County coroner David Hadden said.
"The lion had been fed, the young woman was cleaning the large enclosure, and the lion was in the small cage. The gate of the cage was partially open, which allowed the lion called Cous Cous to lift it up with his paw," Hadden said, based on a briefing from investigators. "He ran at the young lady."
Hanson was talking with a co-worker on a cellphone in the moments before she was killed, the coroner said. The co-worker became concerned when the conversation ended abruptly and Hanson failed to call back. The co-worker then called authorities when she went to check on Hanson. Hadden said the lion broke Hanson's neck, probably with a swipe of a paw, killing her instantly.
Sheriff's deputies shot Cous Cous after he couldn't be coaxed away from Hanson's body.
Hanson had been working for two months as an intern at Cat Haven, a 100-acre private zoo east of Fresno. Her father, Paul Hanson, described his daughter as a "fearless" lover of big cats and said her goal was to work with the animals at an accredited zoo. She died doing what she loves, he said.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
She told her father she was frustrated that Cat Haven did not allow direct contact with animals.
"She was disappointed because she said they wouldn't let her into the cages with the lion and tiger there," said Paul Hanson, a Seattle-area attorney.
The only thing I can think is thank goodness she died pretty quickly via a broken neck. I can’t even imagine being mauled by something that big. For whatever reason, many in our society have put “nice” attributes to wild animals. A lion is not cuddly.. it is a wild animal that will kill you.
I guess people forget that the big cats are way, way much different from the little domestic house cats.
They said on the news that the door to the cage had been left partially open so he was able to get his paw under there and lift it up.
What are the odds that this naive girl did that on purpose hoping that Cous Cous would lift up the door and come in to see her.
Did you ever see the YT vid of the photographer who got out of his family’s car, with wife and baby still inside, to get “better shots” of 3-4 lionesses? They attacked and ate him alive, on camera. It was beyond awful, with his wife and child going apoplectic and another cameraman trying to “shoo” the huge cats away from their kill. I won’t go into details, but after watching it 3x several years ago, I can still close my eyes and visualize it all. His family sued the jungle park for his stupidity; legal outcome unknown to me.
Why was the woman in a cage and why was a lion near the cage to begin with?
Every time I see someone say that I cringe. I'm guessing that her last thoughts were NOT "WOW! It's really great that I'm getting killed by a lion."
“I guess people forget that the big cats are way, way much different from the little domestic house cats.”
The primary difference is SIZE.
Lil’ Fluffums would happily go Full Predator on its doting owner if only it were large enough.
Sounds like human error on her part that led to two avoidable deaths - her own and the lion's.
I’m reminded of the lion scene from “Steelyard Blues”.
Liberal moron. The other White meat...
Even our sweet lovable kitty cats will do from time to time the swating action.
Normally, the big cat would sail away with you in a life boat, and you’d land on an island populated with lots of easy prey for the cat. That’s what the movies taught me.
That’s right. They are called “wild” animals for a reason. I don’t care how cute they look, if there wasn’t a cage between you and them, they will kill you. People get some deadly stupid ideas in their heads about animals sometimes. They don’t think like people. They want to eat people.
PING this one over to you Slings And Arrows. :)=^..^=
“Her father, Paul Hanson, described his daughter as a “fearless” lover of big cats and said her goal was to work with the animals at an accredited zoo. She died doing what she loves, he said.”
Funny, the lion also died doing what he loved best, eating liberal twits that get in his cage.
LOL
LOL
Different only in that they are smaller. If they were as big as a lion they would kill you just for fun.
Really. If a house cat gets moody on you, you will get a nasty scratch. But if you get on the nerves of a big cat you will get agonizingly dismembered and maybe even eaten while still alive. Unfortunately many people-and the majority of the under-40 crowd-are oblivious to such basic practicalities. After all, it’s All About Them.
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