The park in Hilvarenbeek confirms this after reporting from Omroep Brabant. A spokesperson says that the boys’ class went on the walking safari. The three students then deviated from the safari and ran into a path for staff. “Despite the fact that there are signs in several languages, including in German, it is indicated that this is not allowed. The service path has also been laid out differently to make the distinction.”
About the cheetah roster
The Germans then ended up on the route of the car safari, after which they continued to the cheetah enclosure. “To get there you have to go over the cheetah grid, where you normally only come by car. That is a six meter wide grid with current on it with very large holes in between. You don’t feel the current if you walk over it with your shoes. “
According to the spokesperson, there were also warning signs at the cheetah grid. When the boys saw the cheetahs, they started running. “The animals reacted to that. One of the boys was grabbed by a cheetah.”
Act of valor
A zookeeper saw it all happen and rescued the boy from the predator’s grasp. “That caregiver has performed a heroic deed. The person was very shocked but well received by colleagues,” says the spokesperson.
The boy was taken to hospital after the bite. A little later the young tourist was allowed to go home again, he is doing well under the circumstances. The same goes for the cheetah. The other two students were unharmed.
The park is investigating whether ‘more’ measures should be taken to prevent these kinds of events in the future.
French family
This is not the first time a visitor to the park has been attacked. In 2018, things almost went wrong when a French family got out of the car at the cheetah enclosure. A video shows them parking their car next to the sunbathing cheetahs and getting out to take some pictures. A small child also comes to have a look around the corner. Not much is happening at that point.
Moments later, when the family is a little further away, things almost go wrong. The family members have moved further away from the car when the cheetahs approach them. And that just ended well, just look:
 grabbed by cheetah in Beekse Bergen Safari Park){kind=link}