A seventeen-year-old German boy was grabbed and bitten by a cheetah on Monday at Safari Park Beekse Bergen in Hilvarenbeek (North Brabant). The victim was taken to hospital with bite wounds and is doing well according to the circumstances
The boy does not have to stay in the hospital, a spokesperson for the park told NU.nl. The victim had an outing at the zoo with his school on Monday. There the students did the so-called walking safari. That is a journey past the animals, which are behind a fence.
Together with two other students, the boy deviated from the path. Via a service path, which is only intended for employees of the park, the three ended up in the area of the car safari. Animals roam free in that area. People can drive through the park with cars or a bus. They are not allowed to leave the vehicle during the trip.
According to the spokesperson, the students passed many warning signs along the way. They were already at the service path and also in the part of the car safari. The area where the cheetahs reside is protected by a cattle grid. Also, signs warn you to enter the cheetah area. The texts on the signs are in three languages, including German.
Boys run away in fright
Despite all the warnings, the classmates ended up among the cheetahs. When they came face to face with a cheetah, they were startled and started running. The animal gave chase and grabbed the seventeen-year-old boy. He sustained several bite injuries. The other two were unharmed. This was partly because a zookeeper intervened quickly.
The safari park has offered aftercare and victim support for all involved. The school has also been contacted about the events. The zoo is looking at whether more can be done to make the park even safer and the warning signs even clearer for visitors.
A large group of cheetahs lives in Safari Park Beekse Bergen. The animals are native to Africa and Asia. A cheetah is also called a cheetah.
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