Dubai: A trip that promised joy turned into a tragedy for a Sudanese family after their daughter was mauled to death by a lion while visiting a zoo in Dinder City, 400km south of Khartoum, local media reported.
The 10-year-old girl is said to have gone out on a picnic with her family to a wildlife park-zoo to enjoy the Eid holiday but was unexpectedly attacked by a lion when she approached its den without paying attention to warning signs asking visitors not to approach or try to feed the predator.
Fuelled by curiosity, the victim bent her head towards the den, unaware of the gravity of what she was doing. The lion attacked the girl, causing her fatal injuries.
The victim’s sister was standing next to her but miraculously survived the attack. The victim’s family, together with a number of visitors, tried to free her from the clutches of the lion but all attempts were unsuccessful.
After several failed attempts, one of the little girl’s relatives managed to free her from the jaws of the beast. But it was all in vain as the child died on the way to a hospital nearby.
