A tiger trainer in southern Italy was killed when four of the animals suddenly attacked him on Thursday. Ettore Weber, 61, was preparing the tigers for the Orfei Circus production known as Animal Park when one of them pounced on the trainer. The three other tigers quickly joined in, playing with Weber’s limp body in their enclosure.
Medics and other trainers were finally able to intervene, but Weber died later that evening of his injuries. The tigers were reportedly taken out of the circus and placed in a safari park.
Weber was a well-known circus trainer within Italy, and the Orfei Circus is renowned for their performances. They also have bison, camels, and zebras as part of their show. 20 European nations have banned the use of wild animals in circus acts.
The circus was scheduled to run in the southern Italian town of Triggiano through July 14, but it is not currently known if they will plan to continue in light of the incident. Italian police are also investigating the matter.
