Japanese woman dies after being attacked by lion in Zimbabwe


Sunday, August 21, 2005 at 20:13 JST
JOHANNESBURG — A 50-year-old Japanese woman, traveling in Zimbabwe, was attacked by a lion in a safari park Wednesday and died in a hospital Friday, the Japanese Foreign Ministry has been informed.

Saemi Ono, from Kumamoto Prefecture, was attacked when she was returning to a car after taking photos at a designated place within the park in a western suburb of Harare, the ministry said. There were around eight other tourists and guards but no one else was injured, it said

Last Updated: Monday, 22 August 2005
Park still open after Japanese woman death

Herald Reporter
THE Lion and Cheetah Park was still open yesterday pending the outcome of police investigations after a Japanese woman was killed by lions.

Visitors could be seen trickling into the park unshaken by the recent incident.

"The police want to do their own investigations. I was with them this morning and they told us that if anyone wants anything (information about the case) we should refer them to the Japanese Embassy," said Mr Biggie Madonoro, one of the managers at the park.

The Japanese woman was in the company of five other embassy staff when she was attacked.

The Japanese ambassador to Zimbabwe could not be reached for comment.

Preliminary police reports show that when the first two embassy staff went into an enclosure for lions at the park in the company of a guide, they emerged unharmed but things turned tragic

all of a sudden when the same guide accompanied the woman and another embassy official into the pen.

Lions pounced on the woman as she was

about to leave the pen and the guide and embassy staff had to stone the lions to free the woman who had sustained serious injuries from the attacking lions.

"The woman had sustained serious injuries by the time the lions were finally restrained," a police spokesman was quoted as saying.

"She was immediately rushed to Parirenyatwa Hospital where she was admitted but died on Friday."

Lion and Cheetah Park near Harare in the Lake Chivero area is a popular resort spot for both local and foreign tourists.

It is a favourite spot for schools who may want students to learn more about wild animals and their habitat.

MAybe she died from taking so long filling out the paperwork, e.g., trying to spell Parirenyatwa.

quote:

Originally posted by Kathi:
It is a favourite spot for schools who may want students to learn more about wild animals and their habitat.

"These are lions. They can hurt you."

Next lesson.