Etchojoa, Mexico — A Bengal tiger pulled an American circus trainer to the ground and apparently killed him, and the horrifying incident before a live audience in Mexico was caught on tape.
AP has confirmed the Bengal tiger attack on the trainer: “Police in the northern state of Sonora say the 35-year-old trainer was attacked over the weekend in the Sonora town of Etchojoa.
The Sun of London describes what happened when the trainer was pulled to the ground and mauled by the tiger during a circus performance in northern Mexico:
“Terrifying footage reportedly shows Alexander Crispin, 35, being savaged by the big cat during the Circo Suarez show in Etchojoa.
“According to local news reports, the American suffered severe injuries including bites to the neck as he was dragged around the cage by one of two Bengals.
“He later died in hospital from hypovolemic shock which can occur after severe blood loss.”
Spectators fled the circus tent as other circus workers tried to rescue the trainer from the tiger attack.
According to London’s Daily Mail , “It is presumed that the Bengal tiger was killed by one of the companions of the trainer during the struggle to try to save the trainer’s life.”
The Daily Mail adds that a tiger-on-human attack seldom occurs: “In the wild, Bengal tigers live alone and aggressively scent-mark large territories to keep their rivals away — but rarely attack humans.”
Back in 2003, Roy (of Siegfried & Roy) was severely wounded in a tiger attack during the duo’s Las Vegas show.
[Top image credit: Bjørn Christian Tørrissen ]
Watch amateur video of the Bengal tiger attacking the trainer during the circus performance in Mexico:
[iframe src=”http://www.youtube.com/embed/h77H10B6JBM?rel=0? width=”420? height=”315?]
