Major change for beloved Dreamworld attraction after handler was mauled by tiger
Dreamworld will no longer allow human interaction with its tigers after handler Melissa Reynolds was mauled in September this year.
Experienced handler Reynolds, 47, was bitten on her forearm and her shoulder was scratched by a five-year-old, 180kg tiger she was walking with another handler at the theme park.
It followed an incident in 2011 when two handlers were injured by tigers at the popular Queensland theme park and required hospital treatment.
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By continuing you agree to our Terms and Privacy Policy.Following a full review, the park will now install a series of fences and gates in the tiger attraction — meaning handlers will no longer be needed to move the animals.
Some handlers have aired concerns as to how the tigers born in captivity — and therefore used to human interaction — will react.
“The safety of team members, guests and animals are Dreamworld’s highest priority,” Dreamworld told the Courier Mail on Tuesday.
“As a result, Dreamworld has now transitioned its tiger program to a non-handled operation.
“Tigers remain a critical part of the experience at Dreamworld and for Dreamworld Wildlife Foundation, which has contributed more than $2.2 million in funding for tiger conservation projects in the field via Wildcats Conservation Alliance since 2012.”
Sunrise’s Georgia Costi on Tuesday said Dreamworld’s Tiger Island has been in operation for nearly 30 years but now “some changes are under way”.
“The theme park is right now building all these new gates and fences for the tigers,” Costi said.
“The idea is they’re able to go from the back of the house out to Tiger Island without needing any human interaction.
“This was actually a recommendation given to the theme park after a handler was attacked in September.
“She had some pretty serious puncture wounds and needed to go to hospital.
“In general, there’s been a lot of changes with the tigers over the past few years.
“They used to walk them around the theme park with the public and get photos with them. That’s come to an end.
“A lot of people do back the move, saying in this current day and age theme parks and animals no longer go hand-in-hand.
“But there are some former staff who have warned these tiger cubs don’t know any different, they’ve been hand-raised. They say it might upset them.
“It’s a difficult balance to strike.”
