Oleg Zubkov, a well-known lion handler and owner of Taigan Safari Park in Russian-occupied Crimea, is fighting for his life after being mauled by the same lion that fatally attacked a park employee last year.
The 57-year-old, often dubbed the “lion whisperer,” sustained severe injuries to his head, neck, and lungs while inside the enclosure during feeding time. Local reports say he is in critical condition following emergency surgery.
Taigan Safari Park, one of the largest big cat sanctuaries in Europe, is home to around 60 African lions. Despite its reputation as a tourist attraction, it has faced mounting scrutiny following a series of safety incidents, including the fatal mauling of park employee Leokadiya Perevalova in October 2024.
According to Zubkov, Perevalova made a “fatal error” by failing to close a safety gate, leading to a lion attacking and biting her in the neck. “Lions are apex predators—they don’t forgive mistakes,” Zubkov said at the time.
The same lion involved in that attack, which was spared from euthanasia, has now turned on Zubkov himself.
Witnesses described scenes of panic and chaos during Sunday’s attack (June 22). “The lion dragged him by the neck like a toy,” one onlooker recounted, per The Mirror.
Tatyana Aleksagina, a 58-year-old park worker, acted quickly and bravely, driving into the enclosure in a buggy and hurling a bucket at the lion to distract it. The animal released Zubkov and retreated.
A visitor to the park, identified only as Alexei, then climbed down into the enclosure to help. “Tatyana couldn’t move him alone,” a witness explained, via The Daily Mail. “Alexei jumped in, dragged Oleg to the buggy, laid him down, and climbed back out.”
Zubkov was rushed to hospital in a private vehicle, reportedly unconscious upon arrival. Doctors performed a complex surgery, and his condition remains critical.
A source close to the park said: “The doctors are doing everything possible, and impossible, to save him. It’s a huge shock to his family and to all of us who know him. We’re praying for his recovery.”
The incident is reigniting questions about safety protocols at Taigan Safari Park and whether the lion, now responsible for two brutal attacks, should have been removed after the first tragedy.
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