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Shocking footage shows woman being attacked and dragged away by tiger

SHOCKING footage shows the moment a young woman was attacked and dragged away by a tiger. WARNING: Graphic.

Tiger attacks a woman in Badaling Wildlife Park, China

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THE daughter of a woman mauled to death by a protected tiger has demanded $305,500 compensation from a Beijing safari park.

Chinese national Ms Zhou was attacked by the animal while attempting to rescue her daughter Zhao, who had been dragged away by the hungry tiger moments before, The Sun reports.

The Badaling Wildlife World tragedy, which was captured on CCTV, happened after the pair got out of the safari vehicle they were travelling in following an argument.

According to reports in Chinese media, the tiger pounced on the daughter before dragging her off.

In a bid to rescue her daughter, Ms Zhou leapt from the vehicle and was attacked by a second tiger, mauling her to death.

The footage shows the tiger coming up behind the woman and pulling her to the ground. Picture: CCTV/Supplied

Daughter Zhao sustained serious injuries in the attack and has apparently been left disabled.

Zhao’s mother is seen leaping from the car moments before she is mauled to death. She is now suing the wildlife park for a 1.55 million yuan payout ($AU305,500), and has called on the park to bear part responsibility for her mother’s death on July 23, 2016.

A previous official investigation into the incident ruled that there were no safety concerns at the park and cleared the business of any wrongdoing.

The payout petition apparently includes 1.25 million yuan ($AU246,500) to cover Ms Zhou’s funeral cost, life expenses for Ms Zhou’s dependants and consolation compensation for Ms Zhou’s family members.

It also included 310,000 yuan ($AU61,000) for Ms Zhao to cover her surgery fees and lost wages.

Siberian tigers are a protected species in China and are listed as endangered animals by the International Union for Conservation of Nature.

The 6,000-acre wildlife park previously allowed people to drive themselves through the facility, or join a guided tour.

Since the tragedy, self-driving tours of the tiger enclosure have been banned, with “do not get out of the car” signs clearly installed at the entrance.

This article was originally published by The Sun and appears here with permission.

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10 safari horror stories that will chill you to the bone

Going on safari can be a thrilling and remarkable experience. But in the midst of all the excitement, guides are quick to point out that safaris are not vacations in which you can safely sit idly by.

The purpose of many wildlife preserves and safaris is to raise awareness for the receding natural habitat of some of the world’s most beautiful and fascinating plants and animals. But sometimes, as we encroach too much on these natural predators' homes, the results can quickly turn tragic.

Read on for 10 safari horror stories.

In 2018, a 22-year-old woman was mauled to death by a lion.

safari park deaths

While on vacation in a game reserve outside Pretoria in South Africa , a 22-year-old woman was attacked and killed by a lion as she took photos outside the fenced area of a camp. A lioness was charging after an Impala (an antelope), but encountered the young woman instead.

The victim was not staying at the camp, and instead was a guest of a friend and was intending to interview the camp’s manager before tragedy struck.

A gorilla pushed a woman to the ground as it charged past in Rwanda.

safari park deaths

In video footage captured in March 2016, a new husband happened to film his wife as a gorilla ran past her, pushing her to the ground.

Gemma Cosgriff was on her honeymoon in Rwanda when the incident took place, and together with her husband, had been observing animals at Volcanoes National Park in Rwanda, according to The Mirror. And although the fall seemed to be quite terrifying, Cosgriff was not seriously injured.

A former "Game of Thrones" editor was mauled to death by a lion in South Africa.

safari park deaths

In 2015, 29-year-old Katherine Chappell was being driven through a lion park in South Africa when a lioness took hold of the graphic effects creator. Witnesses noted that Chappell had her windows down and was taking photographs of her surroundings just moments before the lioness attacked, according to Express.

Chappell was not in Johannesburg simply to see the sights — rather, the film editor was on a volunteer mission with the aim of protecting wildlife throughout the country.

An elephant charged at a billionaire tourist and his guide in Tanzania.

safari park deaths

Nearly 10 years ago, billionaire Tom Siebel, the founder and CEO of C3 IoT , was on a walking tour with a guide in Tanzania.

Near a watering hole, Siebel and his guide spotted a 6-ton elephant, which proceeded to charge the group. The animal attacked Siebel, shattering his leg and causing the iPhone in his pocket to explode into 200 pieces, according to Forbes. Siebel has since undergone 16 surgeries to save his leg, but he’s one of the lucky few who have survived such a massive attack.

A leopard attacked a safari guide by jumping into the open-top jeep in South Africa.

safari park deaths

In 2015, safari guide Curtis Plumb was leading a tour in an open-top 4x4 jeep when a leopard jumped into the vehicle. Plumb was on a routine safari route in South Africa's Kruger National Park when he spotted the animal, and stopped the car so that tourists could get a closer look, according to Mirror. At this point, the big cat suddenly attacked.

Tourists in Plumb’s jeep attempted to help the guide fight off the predator, but were unsuccessful in their efforts. Ultimately, it was Plumb himself who managed to pry himself loose. Luckily, he lived to tell the tale, despite serious injuries. The animal was put down following the incident.

Two tourists were trampled to death by elephants after getting too close in Zambia.

safari park deaths

Last year, a 57-year-old woman and a 64-year-old man were trampled to death by elephants at the Maramba River Lodge in Livingstone, Zambia. Zambian Police Service spokesperson Danny Mwale told Express that the Belgium and Netherlands nationals were killed after coming too close to the wildlife in attempts to take photos.

The woman, identified later as Sabine Goossens, had been living in Africa for 10 years, and had invited her friend Wim Van Griensven to visit. Reports suggested that Griensven died when he attempted to rescue Goossens from the charging elephant.

A 75-year-old grandmother was killed by a hippo while on safari in Tanzania.

safari park deaths

Last August, a 75-year-old businesswoman named Carol Sue Kirken was killed by a hippopotamus while on a family vacation in Tanzania, according to The Daily Mail. Described as an avid world traveler and local philanthropist, Kirken was on safari with her son Robert, and the duo were observing hippos when the attack took place.

Details around her death were unclear , but hippos are largely considered some of the most dangerous animals in the world, responsible for around 500 human deaths every year. They’re capable of outrunning a human, and have extremely sharp teeth.

A family was attacked by lions while in a UK safari park but lived to tell the tale.

safari park deaths

A few years ago, writer Glenys Newton shared a terrifying experience from her childhood with the Guardian . Then 5, Newton went on vacation with her family to Longleat, a safari park in the UK. The group found themselves immediately next to a lion, but unfortunately, the young Newton thought it would be advisable to roll down her window and pat the lion on its head.

Needless to say, the lion did not take kindly to the gesture, roaring as the family frantically rolled up the window. This set the other lions in motion, and soon, they were climbing all over the car, leaving paw-prints as proof, according to Newton. While the car was battered and bruised (and ended up with a flat tire), the occupants of the vehicle were physically unharmed.

A tiger killed a woman on safari after she got out of her car in Beijing.

safari park deaths

Video footage provided by NBC News captured the moment a tourist was attacked by a tiger in Badaling Wildlife Park in Beijing. While visitors are told explicitly to remain in their vehicles, the victim can be seen exiting the vehicle and walking around to the driver’s side door just before a tiger attacked her, dragging her away.

A second woman attempted to rescue her, but was killed by another tiger. The first woman sustained critical injuries, while the driver of the car and a child were unharmed.

A buffalo stampede crashed right into a car in South Africa.

safari park deaths

Here to prove that it’s not just big cats, elephants, or hippos that are dangerous when it comes to safari, footage filmed in May 2016 and provided by MSN showed a herd of buffalo stampeding and ultimately crashing directly into a passenger car in South Africa's Kruger National Park.

The herd of cape buffalo were moving toward a waterhole when they spotted lions near their water source. This likely caused the animals to panic, and the herd suddenly ran in the opposite direction, barging into a white sedan. The car was nearly tipped over, but amazingly, no one was hurt.

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  • Main content

Woman Killed by Tiger After Exiting Her Vehicle at Beijing Animal Park

CCTV footage shows a woman being mauled and dragged away by a tiger.

— -- One woman died and another was severely injured after a tiger attacked them when they exited their vehicle while at the Beijing Badaling Wildlife World this weekend, according to Yanqing County government.

The incident, caught in part on surveillance video, took place on Saturday at an outdoor, drive-through animal park in China, where visitors can drive around in their cars and view exotic animals as if on a safari. The tragedy occurred when one woman exited her vehicle while in the Siberian tiger enclosure part of the animal park.

PHOTO: In this Sept. 13, 2006 file photo, a trainer tames a Bengal Tiger during circus performance at the Beijing Badaling Safari World in Beijing, China.

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Surveillance footage shows a woman exiting the passenger side of the vehicle, walking over to the driver's side, and then standing outside of the vehicle while she seems to speak with someone inside the car. Suddenly a tiger pounces on her, dragging the woman away from the vehicle and off camera.

Two more people then jump out of the car, running after the woman and tiger, disappearing off camera.

The woman who died was a 57-year-old mother who was trying to save her daughter from the tiger, according to the South China Morning Post. The daughter, in her 30s, who is reportedly the one seen being dragged away by the tiger in the surveillance video, was severely injured, the paper reported.

Badaling Wildlife World was immediately closed following the incident, and an investigation is underway, according to the Yanqing County government's official blog.

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Woman dies instantly after being mauled by tiger at safari park where she worked

The woman died on the spot after she was mauled by a tiger in a Chilean safari park in Rancagua, having entered the enclosure not realising the cage door was open

A tiger has claimed the life of a safari park worker

  • 12:52, 7 Aug 2021
  • Updated 13:23, 7 Aug 2021

A safari park worker died on the spot after she was attacked by a tiger.

The young woman, who has not been publicly named, was among staff cleaning and performing maintenance work at a Chilean safari park in Rancagua.

She was entering an enclosure where the animals are kept when they're not roaming free in the park when she was attacked, the Daily Star reports.

She hadn't realised the door of the cage was open and was immediately jumped on by the tiger.

The animal bit her neck, causing her to die almost instantly.

Williams Espinoza of the Rancagua police said: "She did not realize that the door of the animal's cage was open and was immediately attacked by this tiger, causing her death on the spot."

The safari park was closed while police attended the scene and investigated her death.

Jorge Mena, from the regional public prosecutor's office, said they would investigate whether there is possible third-party culpability following the tragic incident.

The condition of the tiger is not known.

It comes after a zookeeper was mauled to death by a Siberian tiger after the electric fence was switched off.

The experienced worker was killed after the big cat scaled a 12-foot fence when it was turned off for repairs.

David Solomon, who worked at Seaview Predator Park, was in the passageway between the two tiger enclosures when Jasper the tiger got out and mauled him.

He tried to climb the fence of a different enclosure in a bid to escape the attack but was pulled off.

Mr Solomon died of a broken neck, although reports initially claimed he had died from being bitten by Jasper.

The tiger then jumped the exterior fence to the next enclosure which is home to two other Siberian Tigers, Judah and Amber, before a fight broke out between Judah and Jasper.

Judah was killed seemingly as Jasper wanted the attention of Amber.

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Fatal Tiger Mauling Shows What's Wrong With Animal Parks

A woman's death in China could have been prevented, and it highlights some of the problems with captive animal parks.

Surveillance video at a wildlife park in northern China shows the horrifying moment a woman is attacked by a captive tiger . The woman survived, but her mother was killed after she rushed to defend her daughter.

The woman's husband also came to his wife's rescue and was not hurt.

The deadly encounter took place Saturday at Badaling Wildlife World outside Beijing. Yet the incident could have been prevented and is a reminder of the danger—and questionable track record—of such captive animal experiences, says Luke Dollar, a conservation biologist who directs National Geographic's Big Cats Initiative .

"Lack of awareness and lack of respect for wild animals can sometimes be very expensive, and unfortunately it cost a woman her life," Dollar says.

John Goodrich, the senior program director for tigers for the conservation group Panthera , puts it thus: "If you step out of a car in a cage full of tigers, it's common sense what could happen."

According to local news reports, guests are allowed to drive their own vehicles through a section of Badaling Wildlife World that features captive Siberian tigers. But such attractions are not a good idea, Dollar and Goodrich warn.

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In fact, the park has had several other safety problems in the past. A security guard who stepped out of a vehicle was killed by a tiger there in 2014. In March, another employee was killed by an elephant . In 2009, a man was killed by a tiger after he scaled a fence and entered an enclosure.

"I hope they're not taking any actions against the tiger," Goodrich adds.

Attempts to reach Badaling Wildlife World have so far not been successful. The county government issued a statement saying they are investigating the incident, the park has been temporarily closed, and that "here we remind the tourists, walkers must comply with the relevant regulations, improve safety awareness, to avoid accidents."

Captive Tigers Can Be More Dangerous

Lions and tigers in captive situations "often don't have a healthy fear of people," Dollar says. They often associate humans with food or positive attention, especially if they are hand raised.

Some wildlife attractions even permit people to pet or hand-feed big cats, which can exacerbate unnatural behaviors, he adds.

In contrast, in the wild, big cats tend to avoid people, possibly seeing them as rival predators or even as threats, particularly in areas with a history of hunting. When a person on a safari vehicle exits a vehicle around them—which can still be dangerous—the big cats typically scatter, Dollar says. ( Read about the woman killed by a lion in South Africa .)

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"But captive cats, which may have been around people their entire lives, may be curious when people get out of a vehicle, since that probably doesn't happen on a regular basis," Dollar says.

Local media have reported that the woman who first exited her car at the park Saturday may have been arguing with her husband, although a family friend later disputed that fact. If she was raising her voice, it could have attracted the tiger, Dollar says, since it could have piqued its curiosity, or even sounded like a distress call (predators often hone in on prey in distress).

( Read about the gorilla that attacked a boy in a U.S. zoo .)

Captive Parks Can Be Problematic

As the recent controversy over Thailand's tiger temple suggests , some captive wildlife attractions have been linked to supplying the black market for bones, skins, and other valuable contraband. And some facilities have been criticized for keeping animals in unsanitary, small, and unnatural conditions. Sometimes, lions and tigers are even kept together, causing them significant stress.

What's more, there's little evidence captive breeding on such a large scale is benefitting the species overall or in the wild, Dollar says. There are more than two times more tigers in captivity in the U.S. than there are throughout the entire world in the wild.

Although he's not familiar with Badaling Wildlife World in particular, Dollar says many captive animal attractions around the world are "exploitive and profiteering." The animals often "aren't being bred to restock wild populations," Dollar adds.

As of this writing we are unable to determine whether Badaling has ever released tigers into the wild. Goodrich says he is not aware of any reintroductions of tigers across China.

Still, "cats are amazingly resilient, and they do just fine if we can adequately manage and protect them," says Dollar.

Although the study has since been contested by some biologists , an April report estimated that there about 3,890 tigers left in the wild , up from 3,200 in 2010. Yet the April report estimated only seven wild tigers in China, noting that the country has yet to do a formal count. ( Read about the recent decline of leopards .)

Goodrich adds that China remains the world's biggest market for blackmarket tiger parts, which he calls "the driving force behind the decline of tigers." The country has done some work to protect its remaining wild tigers, but more could be done, he adds.

"I love the fact that people care about big cats, but I wish people could do what they can to help them without this exploitative component [of wildlife attractions]," Dollar says.

Note: This story was updated at 1:30 pm ET with comments from Goodrich of Panthera.

Follow Brian Clark Howard on Twitter and Google+ .

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Born Free

  • Born free calls for inquiry into safari park deaths
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BORN FREE CALLS FOR INQUIRY INTO SAFARI PARK DEATHS

Scottish government urged to investigate shocking animal deaths at blair drummond safari park..

Born Free is calling for an immediate, independent investigation into the shocking revelations of a series of animal deaths at Blair Drummond Safari Park near Stirling in Scotland. Deaths since 2016 include two lionesses, a nilgai antelope, a lemur and a Barbary macaque.

The circumstances around these deaths have come to light thanks to whistleblowers within the zoo itself. Deaths include two lionesses in 2016 who had to be euthanised as a result of injuries inflicted by a male lion due to alleged improper social grouping, a hand-reared nilgai antelope who staff reportedly stated “shouldn’t have been [housed] with other males” and was left with internal organs protruding from an injury inflicted during an altercation with another male, a lemur killed after escaping into the tiger enclosure in 2018, and a Barbary macaque who was mauled by lions in front of visitors in 2020 after escaping its enclosure.

Veterinarian Dr Mark Jones, Head of Policy at Born Free said, “Details of these shocking incidents, coming as they do just days after the killing of two brown bears at Whipsnade zoo who escaped their enclosure and injured a boar, once again bring into serious question the ability of zoos in the UK to keep their animals safe. It seems the tragedies at Blair Drummond are indicative of systemic problems that have been ongoing for some years, but which the zoo inspection system has uncovered and failed to address. The fact the facility is a member of the British and Irish Association of Zoos and Aquariums (BIAZA) doesn’t instil much confidence in BIAZA’s ability to ensure its own members are acting responsibly. We urge the Scottish Government to launch a fully independent, transparent investigation, and to develop requirements and inspection processes for zoos that will ensure these kinds of tragedies can never be repeated.”

The events at Blair Drummond seem to be indicative of endemic problems at the Park dating back several years. In their most recent inspection in 2018 by the local licensing authority, Blair Drummond scored ‘Yes’ for ‘Are there satisfactory measures in place to prevent the escape of animals?’ and ‘Are animals of social species normally maintained in compatible social groups?’ This highlights serious flaws in the current inspection process and raises the question of whether these issues would have ever come to light if it wasn’t for staff making their concerns known.

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Born Free acknowledges the bravery and courage of the whistleblowers in bringing these serious animal welfare issues to light and encourages BIAZA to develop its current whistleblowing policy so that staff in the zoo industry feel confident in reporting such issues in future without fear of victimization, discrimination or disadvantage.

BIAZA has launched an inquiry into the incidents.  However, Born Free believes that the organisation is seriously conflicted and is calling for such an inquiry to be carried out by an independent body. We believe that the Scottish Government’s Animal Welfare team should initiate an immediate independent, transparent and public inquiry into the events at Blair Drummond. These events also raise fundamental concerns about the wider zoo industry and Born Free calls on the UK government to undertake a thorough review of zoo standards as a matter of urgency.

An elephant has sadly died at a different UK zoo, near Bristol . Read the report here.

Take action today and help prevent animals living a sad life in UK zoos .

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Images of lions at Blair Drummond Safari Park © Castaway in Scotland

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Female tiger killed by male tiger at Knowsley Safari Park during breeding attempt

  • Knowsley Safari Park
  • Wednesday 16 November 2022 at 9:23pm

Tiger

A safari park has announced the sudden death of one of its female tigers who was bitten by another tiger during a breeding attempt.

Keepers say Sinda, 14, sustained a severe bite injury at Knowsley Safari Park on Saturday, 12 November, from male tiger Miron.

A spokesperson from the safari park, where she lived for more than a decade, say the tiger's bite killed her instantly.

The zoo has released a statement which says: "We are sad to announce the loss of Sinda, our 14-year-old female Amur Tiger.

"Sinda sustained fatal injuries during a mixing with our male tiger, Miron, as part of a European breeding programme.

"Miron arrived at Knowsley Safari in 2020, he’d been mixed with Sinda successfully on several previous occasions.

"This introduction, like previous ones, was carefully managed by our expert animal team, taking into account each tiger’s behaviour and following the same rigorous procedures.

"Before the mixing, normal positive character traits were seen with no signs of aggression.

"Due to the speed of the incident, there was unfortunately nothing that could be done to intervene and Sinda died instantly from her injuries.

"Sinda was a very popular tiger with visitors and keepers alike and had been at Knowsley Safari since 2010 – she will be greatly missed.

"Our focus is now on ensuring that both our team and Miron are cared for during this difficult time."

Knowsley has shared information on its website to answer questions people may have about the breeding programme and how the incident came about.

It explains the pair were introduced because Amur tigers are an endangered species, with only around 500 remaining in the wild, and it was hoped they would be able to support the EAZA* Ex Situ breeding programme (EEP).

The Park says any such animal introduction "carries an element of risk" with this type of incident "naturally seen in big cats in the wild".

  • PETS & ANIMALS

Aggressive elephant lifts safari car filled with tourists into the air in South Africa

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A frightening moment for a group of tourists in South Africa was caught on camera when an elephant approached their safari truck and partially lifted it up into the air.

The incident happened March 18 in Pilanesberg National Park, northwest of Johannesburg.

The group of local South Africans were touring the area when they got too close to the elephant bull to take pictures. That's when the large animal became aggressive and approached the safari truck.

Video from the scene shows the elephant lifting the front portion of the vehicle with its tusks before letting it drop to the ground. Screaming can be heard in the video.

The guide backed up the vehicle and slammed his hand against what appears to be the door in attempt to convince the elephant to stop.

The tour operator Mankwe Game Trackers told ABC News they understand the elephant was in musth, a periodic state of the bull elephant characterized by aggressive behavior and a surge of testosterone levels.

Nobody was hurt in the encounter, but the park offered counseling for those who were the most rattled.

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Lincoln Park Zoo gorilla, Bana, dies at 29

Zoo officials were tipped off something was wrong after bana stopped eating as much as she regularly did and appeared lethargic..

Bana, a western lowland gorilla (pictured in 2022) at Lincoln Park Zoo was euthanized earlier this month following diagnoses of congestive cardiac failure and pneumonia that did not respond to treatment.

Bana, a western lowland gorilla (pictured in 2022) at Lincoln Park Zoo, was euthanized this month after diagnoses of congestive cardiac failure and pneumonia that did not respond to treatment.

Dianne Mohr

Bana, a female western lowland gorilla who lived at Lincoln Park Zoo, died Tuesday.

She died after zoo officials made the decision to euthanize the 29-year-old ape after diagnoses of congestive cardiac failure and pneumonia earlier this month.

Zoo officials were tipped off something was wrong after Bana stopped eating as much as she regularly did and appeared lethargic, zoo spokeswoman Anna Cieslik said.

In a statement issued Thursday, zoo officials said: "Animal care and veterinary staff worked diligently to ensure she was taking her medications in an effort to improve her heart's function. Unfortunately, full recovery in this condition is not possible, and in this case, even stabilization was not successful. After an abrupt decline on March 26, veterinarians made the difficult but appropriate recommendation to euthanize her."

Bana was the dominant female in the family gorilla troop led by silverback Kwan. With her death, the family troop now has six gorillas. They were able to visit with Bana after she died, as they would naturally do in the wild. Some of the gorillas chose to touch her body, others did not, Cieslik said. The family troop is kept separately from the zoo's all-male bachelor troop, which boasts three gorillas.

The median life expectancy of a female western lowland gorilla raised in a zoo is is 39 years, but they can live into their 50s. In the wild, their life expectancy is typically 30 to 40 years, according to Cieslik.

Bana was born at Brookfield Zoo in 1995 and came to Lincoln Park Zoo in 2010 under a species survival plan that matches potential mates to help perpetuate the critically endangered apes. There have been 56 births at the zoo since the first one in 1970.

Bana became a reliable participant in the cognitive touch-screen programs at the zoo’s Regenstein Center for African Apes and would often make sure she could go first, according to the zoo.

In 2011, Bana, then 16, gave birth to a female, Patty. Her pregnancy was confirmed, in part, by dipping a human pregnancy test in a urine sample. In 2019 she gave birth to a male named Djeke. Djeke was part of Bana's family troop. Patty has since been transferred to another zoo.

“Bana was not only a great mother, but she was very tolerant of her youngsters and other youngsters in the group playing on top of her. She loved spending time in the outside yard and sometimes could be seen foraging out there by herself,” said Jill Moyse, curator of primates.

“Bana has left an undeniable mark on the hearts of zoo staff, volunteers and visitors, and played an important role in her own troop,” Moyse said.

There has been an outpouring of love toward Bana and staff at the zoo on the zoo's social media pages.

A total of 29 western lowland gorillas have passed away at Lincoln Park Zoo since the first death was recorded in 1951, Cieslik said.

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Court upholds ruling in facial recognition case

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The Intermediate People's Court in Hangzhou city of Zhejiang made a final ruling Friday afternoon, upholding the previous judgment that Hangzhou Safari Park should pay 1,038 yuan ($158) in compensation to a local resident for breach of contract after insisting on the use of facial recognition technology to gain entry following an upgrade to its park admission system.

Guo Bing, an associate professor of law at Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, filed a lawsuit against Hangzhou Safari Park at the Fuyang District People's Court in Hangzhou, Zhejiang province, last year over the collection and use of visitors' facial recognition details.

The litigation is believed to be the first in China involving facial recognition technology as its use increases nationwide.

Guo paid 1,360 yuan in April last year to buy annual park memberships for himself and his wife and agreed to use fingerprint recognition to enter the park. They provided their information, including ID numbers, fingerprints and mugshots, to the park, according to a statement issued by the court.

The park later upgraded its entry system adopting facial recognition technology and informed Guo of the change, the court said. The park said he needed to activate the facial recognition system to be able to gain entry.

After refusing to use facial recognition due to privacy concerns and failing to negotiate the cancellation of his membership with the park, Guo took the safari to court in October last year. He said that after breaking the contract it should compensate him for his membership fee and transportation expenses and delete his personal information.

The court ordered the park to pay 1,038 yuan in compensation for Guo's loss of contract benefits and transportation costs, and to delete the facial information Guo submitted when he applied for his membership.

After the verdict, both sides appealed.

On Dec 29 last year, Hangzhou's intermediate people's court held a public hearing on the case.

Cai Jingwen contributed to the story

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No.200 Zhijiang Rd, Xihu District, Hangzhou, Zhejiang, China, 310000

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West Lake, Xihu Dsistrict, Hangzhou, CN-33, China, 310000

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No.518 Tianmushan Rd, Xihu District, Hangzhou, CN-33, China, 310030

Hangzhou Liangzhu New Town

Yuniao Rd, Yuhang District, Hangzhiou, CN-33, China, 311113

Lingyin Temple

No.1 Fayunnong, Xihu District, Hangzhou, CN-33, China, 310013

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No. 376 Hefang Street, Shangcheng District, Hangzhou, CN-33, China, 310002

No. 148 Zhijiang Rd, Xihu District, Hangzhou, CN-33, China, 310000

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    West Lake. Tour By: Hangzhou Westlake Pleasure Boat. +86 571-87980202. Family & Children's Activities. Huanglong Sports complex. This sports complex includes a football stadium with a running track, an indoor arena, an outdoor practice facility and more. +86 571-85892888. Family & Children's Activities.