SAN FRANCISCO, Calif. (KCBS/AP) -- Part of the San Francisco Zoo's Lion House is closed this morning while officials investigate yesterday's tiger attack on a trainer.
Zoo officials say the 350-pound, three-year-old tiger named Tatiana, reached through the iron bars of her enclosure and grabbed the trainer with both paws shortly after a public feeding.
The trainer has undergone surgery but may lose an arm as a result of her injuries.
San Bruno resident Sandi Peck tells KCBS she spoke with the trainer shortly before the attack and heard the trainer scream as the tiger grabbed her. Then two other animal caregivers rushed to pull her out of the tiger's grasp.
Bob Jenkins, director of animal care and conservation at the zoo, says the staff was well prepared for the emergency.
"We do routine drills, code-one and code-twos, every year along with earthquake training, tsunami training and what have you and how to respond. And so we run these drills as a practice to see in the event. In addition to the animal care staff, security secured the area and moved the public back to a safe distance. And so the entire staff knows how to respond in this area," explained Jenkins.
Jenkins said the zoo staff is a very close-knit community and supports one another in these types of situations.
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