Jerusalem Zoo Keeps Leopard "Aladdin" After It Mauls Zookeeper to Death

Jerusalem's Biblical Zoo has decided to keep "Aladdin" on display despite its fatal mauling of 27-year-old zookeeper Uriel Nuri during a behind-the-scenes tour last Friday, following a professional review that described the animal as "frightened himself and didn't understand what happened."

The tragedy unfolded during routine preparation of enrichment activities for the leopards, part of a guided tour for visitors. Nuri, head of the predators department and a beloved staff member, sustained severe neck injuries and was rushed to Hadassah Ein Kerem Hospital, where his death was pronounced shortly after. Zoo management stated that the animal managed to exit its secure house, equipped with electric doors, into an inner yard, where it assaulted Nuri. "During routine activity of preparing enrichment for the leopards... the leopard succeeded in exiting the leopard house into the inner yard and attacking one of the zoo workers," the zoo reported.

However, an eyewitness identified as A., who was on the tour with her six-year-old son, provided a conflicting account to N12. She claimed there was no escape involved: "The leopard didn't come out of any door. He was in the yard the whole time. Uriel entered the cage. The leopard wasn't inside, he was outside the whole time." A. emphasized the lack of separation: "There was no space separating the zoo worker from the leopard I was surprised to see the zoo's response." She described the scene as chaotic and traumatic: "There were ten people on the tour; my body is still shaking. It was a very difficult experience. My six-year-old son was very stressed by the situation and started running. We called the rescue forces."

The zoo maintained that visitors were never in danger, as they observed from behind a protective glass window. Dr. Sigalit Dvir Hertz, the zoo's CEO, reiterated the official version: "The accident happened as part of a 'behind-the-scenes' tour. Uriel entered the exhibition yard while they were locked in the house with secure electric doors." She explained that Nuri was setting up the activity and planned to join the audience to watch the animal's reaction, but it's unclear how the animal gained access to the yard. "The leopard attacked Uriel severely... The animal himself was very frightened and didn't understand what happened," Dvir Hertz added. "This is a shocking and difficult case. It will take a long time for our team to recover. Uriel was a very beloved and professional staff member who developed the path in the predators department."

Emergency responders detailed a frantic scene. United Hatzalah paramedics David Spadja and Avraham Podolski reported: "We were informed he was critically injured after being bitten by a leopard With Dr. Ariel Lifshitz's assistance, we provided initial treatment before evacuating him. Due to the event's nature, our resilience teams were on site." MDA paramedic Dov Tzefori, who was at the zoo with his children, recounted: "I received a report of a man injured in the leopard cage and ran to the scene. I found a 25-year-old unconscious with significant neck injuries. I started stopping the bleeding until more teams arrived for resuscitation and evacuation in very serious condition."

The discrepancy between the eyewitness testimony and the zoo's narrative has raised questions about safety protocols during such tours. The zoo's choice to retain "Aladdin" aligns with animal behavior assessment protocols, emphasizing the tiger's confusion as a mitigating factor against euthanasia or relocation. The facility remains closed to the public until further notice, with an ongoing inquiry in cooperation with Israel Police to examine the enclosure breach and clarify what really happened.

The Biblical Zoo expressed condolences: "Our hearts are with the keeper and his family."