Woman Suffers 'Severe' Arm Injury After Being Attacked by a Lion at Popular Zoo

A woman was severely injured after she was attacked by a lion at a popular zoo.

The incident occurred at around 8:30 a.m. local time on Saturday, July 5, when the woman was visiting the carnivore precinct at Darling Downs Zoo in Queensland, Australia, according to a news release shared on Facebook.

“This morning, a much-loved member of our family was watching keepers working in the carnivore precinct,” Darling Downs Zoo wrote, adding that the woman had been at the precinct “many, many times” and was “well-versed in safety protocols around potentially dangerous animals.”

The animal reportedly involved in the attack was a lion, the Daily Mail reported.

According to the zoo, the animal “grabbed” the woman’s arm, causing “severe damage.” She was airlifted to Princess Alexandria Hospital in Brisbane for surgery and is currently “in stable condition.”

“At no stage did this animal leave its enclosure, and there was no risk at all to staff members or members of the public,” added Darling Downs Zoo.

The woman is believed to be in her 50s, The Guardian reported, citing Queensland Ambulance. According to the Daily Mail, the woman’s injuries resulted in her losing her arm. 

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Darling Downs Zoo said in its statement that “police and Workplace Health and Safety personnel are investigating this incident and have been onsite all morning.”

“The zoo is working with them to establish how this incident occurred, but the full details will not be known until our family member can be interviewed,” they added.

The zoo clarified in a later update shared on Facebook that the woman “was not one of our immediate family nor a keeper.” They said the animal involved would “definitely not be put down or punished in any way.”

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“We are extremely grateful to the QAS, QPS and LifeFlight for their prompt attendance and to all of the people and organizations who have rallied round us with messages of support,” added Darling Downs Zoo.

The Australia-based attraction will remain closed following the incident until Tuesday, July 8.

Queensland Ambulance and Darling Downs Zoo did not immediately respond to PEOPLE’s request for comment on Sunday, July 6.