A tragedy unfolded Friday morning at the Tisch Family Zoological Gardens—commonly known as the Biblical Zoo—when a staff member was fatally attacked by a Persian tiger that escaped its enclosure.

The victim, identified as 36-year-old Uriel Nuri, was reportedly preparing enrichment activities ahead of a scheduled visitor tour when the tiger broke loose. The attack occurred around 9:55 a.m., according to zoo officials.

Magen David Adom paramedics were quickly dispatched to the scene, where they found Nuri unconscious with severe upper-body injuries. He was evacuated in critical condition to Hadassah Ein Kerem Medical Center, where doctors fought to save his life. Despite prolonged resuscitation efforts, the hospital announced his death shortly after arrival.

The tiger involved in the attack was reportedly brought to Israel earlier this year as part of the zoo’s broader wildlife conservation program. Persian tigers, extinct in the wild in their native range, are part of a limited and carefully managed international breeding effort.

In the wake of the incident, police units from Jerusalem’s Moriah precinct have launched a formal investigation into how the tiger managed to escape its enclosure and whether safety protocols were properly followed.

The Biblical Zoo, which has long been a hub for public education and endangered species conservation, has not yet announced whether it will suspend operations in light of the tragedy.

(YWN World Headquarters – NYC)