An experienced zookeeper was tragically killed by a rare white Bengal tigress after making a fatal error during feeding at the Mariupol Zoo, located in Russian-occupied Ukraine.
Alexey Melnikov, a seasoned animal handler known for his appearances on Russian television, was attacked by the tigress—named Lucy—after mistakenly entering her enclosure without first ensuring she had been secured in a separate area. Unaware that she was still inside, Melnikov entered the space and was swiftly mauled.
Reports indicate that Lucy may have been acting to protect her four cubs when she lunged from her wooden den and fatally attacked him. Zoo director Savely Vashura described the moment, saying, “She came out from behind, and bam – the man was gone. Maybe he got distracted, maybe something else happened – he was only human.”
While graphic images from the scene, including blood-stained clothing and evidence inside the enclosure, have not been released, authorities have confirmed a criminal investigation is now underway, led by the Russian Investigative Committee.
Melnikov had previously worked at Yalta Zoo in Crimea and was known for his deep passion for wildlife. “I love animals very much – I can’t live without them,” he once said in an interview.
His death adds to a troubling string of recent incidents involving zookeepers, including a fatal lion attack in Uzbekistan and a tiger-related death in Romania.
