Bengaluru: A routine workday turned into a nightmare for Shanthappa, a 50-year-old animal keeper at the rescue centre of Bannerghatta Biological Park (BBP), Friday morning.Shanthappa, a contract employee with BBP for over two decades, reported to duty as usual and shifted the leopard to an adjacent makeshift cage before beginning the cleaning process. However, the animal thrust its paw through the iron mesh barrier and clawed him on the cheek and neck, officials said.Bleeding from the injuries, Shanthappa raised an alarm. Colleagues pulled him out of the enclosure and took him to a hospital in Jigani. BBP sources said the injuries are not life-threatening.Shanthappa’s family members said this is the second time he survived an animal attack at the park. “In 2006, he was attacked by a gaur and miraculously survived. He has worked for over two decades as a contract worker without job security. The govt must support our family,” his wife said.BBP executive director AV Surya Sen said Shanthappa is stable now. Officials termed the incident unfortunate, noting it occurred despite standard safety protocols. Wildlife activists said the episode underscored the unpredictable nature of wild animals, even in controlled environments.
