'Lion whisperer' left fighting for his life after attack from same cat that killed his colleague last year

A 'lion whisperer' has been left fighting for his life after he was mauled by the same lion that killed his colleague last year.

Taigan safari park, owned by Oleg Zubkov in Russian-occupied Crimea, is the largest European breeding ground for lions and other large big cats and predator mammals. It's thought to be the home to around 60 African lions, but has suffered its fair share of tragedy in the past year.

Park employee Leokadiya Perevalova, 41, was mauled to death last year after she made a 'fatal error' that lead to her being attacked.

Zubkov said Perevalova failed to close a safety gate in October 2024, resulting in her being fatally bitten in the neck.

"Lions are the highest predators and they do not forgive mistakes," Zubkov said at the time.

The Taigan safari park had a similar deadly incident involving the lion last year (East2West)

Now, it has been reported by local media that the same animal - who was spared last year - has attacked 57-year-old Zubkov while he was inside the enclosure during feeding time.

The founder of the park is said to have sustained serious head, neck and lung injuries, and is in a 'crucial' condition in hospital.

Tatyana Aleksagina, 58, who works at the park, risked her own life by driving up close in the enclosure with a buggy and throwing a bucket at the lion, which then released Zubkov from its jaws.

"There was terrible panic... the lion dragged the man by the neck like a toy," one witness said. "We shouted for her to come back, and she threw the bucket at the animal, which freed the man and ran away."

A visitor to the safari park is then said to have shinned down a pipe into the enclosure to help Zubkov.

Oleg Zubkov, the founder of the safari park, has been attacked by the same lion (East2News)

The unidentified witness continued: "Our companion Alexei jumped into the enclosure, realising that she could not pull him away on her own. He dragged [Zubkov] to the buggy, laid him down and climbed back up out of danger."

Once out of the enclosure, Zubkov was loaded into a Mercedes and driven to hospital.

He was said to be 'unconscious' upon arriving at hospital and underwent surgery on Sunday (June 22).

A source close to the park said that a 'complex operation has been performed [and that] the doctors are doing everything possible and impossible' to save him.

The source added: "It is very difficult for his family right now. It is such a shock, like a bolt from the blue. We are all praying for Oleg's health and speedy recovery!”