Woman loses her arm after she was mauled by a lion at Darling Downs Zoo

Monday, July 7, 2025 - A woman was rushed to hospital with severe injuries after being mauled by a lion at a Queensland zoo.

The woman, aged in her 50s, was flown to Brisbane's Princess Alexandra Hospital with a "significant arm injury" following the horrific attack at Darling Downs Zoo, near Toowoomba,at about 8.20am on Sunday, July 6.  

It is understood the woman had lost her arm. She was in a stable condition and underwent surgery on Sunday afternoon.

The zoo said the woman, who is a member of the zoo owner's extended family, had been observing zookeepers working when the incident occurred.  

In a statement released late on Sunday, Darling Downs Zoo said the injured woman was "not one of our immediate family nor a keeper" and was watching zookeepers work in the carnivore precinct. 

"This is something that she has done many, many times over the past 20 years," the statement said. 

"She is well versed in safety protocols around potentially dangerous animals. 

"Inexplicably, at this stage, one animal grabbed her by one arm and caused severe damage to it." 

The zoo said at no stage did the lion leave its enclosure and there was no risk to staff members or members of the public. 

The lion will not be put down or punished in any way according to the statement. 

"At no stage did this animal leave its enclosure and there was no risk at all to staff members or members of the public," the statement said. 

The zoo said Workplace Health and Safety personnel were investigating the attack. 

"The zoo is working with them to establish how this incident occurred but the full details will not be known until (the woman) can be interviewed," the zoo said. 

The zoo was closed on Sunday and is expected to re-open on Tuesday, July 8.