Escaped tiger shot by German police after attacking man

The tiger escaped a facility owned by local trainer Carmen Zander, also known as Germany's "Tiger Queen", according to local media reports. Escaped tiger shot by police after attacking man near Leipzig Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Copyright current_year BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC is not responsible for the content of external sites. Read about our approach to external linking. Local media say the tiger belongs to controversial trainer Carmen Zander, also known as Germany's "Tiger Queen" A woman smiles next to a tiger as it licks the palm of her hand Escaped tiger shot by German police after attacking man An escaped tiger believed to be owned by Germany's "Tiger Queen" has been shot dead by police after attacking one of its keepers. Police told the BBC a 72-year-old man was seriously injured after being attacked on Sunday while he was inside the animal's enclosure, located in a privately-owned facility on the outskirts of the German city of Leipzig. The tiger escaped the enclosure and was found shortly after by armed police, who shot and killed the animal. The site of the enclosure is believed to be owned by controversial trainer and private owner Carmen Zander, who describes herself as Germany's "Tiger Queen". The animal was one of eight big cats kept at the industrial site near the German town of Schkeuditz, according to local media. In a statement to the BBC, police said officers shot the animal, a male tiger, to eliminate any further risk to the public. It added that the local police department received the emergency call at around 12:50 local time (11:50 BST) on Sunday, with officers arriving at the scene quickly. A spokesperson said how the tiger escaped is part of an ongoing investigation. No other animals have escaped from the site and police have planned a drone search to ensure it is fully secure. District Mayor Thomas Druskat called for the other animals to be relocated and told local media it was "unthinkable" what could have happened if anyone else had been harmed. Nearby residents told the Deutsche Presse-Agentur (DPA) that the incident was "terrible and worrying", with one claiming the animals were not kept in appropriate conditions. Animal rights charity Peta called on the government to act, telling DPA that stricter rules needed to be put in place to protect privately-owned animals. "Tiger Queen" Zander performing with one of her big cats at a circus festival in 2018 According to a website using Zander's name and nickname, the trainer holds "unforgettable" and "one-of-a-kind" tiger petting events open to the public. The website says visitors can pay to pet the "250kg powerhouses" at a site near Leipzig. Another section of the website features the pictures of eight tigers - three which appear to have died in the last nine years. The tigers include 190kg Kiara, 20-year-old Aschanti, and two-year-old cub Imana. Social media posts appearing to be from the trainer show several pictures of the tigers playing in the enclosures. It also says the tigers are looked after and kept healthy in an animal-friendly environment. The BBC has reached out to Zander for comment. The 27-year-old's tune Bangaranga won Bulgaria its first ever title in the song contest. Ukraine's president says the strikes are a "justified" response to deadly Russian attacks on Ukrainian cities. After four years of flops, the BBC has to think hard about how it approaches Eurovision in 2027. Paul "Pen" Farthing is returning to the UK after racking up 8,170 miles (13,148km) on the road. Wildlife experts had previous criticised the operation, saying it would only cause the animal more distress. Howletts Wild Animal Park says the new elephant will help balance the social dynamics of its herd. A court in Bremen has found the manufacturer of the classic Alpine Milk chocolate bar guilty of "shrinkflation". The JSPCA released its figures for 2025, highlighting costs and saying staff had 3,138 call-outs.