Renowned ‘lion whisperer’ in critical condition after attack by lion he spared following colleague’s death
Oleg Zubkov, the 57-year-old founder of Taigan Safari Park in Russian-occupied Crimea and widely known as the “lion whisperer,” is in critical condition after being mauled by a lion he had chosen not to euthanise last year following the animal’s fatal attack on his colleague.
The incident occurred inside the lion enclosure during a routine feeding session. Witnesses said panic erupted as the lion grabbed Zubkov by the neck and dragged him under a viewing platform. “It was horrifying—the lion dragged him like a rag doll,” a bystander recalled.
Park staff member Tatyana Aleksagina, 58, bravely intervened, charging at the animal in a buggy and hurling a bucket at it to force it to release Zubkov.
A visitor named Alexei then climbed into the enclosure and helped pull Zubkov to safety. Together, they loaded the gravely injured Zubkov into the buggy and rushed him out of the enclosure.
Zubkov, who had multiple severe wounds to his neck, head, and lungs, was unconscious when he arrived at Belogorsk Regional Hospital, where he underwent emergency surgery on Sunday.
Doctors described his condition as “critical,” with sources confirming a complex operation was performed.
The lion involved in the attack is the same one that killed experienced animal handler Leokadiya Perevalova, 41, in October 2024, after she failed to secure a safety gate.
Despite the incident, Zubkov refused to put the animal down at the time, explaining, “Lions are top predators—they don’t forgive mistakes.”
Known for his fearless interactions with big cats, Zubkov’s park became famous worldwide for allowing guests to walk among untethered lions.
Admirers have long regarded him as an animal expert with an extraordinary connection to wildlife. His fans and staff are now anxiously hoping for his recovery.
“It’s a devastating shock for his family and for all of us,” a park source said. “We’re praying for his survival.”
This isn’t the first safety controversy surrounding Zubkov’s park.
In 2021, a tiger bit off a toddler’s thumb after a mother held her child too close to the enclosure.
