57-year-old Oleg Zubkov, owner of the Taigan Safari Park in Russian-occupied Crimea, is fighting for his life in hospital after being mauled by a lion inside the enclosure during feeding time. The same predator, which fatally attacked a 41-year-old park employee, Leokadiya Perevalova, last year, is responsible for the latest incident.
Taigan Safari Park is Europe’s largest breeding ground for lions and other big cats, housing around 60 African lions.
Following Perevalova’s death in October 2023, Zubkov stated that she had made a fatal mistake by failing to close a safety gate, leading to the attack.
"Lions are apex predators and do not forgive mistakes," Zubkov had said at the time.
Now, he has fallen victim to the same lion—which was spared after last year’s attack.
According to reports, Zubkov has sustained severe head, neck, and lung injuries and is in critical condition in hospital.
Heroic Rescue Caught on CCTV
The attack was captured on CCTV cameras near the enclosure. According to witnesses, 58-year-old park employee Tatyana Aleksagina risked her life to save Zubkov, driving a buggy to the scene and throwing a bucket at the lion, forcing it to release him.
One onlooker described the horrifying moment when the lion clamped its jaws around Zubkov’s throat, shaking him violently. As panic spread, Aleksagina refused to retreat, instead hurling the bucket to distract the animal.
National emblem row: Opposition attacks Centre over muscular, aggressive lions; here's all you need to knowAnother visitor, Alexei, reportedly climbed down a pipe into the enclosure to assist. Realising Aleksagina couldn’t manage alone, he dragged Zubkov to a vehicle, placed him inside, and escaped to safety.
After being extracted from the enclosure, Zubkov was rushed to hospital in a Mercedes. He arrived unconscious and underwent emergency surgery on Sunday, 23 June.
A park insider revealed that surgeons performed a complex procedure and are doing everything possible to save his life. The source described the incident as "completely unexpected and shocking", adding that Zubkov’s family is devastated but remains hopeful for his recovery.
