Tiger bite: Australia Zoo handler recovering after suffering puncture wounds (ABC)

An animal handler is recovering after being bitten by a tiger at Australia Zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast.

The 42-year-old suffered puncture wounds while trying to move the big cat to another enclosure.

He was taken to hospital in a stable condition.

The RSPCA's Michael Beatty says the 42-year-old would have understood what the tiger was capable of and the risks he was facing.

"There's always problems with exotic animals," he said.

"They are wild animals, and I'm sure that the keepers at Australia Zoo realise that.

"There can be accidents. There have been accidents all over the world.

"Australia Zoo and a lot of other zoos throughout the world ... are extending the breeding program, ... are hopefully preserving these animals.

"There are risks – of course there are risks. But you'd have to say that the good outweighs the bad."

Australia Zoo says the keeper was bitten by Juma, a 129-kilogram, 10-year-old, male Sumatran tiger.

According to the zoo's website, Juma is often used for filming and is the first adult tiger to be introduced to new handlers.

Last year, 30-year-old tiger handler Dave Styles was bitten on the neck and shoulder by an over-excited tiger during a play session.

http://au.news.yahoo.com/a/-/latest/24580945/tiger-bite-australia-zoo-handler-recovering-after-suffering-puncture-wounds/