At Taigan Safari Park in Russian-occupied Crimea, a place celebrated for its work with lions and big cats, a devastating incident has left its founder, Oleg Zubkov, in critical condition. The 57-year-old, often called a “lion whisperer” for his bond with the animals, was viciously attacked by a lion while feeding it in an enclosure. This same lion was responsible for the death of a park employee last year, making the incident even more heartbreaking for the close-knit wildlife community.
The park, home to about 60 African lions, is Europe’s largest breeding ground for these majestic creatures. Last October, tragedy struck when 41-year-old Leokadiya Perevalova was killed by the same lion after she forgot to secure a safety gate. Zubkov had explained then that lions, as apex predators, are unforgiving when humans make errors. That same danger became all too real for Zubkov himself when the lion turned on him, leaving him with life-threatening injuries to his head, neck, and lungs.
The rescue was nothing short of heroic. Tatyana Aleksagina, a 58-year-old park worker, bravely drove a buggy toward the lion and threw a bucket to distract it, forcing the animal to release Zubkov. A visitor, Alexei, also risked his life by climbing into the enclosure to help drag the injured founder to safety. Witnesses recalled the chaos, with shouts filling the air as the lion dragged Zubkov by the neck before the daring rescue.
Zubkov was rushed to a hospital in a Mercedes, arriving unconscious. On June 22, he underwent a challenging surgery as doctors fought to save him. A source close to the park shared that his family is struggling to cope with the sudden tragedy, describing it as a bolt from the blue. The entire park community is rallying behind Zubkov, praying for his recovery and hoping this champion of wildlife can pull through.
