While 11-year-old Jack Lister was invited by zookeepers to meet an 8-year-old female sea lion at the Taronga Zoo’s seal and sea lion show on Friday, the situation became dire.
The sea lion mauled the boy as onlookers watched in horror. Zoo officials said that after feeling the animal, Jack accidentally followed the sea lion off the stage and scared him.
“I can only assume he was going for the smell of the fish. Jack pulled himself away and it then lunged for his back,” said Jack’s stepmother Dalitta Wright. “It all happened so quickly. … It was quite traumatic.”
The animal bit Jack on the stomach, leaving several puncture wounds. After abdominal surgery on Friday night, Jack is in stable condition.
The seal show continued on Saturday without the participation portion of the program and without the sea lion involved in the attack. Considering the animal has never shown this kind of behavior before, zoo officials are investigating the matter.
[Image via AP Images.]