With more than 50 bite wounds and scratches, doctors are keeping a close watch on the animal keeper, who continued to remain critical a day after he was mauled by a lion at Bannerghata National Park on Monday.
Krishna (38) was with four others in the holding house at the lion safari when the big cat slipped through an open squeeze cage and pounced on him.
“He has at least 20 deep wounds, and nearly 40 scratches. The surgery on the deep wounds is scheduled for Thursday. As it is an animal bite, there is a high chance of infection that can spread to the muscles causing gangrene,” said A.N. Venkatesh, Head of the Department of Emergency at Apollo Hospitals on Bannerghata Road.
However, the good news is that there appears to be no permanent damage to the spinal cord. “The lower lumbar and cervical neck bones have been damaged. But, the nerves are undamaged. The bones will take around six weeks to heal,” said Dr. Venkatesh.
Suresh I., a colleague, who had visited Krishna at the hospital, said the victim could barely keep his eyes open while he struggled to communicate. “The zoo staff and the family have been at the hospital since Monday,” he said.
Meanwhile, Range Gowda, Executive Director, Bannerghata National Park, said the government-run park would bear all the medical expenses. Denying worker’s claims that the chain link fence had broken, Mr. Gowda said, “The grill can last for another ten years. It has been conclusively proven that the squeeze cage door was accidently left open,” he said.
Nakula (4), the 200-kg lion that had attacked his keeper continued to remain in its pride of ten. “There is no man-eating tendency…animals and keepers do not have direct contact and are always separated by a mesh. On Monday, the instincts of the animal took over and pounced on him,” said Mr. Gowda.
