Tiger attacks US zoo worker The reserve has had a troubled history, accused of allowing children to play with exotic cats, for a high fee, despite incidents of young tiger cubs biting and scratching the young visitors. The US Agriculture Department launched an investigation after an astounding 23 tiger cubs died during a 13-month period between 2009 and 2010. GW Park, which has been investigated several times by US federal agencies and animal rights groups for various incidents, has denied all claims. "This was an employee error of violating the safety protocols of placing any part of the body inside a cage," Mr Schreibvogel said about the latest incident. During the entire event she was awake and saying it was her fault and plans to return to work. In 2011, the owner of a private wild animal preserve in Zanesville, Ohio freed his dozens of lions, tigers, bears and other hazardous animals before killing himself. The ensuing chaos led authorities to kill more than four dozen of the beasts as they roamed wild in the area.