Bengal tiger attacks former Las Vegas illusionist at Arizona wildlife sanctuary

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A Bengal tiger mauled an Arizona wildlife sanctuary founder when the man tried to move several of the big cats during a heavy thunderstorm, sanctuary officials said Wednesday.

Jonathan Kraft, who is also a former Las Vegas illusionist, suffered multiple wounds and two broken bones when a failure in safety protocol allowed the 11-year-old tiger, Bowie, to attack, Keepers of the Wild said on Facebook.

ZOOKEEPER RECOVERING AFTER MAULING BY SUMATRAN TIGER AT KANSAS ZOO

Kraft had been trying to “shift Bowie’s gates” to allow the big cat access to his den box for protection against the heavy rain, lightning and hail during a storm on Monday, officials said. Before Kraft was able to secure the gates’ safety clips, the tiger pushed them open.

The declawed tiger latched onto Kraft with his strong teeth and held him until staff intervened, the sanctuary said.

Kraft took the blame for what he called an "accident" and said "these situations occur when there is human error."

“My accident with Bowie was my fault,” Kraft said in a statement. “I was concerned for his welfare and did not stay focused on him. It only takes a fraction of a second for a captive wild animal to revert to their instinctual behavior."

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Kraft will spend the next several months recovering. The group said Bowie is in good health and will not be euthanized.

Kraft was the first area entertainer to stop using big cats in his performances and formed the sanctuary to give a home to exotic animals, the group explained.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.