Palm Beach zookeeper died from neck injury in fatal tiger attack
A Palm Beach Zoo animal keeper killed during a tiger attack died from a neck injury, and now the tiger she cared for is facing death threats, according to new details of the investigation disclosed on Wednesday.
Stacey Konwiser, 37, was killed on Friday by an endangered Malayan tiger – one of four she worked with during her three years at the zoo in West Palm Beach.
Palm Beach County Medical Examiner Michael Bell on Wednesday confirmed that Konwiser died from a neck injury. He wouldn’t say whether Konwiser had been bitten or injured in another way by the tiger.
Bell said more details about the extent of Konwiser’s injuries would be disclosed in the autopsy report, which has not yet been released.
“The neck injury was the serious one,” Bell said.
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While state and federal investigators continue to investigate how Konwiser died, the West Palm Beach Police Department on Wednesday said it is also investigating a threat to the tiger made in the aftermath of the attack.
Konwiser was attacked on Friday afternoon in the zoo’s behind-the-scenes area, where the tigers sleep and eat, according to the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
How fast Konwiser was able to receive medical care is one of the issues about her death that is being investigated.
The zoo opted to tranquillise the tiger instead of shooting to kill. Animal experts say it can take five minutes or longer for animals to feel the effects of a tranquilliser.
Zoo officials have not disclosed how long it took for the tranquilliser to immobilise this tiger and clear the way to help Konwiser.
The neck injury was the serious one
Bell wouldn’t comment on whether Konwiser died instantly. It could take at least a month to get the results of toxicology reports to finalise the autopsy report, Bell said.
The zoo has maintained that its emergency response system worked, emphasising that guests were never in danger and that tranquillising the endangered tiger was the appropriate decision.
The zoo has been and will continue to “fully cooperate with investigators”, zoo spokeswoman Naki Carter said at a brief news conference at the zoo on Wednesday.
“This is not the place or the time to take questions. This is an ongoing investigation,” Carter said. “Safety remains a top priority for Palm Beach Zoo.”
In the midst of the ongoing inquiries, Konwiser’s husband, Jeremy Konwiser – who also works at the zoo – on Wednesday released a statement through the zoo calling for support for the facility.
“Stacey would want me to ask that everyone please stand with the Palm Beach Zoo at this difficult time,” Jeremy Konwiser said, according to a statement read by Carter. “‘We spent the last three years working with an amazing team of people and I know Stacey would want our zoo to be full of visitors and supporters who understand how important our work is on behalf of wildlife.”
Stacey would want me to ask that everyone please stand with the Palm Beach Zoo at this difficult time
Since the attack, the zoo has declined to identify the tiger involved, citing security concerns and saying that to do so would “stigmatise” the tiger. The zoo says that the tiger has never been involved in any other incident at the facility.
The Palm Beach Post on Tuesday reported that “indications are” the animal that killed Konwiser is a tiger named Hati, though the zoo has not confirmed the name of the tiger. The Sun Sentinel in its coverage also included the Post’s report about the tiger’s name.
In a news release regarding Konwiser’s death, zoo officials said the male tiger involved in the incident was there for breeding purposes.
Hati, a 12-year-old Malayan tiger, was born at the Fort Worth Zoo in Texas. He came to Zoo Miami in 2004 as part of a breeding initiative after being “matched” with a tiger at the zoo, said Zoo Miami spokesman Ron Magill.
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Malayan tigers – a smaller species of tiger once known as the Indochinese tiger – are endangered.
In 2015, Hati was moved to the Palm Beach Zoo to mate with Berapi, a female who had previously given birth, according to a news release from the zoo. In February, the zoo said Berapi had given birth to three stillborn tiger cubs. Hati was the father.
Magill said Hati was a typical male tiger and that Zoo Miami never had any issues with him.
“He was a very dangerous animal, like any tiger,” he said. “It’s so hard for people to really understand that they are tigers, and Hati was no different. He was a tiger, a typical male tiger. He was dangerous.”
The Palm Beach Zoo’s facilities, procedures and Konwiser’s actions the day she was killed are being investigated by agencies including the West Palm Beach Police Department, The US Department of Agriculture, Occupational Safety and Health Administration and the Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission.
