NAPLES, Fla. – A Malayan tiger at the Naples Zoo died on Wednesday night after attacking a man, according to the Collier County Sheriff’s Office.
The man, who was working with a cleaning crew after the zoo closed, put his arm through a fence and the tiger named “Eko” took a hold of his arm, deputies said.
“The man was either petting or feeding the animal, both of which are unauthorized and dangerous activities.” Sheriff Kevin Rambosk said in a statement.
The male tiger was mauling his arm when a deputy decided to shoot. The wounded tiger retreated to the back of the enclosure, according to deputies.
The man did not have permission to get close to the animal enclosures, according to Rambosk. Fire Rescue personnel took the man, who suffered serious injuries, to Lee Memorial Hospital in Fort Myers.
“We have flown a drone into the enclosure and the tiger is not responding. A veterinarian has sedated the animal,” Rambosk said.
The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission responded. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies the Malayan tiger as critically endangered.
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ABC News affiliate contributed to this report.