Editorial: Zion's big cats must not become victims of turmoil

The venture that placed more than 40 lions and tigers at a wildlife park in Northland always had a degree of quirkiness about it. Whatever the peculiarities of location, the Zion Wildlife Gardens survived, largely because of a television series centred on the activities of Craig Busch, the so-called Lion Man. Its future must be in considerable doubt after the fatal mauling of a keeper by one of the park's four white tigers.

The attack was the third at Zion in just over a year. It seemed, therefore, all the odder that the keeper was cleaning out a cage while a tiger was still there. This points to safety practices that may not defer sufficiently to the unpredictable behaviour of wild animals. The hugging of the big cats by keepers undoubtedly has an endearing quality, but a claim on Zion's website that visitors will be able to "pat the tiger" suggests this is an enterprise focused more on appeal to tourists than conservation. This week's tragedy coincided with an Employment Relations Authority dispute that pits Mr Busch against his estranged mother, Patricia, the park owner. Allegations at the hearing have cast doubt on management, animal welfare and safety standards during Mr Busch's tenure and since his dismissal. This must fuel concerns already voiced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, which does annual safety audits, and the Department of Labour.

Last November, the ministry was so worried about conditions that it considered having the lions and tigers put down. That must not be allowed to happen. The Bengal white tiger shot after the keeper's death was one of only 120 in the world. It seems inconceivable that most of the park's animals could not be rehoused appropriately in overseas zoos and parks. Given the turmoil and tribulations at Zion, this seems the most enlightened course.