Tiger attack: 'It was only a little nip... '

Photo / Thinkstock

A Bengal tiger that bit a handler at Dreamworld theme park on the Gold Coast will be back on public display today.

Tiger handler Daniel Jans sustained wounds to his lower thigh and upper calf when 9-year-old, 160kg Kato (right) bit him while they were walking to Tiger Island just before midday yesterday.

An ambulance was called and Jans, 30, was taken to Allamanda Private Hospital for treatment to five puncture wounds. He remains in a stable condition.

Dreamworld spokeswoman Melinda Lloyd said: "[The handler's] taken a bit longer than the tiger would have liked and [he] has given him just a little nip on the thigh.

"If the tiger wanted to attack the handler, it would have been a lot worse. This is just the tiger saying 'let's move things along'."

She said there was no need to monitor Kato's behaviour.

"There was no aggression shown or anything like that, it's just cheeky behaviour," Lloyd said. "This kind of thing happens now and then.

"The tiger is still following its normal daily routine and will be back on Tiger Island tomorrow."

Lloyd said Jans was in good spirits and it was unlikely his injuries would require stitches.

There may even be a chance Jans could return to working with Kato by the middle of the week.

- AAP