Tiger bites handler at Dreamworld

Photo / Thinkstock

A tiger has bitten a handler at the Dreamworld tourist park on the Gold Coast.

Paramedics were called to Dreamworld about 8.50am (AEST) on Sunday after a 30-year-old male employee was bitten by the animal on his thigh.

A spokesman for the Department of Community Safety said the man suffered five deep puncture wounds to his thigh and upper calf.

A spokeswoman for Dreamworld, Melinda Lloyd, told AAP the handler had been taking a male Bengal tiger named Kato to Tiger Island when it "nipped" him.

"(The handler's) taken a bit longer than the tiger would have liked and has given him just a little nip on the thigh," Ms Lloyd said.

An ambulance was called straight away for fear the wounds could be infected, she said.

"It's not a bite as such, the tiger's just nipped (him), but because of the natural bite force of a tiger it's gone through his skin and muscle there.

"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'.

The handler was taken to Allamanda Private Hospital where he is in a stable condition.

- AAP