Hamilton Zoo Admits Fault Over Fatal Tiger Attack

Publish Date: Thursday, 9 June 2016, 10:57AM

One of the Sumatran Tigers at Hamilton Zoo. Photo / Dean Purcell

The Hamilton City Council has pleaded guilty over the death of one of its senior zoo staff members who was attacked and killed by a tiger.

Hamilton Zoo curator, Samantha Kudeweh, was tragically killed in the enclosure of Sumatran tiger Oz on September 20 last year.

This morning, council representatives Lance Vervoort and chief executive Richard Briggs sat in the public gallery of the Hamilton District Court as their lawyer, Mark Hammond, entered a guilty plea on behalf of the council to the charge.

Judge Sharon Otene convicted the council and remanded it to reappear for sentencing on September 13, a week before the anniversary of Mrs Kudeweh's death.

The charge carries a maximum fine of $250,000.