Story By: Ana Lacasa, Sub-Editor:  Joana Mihajlovska, Agency: Newsflash

An Argentine zoo owner has been ordered to pay nearly GBP 1 million compensation to the family of a 19-year-old female worker who was killed by a giant anteater.

Melisa Noelia Casco was attacked by an anteater at Florencio Varela Zoo in the Argentine capital Buenos Aires where she had been working as a zookeeper since 2007.

A court ruled that the zoo owner, identified as Claudio Quagliata, 51, has to pay ARS 101 million (GBP 906,050 ) to the victim’s parents Eduardo Alberto Casco, and Marta Susana Lago, according to local media.

The court determined that the zoo broke security protocols leading to the young zookeeper’s death, which they added could have been avoided.

The incident took place on 10th April 2007 when Noelia Casco went into the enclosure of the giant anteater called Ramon, which weighed around 40 kilogrammes (88 lbs) and was around two metres (6.6 feet) in length.

She was trying to feed the anteater without security clothing, a whistle, or walkie-talkie to alert colleagues when the anteater suddenly attacked her for unknown reasons.

The zookeeper was taken to a hospital in Berazategui in a serious condition as she had lost a lot of blood.

She had to undergo emergency surgery and her left leg was amputated, however, despite the best efforts of the doctors attending her, the 19-year-old woman died two days later.

After the attack, zoo bosses refused to accept responsibility, prompting the victim’s family to file a complaint with the authorities.

Biologist Cecilia Diminich, who worked at the zoo and decided to quit due to the dangerous conditions, said during the trial: “We were expected to go into the enclosures alone, without a phone to call someone in the case of a problem. My life was in danger several times and that is why I resigned, and the authorities know it.”

The zoo owner was found guilty of manslaughter in 2014 and sentenced to three years in prison with a seven-year ban from working in zoos.

However, the verdict was overturned on appeal eight months later and the zoo ended up closing in 2016.

The ViralTab page is created by and dedicated to professional, independent freelance journalists. It is a place for us to showcase our work. When our news is sold to our media partners, we will include the link here.