A 27-year-old veterinarian in training at a Karnataka wildlife facility died on Friday following a hippopotamus attack while treating the animal inside its enclosure at the Tyavarekoppa Tiger and Lion Safari in Shivamogga district, officials familiar with the incident reported Friday. Unsplash/jwolpers (Representative). The event took place late Thursday night. Officials stated that the victim, Dr. Sameeksha Reddy, had joined the safari on a contractual basis roughly six weeks prior and was a member of the veterinary team. “Sameeksha entered the hippopotamus enclosure at around 11:45 p.m. on Thursday to check on the pregnant animal’s condition with a thermal camera.” The animal, expected to give birth in a few days, was reportedly not eating. Safari executive director and Deputy Conservator of Forests Amaresh said, “During the inspection, the doctor fell from the ladder, prompting the hippopotamus to turn aggressive and attack her inside the enclosure. The situation escalated in seconds, leaving almost no time to react.” He added that zoo staff hurried to rescue her and rushed her to a private hospital in Shivamogga. She suffered serious injuries and lost a large quantity of blood during the assault. She passed away from her injuries early Friday morning at around 6:30 a.m. Forest Minister Eshwara Khandre has directed a team of senior veterinarians and forest officials to investigate the incident.
