A school teacher from New South Wales, Joanne Cabban, lost her arm in a horrifying incident involving a lion at Queensland’s Darling Downs Zoo. The attack, which occurred on Sunday morning, saw the quick thinking of a carnivore keeper prove crucial in saving Cabban’s life by fashioning a makeshift tourniquet from a leather belt.
Details of the Attack and Immediate Aftermath
Joanne Cabban, in her 50s, is the sister of Stephanie Robinson, who co-owns the Darling Downs Zoo with her husband, Steve Robinson. The incident took place at approximately 8:30 a.m. on Sunday, just 30 minutes before the zoo was scheduled to open. Cabban was in a cleaning pen with her sister and a keeper when the lion lunged.
According to Steve Robinson, the lion was “just playing,” and he insisted Cabban was not in the lions’ main holding pen where they are kept during enclosure cleaning. He also highlighted that they have raised these lions themselves and stated their temperaments are “excellent.”
Immediately after Cabban’s arm was mauled off, a well-trained carnivore keeper quickly applied Stephanie Robinson’s leather belt as a tourniquet. Steve Robinson noted that a first aid kit was on hand very quickly, and Cabban was wrapped in a thermal blanket. Paramedics from Pilton, outside Toowoomba, arrived swiftly and transported Cabban to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane, where she is now in stable condition.
Zoo Protocols and Ongoing Investigation
Steve Robinson emphasized that Cabban, who has been visiting the zoo for over two decades from Forbes in Central Western New South Wales, was aware of all safety protocols. He explained that Cabban was present because his wife was cleaning with one of the keepers, and there is “always a senior and younger keeper” present.
The circumstances of the attack remain unclear, as Robinson is unsure which specific lion was involved due to the swiftness of the incident. Furthermore, the absence of CCTV cameras in the area is hindering the investigation into the exact details of how the interaction unfolded.
About Darling Downs Zoo
The Robinsons began breeding lions in 2017 and opened Darling Downs Zoo in 2005. The zoo’s website states it is an Animal Welfare Accredited Full Regional member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association of Australasia and the Wildlife Exhibitors Network. It is a family-owned establishment devoted to the care of various animals, specializing in the “captive husbandry and breeding of many Critically Endangered, Endangered, and Vulnerable species” from four geographical areas: Africa, South-east Asia, Australia, and South America.
Steve Robinson expressed the ongoing impact of the event, stating, “We’re still processing in our minds and coming to grips with not just what happened, but what happens next.” He reiterated, “This is not a lion’s fault. I don’t know if it’s anybody’s fault, we will find out as time goes by. The best we can come up with at this stage is the lion was just playing. How she was playing with a human in that circumstance is yet to be determined.“
