Zion denies selling 'killer tiger' parts

MAULED: Zion Wildlife senior big cat handler Dalu Mncube at the park in March last year. He was introduced to 'Lion Man' Craig Busch when Mr Busch went to Africa in search of white lions.

Relevant offers

The management of Whangarei-based Zion Wildlife Gardens have denied claims they sold body parts of the tiger that killed handler Dalu Mncube last year.

Mr Mncube was attacked by a 260kg rare white royal bengal tiger called Abu as he cleaned its enclosure last May.

Allegations surfaced this week on social networking site Facebook that Zion's owner - Patricia Busch, mother of the Whangarei park's founder and TV's Lionman Craig Busch - had sold Abu's body parts for "megabucks", the Northern Advocate reported.

Zion responded by posting up a notification on their website denying the allegations.

"The management of Zion are concerned about certain allegations concerning Abu's corpse," the statement reads.

"The day that Abu was buried was a very sad day for the management, staff and friends of the park. Abu was buried at the park as per the statutory protocols, once the authorities had completed their investigations.

"We can only wonder at the motive as to why there are individuals with malicious comments about our friend Abu."

A spokesperson for Zion said that these allegations would be referred to the park's legal advisers.

Charges over Mr Mncube's death have been adjourned. The Department of Labour laid two charges against Zion Wildlife Services for "failing to take all practicable steps to ensure the safety of employees while at work". Two charges were also laid against Zion Wildlife Gardens.

The matter is now set to be heard in Whangarei on April 7.

- NZPA