Man found dead in tiger den at Copenhagen Zoo, suicide not ruled out

COPENHAGEN – Police say a 21-year old man was found dead inside the tiger den at the Copenhagen Zoo with his throat bitten.

Police spokesman Lars Borg says it was unclear how or why the man, a foreign national but who holds a Danish residence permit, had entered the pit, but said investigators could not exclude suicide. His name and nationality were not immediately released.

The man’s body was found by a zoo keeper early Wednesday morning, surrounded by three tigers.

Zoo manager Steffen Straede says it is the first time in the zoo’s 152-year history that such a thing has happened.