Tourist asks for US$1,500 compensation after being bitten by zoo lion, suffering serious injuries

Do you dare to take a photo with the big cat?

A tourist faced a shocking accident when she was visiting a Safari park in Ukraine and taking pictures with a zoo lion. The big cat turned mad and dragged her on the ground, leading her seriously injured.

It's unknown if she can get her arm full recovery and she is asking the park for around US$1,538 as a compensation, but the refused her demand.

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Olga Solomina, 46, participated in the event of "Being with lions" hold by the park since she was attracted by the famous footage of Oleg Zubkov, the director of the safari park, using slippers to tame a lion.

She said she was told to kneel down and touch the lion's mane for photographs. But the next moment, the lion she was touching suddenly pounced on her arm and dragged her "like a rag doll" on the floor. What's more terrible was other lions started to move their feet.

She was so scared to close her eyes and felt she would be torn apart by the animals. "It lasted several seconds that felt like eternity for me.", Olga said.

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Oleg was nearby at that time. He immediately drove the lions and took her away. The tourist was seriously injured but she claimed she was treated only with a towel wrapping on her arm by the park's staff.

"He (Oleg) asked me not to call the police or an ambulance, saying that my injuries were not severe", the victim recalled.

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A staff member treated Olga's lacerations with hydrogen peroxide for disinfection. Then a vet injected her with lidocaine and stitched the wound. "Instead of anesthetizing me they gave me a bottle of cognac. They did not give me any antibiotics.", she said.

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Over the next 24 hours, her temperature escalated. She finally called an ambulance when she was in incredible pain. Doctors diagnosed she was seriously infected and had to undergo surgery.

"The infection got into her body from the teeth of the animal. It is a very dangerous infection. She underwent surgery. Her health condition became better, but she needs further treatment. At the moment it's still not clear if she will regain full usage of her arm," doctor Nikolai Vlasov said.

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Oleg later said Olga was drunk when she tried to touch the lion's mane.  "Obviously, the young lion did not like the smell of alcohol that came from Olga," Oleg explained. 

The safari park refused to give 1,000,000-ruble (around US$1,500)  compensation, saying she signed a disclaimer accepting that the excursion was dangerous.

Police are investigating the case. 

HONOLULU (AP) — A federal appeals court ruling on New Year's Eve blocked Hawaii from enforcing a climate change tourist tax on cruise ships passengers, a levy that was set to go into effect at the start of 2026.

Cruise Lines International Association challenged the tax in a lawsuit, arguing that the new law violates the U.S. Constitution by taxing cruise ships for entering Hawaii ports. They also argued it would make cruises more expensive. The lawsuit notes the law authorizes counties to collect an additional 3% surcharge, bringing the total to 14% of prorated fares.

The levy increases rates on hotel room and vacation rental stays but also imposes a new 11% tax on the gross fares paid by a cruise ship’s passenger, prorated for the number of days the vessels are in Hawaii ports. The lawsuit notes the law authorizes counties to collect an additional 3% surcharge, bringing the total to 14% of prorated fares.

In the nation’s first such levy to help cope with a warming planet, Hawaii Gov. Josh Green signed legislation in May that raises tax revenue to deal with eroding shorelines, wildfires and other climate problems. Officials estimate the tax would generate nearly $100 million annually.

U.S. District Judge Jill A. Otake last week upheld the law and the plaintiffs appealed to the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals. The U.S. government intervened in the case and also appealed Otake's ruling.

The order by two 9th Circuit judges granted both requests for an injunction pending the appeals.

“We remain confident that Act 96 is lawful and will be vindicated when the appeal is heard on the merits,” Toni Schwartz, spokesperson for the Hawaii attorney general's office, said in an email.

The order temporarily halts enforcement of the law on cruise ships while the appeals process moves forward, her email noted.

The lawsuit challenged only the law's cruise ship provisions.

Cruise Lines International Association spokesperson Jim McCarthy said he wasn't sure he could get comment from the plaintiffs given the timing of the ruling before a holiday.

FILE - A cruise ship, background, is docked in Honolulu, March 23, 2020. (AP Photo/Caleb Jones, File)