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The Lion Man's park, Zion Wildlife Gardens in Whangarei, has
been shut down.
The authorities have closed the park while they investigate safety
issues surrounding a deadly tiger attack on a keeper.
And a teary-eyed Lionman, Craig Busch, on Friday spoke publicly for
the first time about the fatal mauling of
keeper Dalu Mncube this week.
Busch, who fronted the TV2 programme The Lion Man, says standards
have slipped since he was sacked by the park's new owner.
Abu, a tiger Busch raised from a cub, became a killer. He had been one of the Lion Man's favourites but has cost him two friends.
"To see both these friends go in the way they have has been extremely difficult for me," says Busch.
"I feel sorry for Dalu family in Africa. And I'd like to say goodbye to Abu," Busch says.
But the deaths didn't happen on his watch.
"When I was in control there was no behaviour issues with this cat," he says.
Busch was sacked last year from the park he made famous and is still locked in a bitter fight with his mother who now controls Zion.
"I think they need to pull their socks up," he says.
The Lion Man believes safety standards have slipped and claims under his rules it's unlikely Mncube would have been in the cage with Abu.
"My protocol with the male tiger was no-one to go in there without me," Busch says.
Otherwise he says the tigers should be locked down while the main cage is cleaned and a gun kept right there just in case, not 200 to 300 metres away.
"They were one minute from where the incident happened," says Barry Nalder of Zion Wildlife Gardens.
With Mncube's death, Busch now doubts the park has enough experienced workers to re-open.
"The best person to handle these animals is right here, you are looking at him. There are not many people experienced handle these guys," he says.
He says he knows the animals in the park as part of his family.
"I am deeply concerned about future of the park...safety issues, the way it is being managed and the wellbeing of these animals," Busch says.
Nalder says Busch is talking absolutely nonsense.
"We have a dedicated, excellent well trained team here," Nalder says.
Staff are still tending to a park that MAF has now closed to the public.
"I've seen some of them stop at times and have a little cry, grown men. It's affected it all," says Nalder.
Busch says he is about to lodge civil proceedings regarding
contractual matters, financing of the park and his role as employee
and owner.
