The 11-year-old boy was visiting Cascavel Zoo in Parana, Brazil, when he jumped over the barriers and started trying to touch the animal through the fence.
Before the boy’s father realised his son was in the prohibited area, the tiger had attacked the boy, seriously injuring his arm.
He was taken to a nearby hospital, but his arm was so damaged that after several operations surgeons decided they had to remove it.
As the boy was being treated by paramedics, witnesses reported he said: ‘I’m going to die, I do not feel my arm. Cascavel Zoo said the tiger, which is called Hu, is normally a docile animal and has been with them for more than two years.
The boy’s father was charged by police for negligence and has been released on bail.
