Female zoo keeper has hand ripped off by tiger after it escapes unlocked enclosure

A ZOO keeper's hand has been bitten off after an escaped tiger attacked two others at a safari park near Tokyo, Japan. 

The Bengal was found roaming around outside of his enclosure in Nasu Safari Park when staff arrived at around 8.30 am on Wednesday morning. 

The 330lbs (150kg) beast was not properly fenced inside his enclosure the night before, Kyodo news agency reported.

Three members of staff returned the next morning to find the animal in a corridor leading to an exhibition area and were savagely attacked, with one female worker, in her 20s, losing her hand.

A second woman received several bites to her body and a male worker suffered sustained a head injury and were both taken to hospital.

According to Kyodo, keepers did not properly check the fence to the tiger's cage after the park closed for the day and police are now investigating the park for mismanagement.

The park's latest tweet reads: "An accident has occurred in the tiger enclosure on the morning of January 5 and one worker has been injured. 

"We are currently confirming the condition of employees and we are investigating the cause of the accident.

"We will tell you all more as soon as we understand the details. For now, the park will remain closed."

The park has had safety incidents prior to this attack, including keepers being attacked by lions in 1997 and 2000, according to Kyodo.

The fate of the 10-year-old male tiger was not reported. 

The news comes after a zookeeper in Florida in the US was mauled by a tiger after allegedly trying to feed it. 

Collier County sheriff's deputies reportedly tried kicking the enclosure where the eight-year-old tiger was housed to get the animal to free the worker.

The Malayan tiger names Eko was shot and killed by authorities who responded at the scene in order to free the man from the animal’s jaws.