A 22-year-old IU alumna was killed by a lion attack Dec. 30 at her internship with the Conservators Center in Burlington, North Carolina.
Alexandra Black, a New Palestine, Indiana native, graduated in May 2018 with a bachelor of science in animal behavior. She had been at her internship in North Carolina for about two weeks prior to her death.
The Caswell County Sheriff’s Office responded after the attack. Deputies ultimately had to shoot and kill the animal after attempts to tranquilize him did not work, according to a press release from the department.
The accident occurred when employees were doing routine enclosure cleaning, the release said. The male lion escaped and “quickly killed” Black. The team of caregivers were being led by a professionally trained animal keeper.
“It is still unclear at this time how the lion left the locked enclosure,” the statement said.
Though there were visitors there at the time, staff followed protocol to get guests to exit the park safely and no one else was injured, according to a post on the Conservators Center website.
The center will be closed until further notice. In a video of a press interview, Mindy Stinner, executive director of the Conservators Center, said the Caswell County Sheriff’s Office is investigating the incident. Safety is the most important part of running a zoological center, she said.
In a statement, Black’s family said that she previously had three other animal-related internships and wanted to work with animals for her career.
“She was a beautiful young woman who had just started her career,” the statement said. “There was a terrible accident, and we are mourning. But she died following her passion.”
According to her LinkedIn page, Black had other internships with Wolf Park in Battle Ground, Indiana, Wildcat Creek Wildlife Center in Delphi, Indiana, and WildCare Inc. in Bloomington.
She was a member of the IU chapter of the Indiana Canine Assistant Network, Biology Club, People for Animal Welfare and Service and the Quidditch team.
In a statement on behalf of IU, spokesman Chuck Carney said IU is saddened by her death and their thoughts are with everyone who knew Black.
As an animal behavior major, Black’s degree was administered through the Center for the Integrative Study of Animal Behavior.
“She had hoped to use her hands-on experience as well as her training in the science of animal behavior to work in rehabilitation and zookeeping,” director of the center Cara Wellman said in a statement. “Our hearts and thoughts go out to Alex’s family and friends during this difficult time.”
