A 9-year-old mixed Bengal and Siberian tiger named Sandokan escaped from a private enclosure near Leipzig, Germany, on May 17, 2026 [1, 2, 3, 4]. The tiger attacked a 72- or 73-year-old man who was authorized to be inside the enclosure, seriously injuring him [1, 2, 5, 3, 4]. The injured man was a volunteer or worker on the premises [2, 5, 4].
The enclosure was owned or run by tiger trainer Carmen Zander, known locally as the 'Tiger Queen' or 'Tiger King' [1, 2, 5, 3]. Zander described Sandokan as easily stressed and prone to sudden attacks [2]. The tiger weighed approximately 280 kg [2, 3].
Police used firearms to shoot the escaped tiger dead near a nearby garden to prevent danger to the public [1, 2, 5, 3, 4]. Emergency services deployed a helicopter during the search for the animal [1, 2, 3]. Police confirmed no other animals escaped and planned drone searches to secure the area [5].
There were between eight and nine big cats housed at the property, including Sandokan [2, 5, 3]. Local media and animal rights groups criticized the conditions at the enclosure, and Germany regional authorities had been pushing Zander to improve animal living spaces and reduce animal numbers [1, 2, 3]. PETA blamed local veterinary authorities for not acting earlier and demanded confiscation of the remaining animals [1, 2, 3].
A local gardener recalled hearing sirens, seeing police arrive with a helicopter, and then hearing several gunshots [2]. After the incident on May 17, police publicly confirmed the events on May 18 and comments from authorities and animal advocates emerged [1, 2, 3].
