A tiger at the Australia Zoo bit its trainer on the neck and shoulder on Tuesday, injuring the 30-year-old zoo employee. David Styles was rushed to a Melbourne hospital with two puncture wounds, but he is now in stable condition at the Royal Brisbane Hospital where he was subsequently flown.

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Wes Mennon, director of the zoo, said fellow employees witnessed the attack, which occurred during a play session in a tiger show at about 2:45 pm, and helped the tiger trainer be freed from the bite made by the overexcited big cat.

However, the animal rights group People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) blamed the zoo for the accident, saying animal attacks are preventable.

PETA said in a statement, "If his employer had followed standard industry practice and required that protective barriers always be kept between potentially dangerous animals and humans ... the trainer would never have been attacked."

PETA said the administration of the zoo should be penalised by allowing workers to risk their lives by entering into an enclosure with wild animals inside.

The group added, "The best way to protect tigers is by working to preserve their habitat, not to confine them to pens that are nothing like their homes in the wild and forcing them to do tricks or pose for photos."

The injured trainer had been working with big cats for nine years and actually raised the tiger that bit him since the animal arrived as a cub at the zoo.

The Australia Zoo owns three Bengal and eight Sumatran tigers. Mr Mennon said the tiger that attacked Mr Styles would be kept at the Australia Zoo.

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