Cheetah bites 'careless' teenager in safari park after entering dangerous enclosure

The 17-year-old boy suffered injuries to his arms and head and had to be dragged to safety after entering a cheetah enclosure with friends at Beekse Bergen Safari Park near Tilburg in the Netherlands

The boy is said to have "left the path" intended for visitors (

Image: AFP/Getty Images)

A 17-year-old boy was bitten by a cheetah after entering his enclosure during a school trip to a safari park.

The boy, originally from Germany, was visiting the Beekse Bergen Safari Park near Tilburg in the Netherlands, when he and his two buddies left the marked path intended for visitors, putting their lives in danger.

It is unclear if the boys deliberately moved away to enter the cheetah enclosure, or if they accidentally ended up there.

Park officials are investigating the causes of the incident.

A boy - whose name is withheld by authorities due to confidentiality rules - suffered injuries to his arms and head when the cheetah attacked him as he tried to flee.

A park employee has been called a 'hero' after successfully dragging the boy to safety.

A park worker managed to drag the boy to safety (

Picture:

Alamy Photo)

A spokesperson for the animal park told local TV channel RTL: "The group left the path that was created for visitors who discover the place not by car but on foot.

"There are information boards throughout the safari park in several languages, including German.

“They apparently broke through a six-meter (20-foot) fence and ended up in an area reserved for visitors in vehicles.”

He emphasized, "The caregiver who managed to save the boy acted like a hero.

"The teenager was visibly shocked but the carer and his colleagues took care of him."

Despite his injuries, the boy was quickly treated and released the same day.

Safari in Beekse Bergen...