A zookeeper was attacked by a jaguar on Sunday, as she was working in the interior den where the animals were kept. The incident occurred at the Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo and the woman is reported to be critically injured, but stable.

The identity of the woman was not made public, but there is a mystery how the animals were able to pass the gates separating the interior den to the exterior court. Like all zoos, keepers must follow a special safety protocol in order for such incidents to be prevented. Zoo managers still have no idea how the jaguar managed to pass the heavy metal gate that was separating it from the zookeeper.

The two jaguars at the zoo were kept in quarantine Monday as the people at the zoo don’t know what made them act so violently. There is uncertain if the two jaguars were involved in the incident, as they are only certain that the wounds were caused by the male.

The Catoctin Wildlife Preserve and Zoo is now closed for this reason, as the safety of the visitors may be put at risk. The 13 year old jaguar that attacked the zookeeper weighed around 200 pounds and its attack caused some serious injuries t the woman.

Working in a zoo is a dangerous job, and even though the safety proceeding for these types of situations are extremely adequate, incidents like these, unfortunately, occur from time to time.