Zookeeper dies after tiger savages his arm in horrifying video after he stuck his hand through fence

A KEEPER in a private zoo was fatally mauled when he put his hand through a fence to stroke a tiger during feeding time.

Horrific footage of the attack shows the big cat sinking its claws into his hand and pulling his arm into its mouth.

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The keeper – named as Jose de Jesus, 23 – reportedly died in hospital after the attack in Periban, western Mexico.

The video shows Jose beckoning the Bengal tiger over to a chain link fence.

But as he starts to stroke the beast’s neck, its mood flips and it suddenly savages his right hand.

As Jose screams in agony, the tiger pulls his hand towards its jaws and razor-sharp teeth.

A second gruesome video shows a huge pool of blood on the ground.

Jose was rushed to hospital where reportedly refused to allow doctors to amputate his mangled hand.

Complications then set in and Jose – who was a diabetic – died from a massive heart attack, doctors told local media.

The grim video footage was reportedly released by the owner of the tiger who kept it in a private zoo along with other tigers, a lion and a crocodile.

The owner claimed the video shows the keeper had been negligent.

He added he had paid Jose’s medical bills, and insisted he had all the necessary permits.

It came after local media reported authorities were checking whether the owner had a licence from the Ministry of the Environment and Natural Resources to keep the animals.

Last month another video showed a lion biting off a zookeeper’s finger when he stuck his hand into its cage.

Terrified visitors watched in horror as the man desperately pulled his hand away to free himself at Jamaica Zoo.

Footage of the bite was widely shared online showing the – described by the zoo as a “contractor” – ignoring the lion’s growls.

He appears to tease the snarling beast by touching its face and foolishly sticking his fingers into its mouth before it turned on him.