A tiger bit an “experienced” animal handler on the arm in what police described as an “isolated and rare” attack at an Australian amusement park. 

The worked, identified as a 47-year-old, was bitten by a tiger on Monday morning while she was working at Dreamworld, an amusement park in Queensland’s Gold Coast that also features a wildlife conservation park.

The woman suffered “some serious lacerations and puncture wounds” from the animal, and was feeling “pale” and “unwell, but generally well,” Queensland Ambulance Service director Justin Payne said.

The attack prompted emergency services to be dispatched to Dreamworld shortly before 9am local time, an hour before the park opens to the public, Payne added.

Police did not disclose the victim’s identity other than the fact that she was described as “experienced and senior.” 

It is not immediately clear what led to the attack.

“She is one of the experienced and senior handlers there at Dreamworld. It’s good to see that she was able to be looked after by other support staff there,” Payne said.

A Dreamworld spokesperson said that the company’s “immediate focus” now was to provide the employee with support. 

The amusement park described the attack in a statement as an “isolated and rare incident” and that they will conduct a “thorough” investigation.

The amusement park, which features the Tiger Island attraction known to be one of the few interactive tiger exhibits in the world, houses nine Sumatran and Bengal tigers, according to its website.

This was not the first time a tiger attack occurred at the Dreamsland theme park, which is visited by two million people every year.

In 2011, a nine-year-old Bengal tiger named Kato bit two handlers at the park.