Female zookeeper died after being attacked by a tiger at a New Zealand zoo.

A female zookeeper has died after being attacked by a Sumatran tiger at a New Zealand zoo.

The zoo’s only male tiger, Oz, was the animal involved but authorities have so far not identified the victim.

Police were called to Hamilton Zoo at 11am local time on Sunday.

Senior Sergeant Mike Underwood confirmed the woman was already dead by the time they arrived.

The attraction was open at the time and visitor Adam Rich said staff quickly ushered people out of the zoo.

“They seemed a bit panicky,” he told The New Zealand Herald.

“I thought an animal had escaped but they guaranteed that an animal did not escape.”

The zoo – some 78 miles (125km) south of Auckland – has five tigers. An investigation is under way into what happened.

Council spokesman Jeff Neems had no comment on whether the animal would be destroyed.

“Our focus at this time is on providing the adequate support for our staff and family members who have been affected by this tragic incident,” said a council statement.

Messages of support for the woman’s family are being left on the zoo’s Facebook page, with many urging it not to put the animal down.

The most-liked comment reads: “Condolences to the keeper’s family, colleagues and friends.

“Working with wild animals comes with known risks, please don’t kill the tiger for being a tiger.”

“Condolences to the zoo family. But please don’t euthanase the tiger,” says another comment.

The incident follows the death last week of another zookeeper in a Sumatran tiger attack in Poland.

The man died “virtually on the spot” on Wednesday morning – apparently while he was cleaning the tiger’s enclosure.