An experienced zookeeper has died days after being mauled by a leopard at a safari park in the Netherlands.

The woman, who had worked at Beekse Bergen for 40 years, was looking after two Persian leopards inside an indoor enclosure when she was attacked on Saturday.

She suffered serious injuries to her head and neck and underwent emergency surgery before being taken to hospital in a critical condition.

The park, in the south of the Netherlands, confirmed her death on Tuesday and said an independent investigation into the incident would be launched.

In a statement, Beekse Bergen said the keeper had started working there aged just 17 and had spent four decades at the park, working both on and off over the years.

‘Her passing has deeply affected us all, and our hearts go out to her family, friends, and loved ones,’ the statement said.

‘At this moment, our primary focus is on supporting her family and her colleagues.’

The two leopards had been brought inside because of bad weather, despite usually being kept away from staff.

It remains unclear exactly what happened inside the enclosure, as there are no CCTV cameras in the area.

Local reports said the keeper managed to alert colleagues using her walkie-talkie despite her injuries. She was then airlifted to hospital.

A spokesperson for the park told local broadcaster Omroep Brabant that the leopards had been behaving naturally and would not be put down following the attack.

‘They are, and remain, predators,’ the spokesperson said.

Beekse Bergen said it would create a memorial area where visitors and staff could pay their respects and leave messages of condolence.

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