Tiger kills keeper at Florida zoo

A keeper at a zoo in US' Florida state died after being attacked by a tiger, authorities said.

Stacey Konwiser, 38, lead tiger keeper at the Palm Beach Zoo, was killed on Friday by a 13-year-old male Malayan tiger, one of four at the facility, in the contained area where the animals are fed and sleep, zoo spokeswoman Naki Carter said.

According to zoo officials, Konwiser did not do anything unusual as she worked in the enclosure, known as the tiger night house, and prepared to talk with zoo visitors about the animals, CNN reported.

West Palm Beach police said the tiger was tranquilised and officers waited until the drugs took effect before they could reach Konwiser.

She was taken by helicopter to St. Mary's Medical Centre.

Konwiser had worked three years at the zoo and was very experienced with tigers, Carter said. Her husband, Jeremy Konwiser, is also a trainer at the zoo.

Malayan tigers are a critically endangered subspecies with less than 250 remaining.

The Palm Beach Zoo provides a special program in which guests can pay extra to see the tigers.