ST ELIZABETH, Jamaica — Jamaica Zoo Attractions Limited says it will cooperate fully with regulatory authorities against the backdrop of last Friday’s incident of a zoo attendant‘s finger being bitten by a lion at the St Elizabeth-based facility.

According to the Zoo, the team member is now recovering from “relatively minor injuries.”

READ: UPDATE: Jamaica Zoo responds to viral lion-biting video

The incident, which went viral on social media over the weekend, resulted in the National Environment and Planning Agency (NEPA), Veterinary Services Division (VDA) and the Jamaica Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (JSPCA) inspecting the facility on Monday.

The following is a release from Jamaica Zoo Limited in full text:

The Management of Jamaica Zoo uses this opportunity to update members of the public on steps now underway in light of an incident involving Ricardo Jones, a contractor and Santa Cruz, a lion at our facility.

Firstly, we are pleased to advise that our team member who was injured in the incident has been receiving medical care. He is recovering from what – in light of the circumstances – can be described as relatively minor injuries.

Secondly, we place on record that our first order of business in the wake of last Friday’s occurrence was to immediately see to the medical care of our team member. Since the incident, which has been widely seen and reported across Media, there have been no less than two occasions where staff members have been updated and have received counselling.

On Monday, May 23, officials from the Veterinary Services Division of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, NEPA and the JSPCA visited our facility and met with members of the team to formally commence an investigation into the incident with a view to ensure that we are operating within our licenses and permits as well as to review our Emergency Protocols.

We wish to assure the public that Jamaica Zoo has always and will continue to cooperate fully with the relevant authorities. We will take all necessary steps to ensure that our patrons and stakeholders are safe and enjoy wholesome experiences when they visit our facility.

We continue to place on record that the health of our animals is paramount. They are loved and properly taken care of and the enclosures in which they are accommodated and displayed are properly maintained.

We will provide timely updates to the public in keeping with the advice and direction of the authorities and thank the wider public for their understandable interest in this matter.