When animals turn on their trainers

24 February 2010: Three killer whales swim in tanks at the SeaWorld park in Orlando, Florida. Earlier in the day, an orca killed its trainer in front of a live audience Photograph: Red Huber/AP Photograph: Red Huber/guardian.co.uk Australian naturalist and TV star Steve Irwin, seen here hand feeding a crocodile while holding his one month old baby son Bob. Irwin was killed in September 2006 when his chest was pierced by stingray barb while filming a documentary Photograph: Peter Barnes/Rex Features Photograph: Peter Barnes/guardian.co.uk Richard Chipperfield, right, with Graham Thomas Chipperfield. In January 2008 Richard was seriously injured by a tiger in the ring of the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey circus in Florida. His brother Graham got him out and shot the tiger Photograph: St Petersburg Times/AP Photograph: St Petersburg Times/guardian.co.uk Rocky the grizzly bear at the Forever Wild animal sanctuary in Phelan, California, US in November 2007. In April 2008, he killeds a trainer at Big Bear City, San Bernardino, California Photograph: Christina Bush/AP Photograph: Christina Bush/guardian.co.uk Roy of the world-renowned illusionists Siegfried & Roy performs with a white tiger at The Mirage in Las Vegas. In October 2003 he was bitten on the neck onstage by a tiger Photograph: Lennox McLendon/AP Photograph: Lennox McLendon/guardian.co.uk Elephants at London Zoo. In October 2001 a keeper at the zoo was trampled and killed by an elephant. All the elephants were later moved to Whipsnade, ending an almost 200-year tradition in the Regent's Park zoo Photograph: David Sillitoe Photograph: guardian.co.uk Tatiana, a female Siberian tiger, mauled a zookeeper in 2006, before escaping from her pen at the San Francisco Zoo in 2007, killing one man and injuring two others before police shot her dead Photograph: San Francisco Zoo/AP Photograph: San Francisco Zoo/guardian.co.uk Killer whale Kasatka leaps out of the water while a trainer gives signals during SeaWorld's Shamu show. In November 2006 a trainer, Ken Peters, was hospitalised after suffering a broken foot when Kasatka dragged him underwater twice during a show Photograph: Chris Park/AP Photograph: Chris Park/guardian.co.uk An elephant at Port Lympne Wild Animal Park, near Hythe in Kent. In February 2000 an elephant keeper was crushed to death at the park, founded by millionaire casino owner John Aspinall, the fifth keeper to die in his zoos in 20 years. Three died of tiger attacks at his Howletts zoo in Kent Photograph: David Giles/PA Photograph: David Giles/guardian.co.uk A Siberian female tiger, right, welcomes her new companion Sascha, at Hamburg's Hagenbeck animal park. In September 2009 a tiger trainer was attacked by tigers during a dinner show at the zoo Photograph: Christof Stache/AP Photograph: Christof Stache/guardian.co.uk In July 2004, Ky, a 6,100-pound killer whale, performs at SeaWorld San Antonio during an afternoon show. Ky did a belly-flop on his trainer Steve Aibel, then nosed him into the tank. Park officials said Aibel was in control during the event despite being repeatedly submerged by the whale Photograph: William Luther/San Antonio Express-News/AP Photograph: William Luther/San Antonio Express-News/guardian.co.uk