Lion attack: Visitors return to cat sanctuary where intern died

Visitors are returning to a wild cat sanctuary in Fresno County, where an intern was killed when a lion attacked her in the park.

About two dozen people joined stricken staff members of Project Survival’s Cat Haven in a moment of silence Sunday for Diana Hanson, whose life passion was working with big cats.

Hanson, 26, was killed at the Dunlap park Wednesday, when a 4-year-old male lion named Cous Cous attacked her. Another volunteer tried to lure the lion away from Hanson, but by the time authorities reached Hanson, she was dead. The cat was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies.

During Sunday’s gathering, the haven's founder Dale Anderson reiterated remarks he made earlier at a news conference that the staff who raised the lion Cous Cous since he was a cub had found no fault with deputies' shooting the animal to get to Hanson.

"People want to put Cous Cous in the same category as her and it’s not the same," he said. "But I'm going to miss my boy."

Members of Hanson’s family have said they believe her death was an accident. A preliminary autopsy suggested that Hanson died quickly from a fractured neck and “some suffocation,” said Fresno County Coroner David Hadden.

The neck injury appeared to have come from a swipe of the lion’s paw. The body had “numerous claw marks and bite damage” elsewhere, probably inflicted after the initial swipe, Hadden said.

Project Survival's Cat Haven houses lions, tigers, cheetahs and jaguars in enclosures on a boulder-strewn hillside about half a mile off the main road to Kings Canyon National Park. The nonprofit sanctuary, which raises money for conservation causes, gets about 10,000 visitors a year.

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Lion attack: Fresno County cat sanctuary reopens to public

A Fresno County wild cat sanctuary reopened to the public Sunday for the first time since intern Diana Hanson was killed when a lion attacked her at the park last week.

At noon, about two dozen visitors joined stricken staff members of Project Survival’s Cat Haven in a moment of silence for the young woman whose life passion was working with big cats.

Hanson, 26, was killed at the Dunlap park Wednesday, when a 4-year-old male lion named Cous Cous attacked her. Another volunteer tried to lure the lion away from Hanson, but by the time authorities reached Hanson, she was dead. The cat was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies.

During Sunday’s gathering, the haven's founder Dale Anderson reiterated remarks he made earlier at a news conference that the staff who raised the lion Cous Cous since he was a cub had found no fault with deputies' shooting the animal to get to Hanson.

"People want to put Cous Cous in the same category as her and it’s not the same," he said. "But I'm going to miss my boy."

Members of Hanson’s family have said they believe her death was an accident.

A preliminary autopsy suggested that Hanson died quickly from a fractured neck and “some suffocation,” said Fresno County Coroner David Hadden. The neck injury appeared to have come from a swipe of the lion’s paw.

The body had “numerous claw marks and bite damage” elsewhere, probably inflicted after the initial swipe, Hadden said.

Project Survival's Cat Haven houses lions, tigers, cheetahs and jaguars in enclosures on a boulder-strewn hillside about half a mile off the main road to Kings Canyon National Park. The nonprofit sanctuary, which raises money for conservation causes, gets about 10,000 visitors a year.

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Photo: Morgan Cabral, 8, watches leopards while holding a toy tiger he bought at Project Survival's Cat Haven in Dunlap on Sunday. The park reopened for the first time after an intern was killed by a lion last week. Credit: Diana Marcum / Los Angeles Times

Lion attack: Fresno County cat sanctuary set to reopen Sunday

The Fresno County cat sanctuary where an intern was killed by a lion last week was scheduled to reopen to the public Sunday, officials said.

Dianna Hanson, 26, was killed at Project Survival’s Cat Haven in Dunlap on Wednesday, when a 4-year-old male lion named Cous Cous attacked her. Another volunteer tried to lure the lion away from Hanson, but by the time authorities reached Hanson, she was dead. The cat was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies.

The park was scheduled to reopen to visitors at 10 a.m. At noon, Hanson will be honored with a moment of silence at the facility. All sanctuary volunteers will be wearing T-shirts honoring Hanson and Cous Cous.

Members of Hanson’s family have said they believe her death was an accident.

A preliminary autopsy suggested that Hanson died quickly from a fractured neck and “some suffocation,” said Fresno County Coroner David Hadden. The neck injury appeared to have come from a swipe of the lion’s paw.

The body had “numerous claw marks and bite damage” elsewhere, probably inflicted after the initial swipe, Hadden said.

Project Survival's Cat Haven houses lions, tigers, cheetahs and jaguars in enclosures on a boulder-strewn hillside about half a mile off the main road to Kings Canyon National Park. The nonprofit sanctuary, which raises money for conservation causes, gets about 10,000 visitors a year.

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-- Diana Marcum in Dunlap

Lion killed woman by accident, family believes

The lion that killed a 24-year-old intern at a Fresno County wild cat park probably killed the woman by accident, her family said.

Diana Hanson's family said that to their knowledge all safety rules were followed.

"It sounds like it was an accident, maybe the latch had not been completely closed. ... You know, house cats are smart, they can open doors," her brother Paul Hanson told the Associated Press. "It wasn't a vicious attack ... because you would expect severe lacerations and biting on the neck and that was not the case."

Read more here: http://www.kansascity.com/2013/03/08/4109200/family-death-of-woman-in-lion.html#storylink=cpy

 Fresno County Coroner David Hadden said Hanson's body was found in a larger enclosure that the intern had been cleaning. The lion --  a 4-year-old male named Cous Cous -- had just been fed in a smaller enclosure and somehow "escaped," Hadden said.

Dale Anderson, the founder of Project Survival's Cat Haven, declined to answer questions about how the attack happened when he toured the Dunlap facility with reporters Thursday. But a close look at the enclosure showed that the den where the lion was being fed was separated from the larger enclosure by a heavy gate that could only be lifted up.

During the attack, officials said, another volunteer tried to lure the lion away from Hanson, to no avail. Sheriff's deputies arrived and fatally shot the animal. By the time rescuers reached Hanson, she was mortally wounded.

A preliminary autopsy suggested that Hanson died quickly from a fractured neck and "some suffocation," Hadden said. The neck injury appeared to come from a swipe from the lion's paw. The body had "numerous claw marks and bite damage" elsewhere, probably  inflicted after the initial swipe, Hadden said.

An investigation into the incident by the Fresno County Sheriff's Department and other agencies is ongoing.

The U.S. Department of Agriculture is looking into whether there might have been any violations of the federal Animal Welfare Act, although a spokesman said the last 10 federal inspections of the park found no violations and no penalties or enforcement actions issued.

Cal/OSHA investigators were at the park Wednesday and requested more information about employee procedures and training, said Peter Melton, an agency spokesman.

The California Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to examine samples taken from the lion, looking for any underlying conditions or health issues that might have contributed to the attack, said Janice Mackey, a department spokeswoman. Results were expected in the coming weeks.

Project Survival's Cat Haven houses lions, tigers, cheetahs and jaguars in enclosures on a boulder-strewn hillside about half a mile off the main road to Kings Canyon National Park. The nonprofit sanctuary, which raises money for conservation causes, gets about 10,000 visitors a year. According to the organization's website, Cat Haven raises big cats and "promotes the conservation and preservation of wild cats in their native habitat by educating visitors."

For Hanson, getting an internship at the 100-acre park was the culmination of a lifelong love of big cats, friends and family members said.

As a young girl, she drew pictures of tigers and told people she wanted to be a "pet store lady" or zookeeper. After graduating from college, she moved to Kenya to work at a wildlife conservancy. Then on Jan. 1, the 24-year-old and her father drove from Washington to Dunlap,  where Hanson began a six-month internship at Cat Haven.

"She was living her dream," said her older brother, Paul Hanson. "She was living her destiny as far as being able to work with those animals. That was what she wanted in life."

The park will be closed for the length of the investigation, authorities said. Officials there were shaken by the events.

"She was doing what she loved, and she did it with joy every day that she worked here," park President Wendy Dabbas said Thursday night, breaking into sobs. "I'm so sorry that this happened."

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Lion attack: Cat 'escaped' into larger cage where intern killed

The lion that killed a 24-year-old intern at a Fresno County wild cat park appears to have "escaped" a smaller enclosure prior to the fatal attack, the county coroner said.

Details into the death of Dianna Hanson on Wednesday are sparse, but Fresno County Coroner David Hadden said the woman's body was found in a larger enclosure that the intern had been cleaning. The lion --  a 4-year-old male named Cous Cous -- had just been fed in a smaller enclosure and somehow "escaped," Hadden said.

Dale Anderson, the founder of Project Survival's Cat Haven, declined to answer questions about how the attack happened when he toured the Dunlap facility with reporters Thursday. But a close look at the enclosure showed that the den where the lion was being fed was separated from the larger enclosure by a heavy gate that could only be lifted up.

During the attack, officials said, another volunteer tried to lure the lion away from Hanson, to no avail. Sheriff's deputies arrived and fatally shot the animal. By the time rescuers reached Hanson, she was mortally wounded.

A preliminary autopsy suggested that Hanson died quickly from a fractured neck and "some suffocation," Hadden said. The neck injury appeared to come from a swipe from the lion's paw. The body had "numerous claw marks and bite damage" elsewhere, likely inflicted after the initial swipe, Hadden said.

An investigation into the incident by the Fresno County Sheriff's Department and other agencies is ongoing.

Lion attack: 'I'm sorry this happened,' says president of cat haven

Standing in front of the gates of Project Survival's Cat Haven, the organization's  president on Thursday spoke about Dianna Hanson, the intern killed by a lion at the Fresno County sanctuary on Wednesday.

"She was doing what she loved and she did it with joy every day that she worked here," said Wendy Dabbas on Thursday night, breaking into sobs. "I'm so sorry that this happened."

Dabbas described Hanson, 26, as a vivacious young woman who made up songs for the jaguars, lions and cheetahs that live at the haven.

An investigation continues into how the 4-year-old African male lion named Cous Cous got out of the den where he was feeding and into the larger enclosure where Hanson was cleaning and chatting on the phone.

The heavy gate between the two areas can only be lifted.

Hanson was killed when the lion attacked her about 12:30 Wednesday. Another volunteer tried to lure the lion away from Hanson, but by the time authorities reached her, she was dead. The cat was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies.

A preliminary autopsy suggested that Hanson died quickly from a fractured neck and “some suffocation,” said Fresno County Coroner David Hadden. The neck injury appeared to come from a swipe from the lion’s paw. The body had “numerous claw marks and bite damage” elsewhere, likely inflicted after the initial swipe, Hadden said.

Before Dabbas spoke Thursday, Dale Anderson, the haven's founder, confirmed Hansen died of a broken neck.

"She died instantly, he said.

The park is closed for the length of the investigation.

"We don't know when, but the park will reopen," said Sonia Sanchez, a park spokeswoman.

Meanwhile, authorities on Thursday continued investigating the circumstances of the attack. Hanson and the other volunteers were alone on the roughly 100-acre park when the attack occurred, officials said. Friends of the workers said the routine was to feed the cats about noon, typically by putting food in a small enclosure, getting out and then letting the animals inside from a larger enclosure.

Officials have not specified the details of the incident, including whether the lion was in the larger enclosure or the feeding area.

But Hadden said Hanson’s body was found in the larger enclosure and it was his understanding that the lion had just been fed in the smaller enclosure when it “escaped.”

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Lion attack: Founder of cat sanctuary gives reporters tour

The founder of a Fresno County cat sanctuary where an intern was fatally attacked by a lion led reporters on a tour of the facility Thursday afternoon.

As Dale Anderson approached the enclosure where Dianna Hansen was killed and the male lion was shot by police as they tried to reach her Wednesday, there was a low moaning.

"That's Pele," he said of the 10-year-old female lion that lived in the same enclosure. "She's upset. We've had workers come and sit with her a lot."

He crouched down and the lion rubbed against the fence and his hand.

Anderson said he could not answer any questions about how the attack may have happened.

But a close look at the enclosure showed that the den where the lion was being fed, and the larger enclosure where the intern was cleaning, were separated by a heavy gate that could only be lifted up.

Hansen, 26, was killed at the park Wednesday when the 4-year-old African lion named Cous Cous attacked her. Another volunteer tried to lure the lion away from Hanson, but by the time authorities reached her, she was dead. The cat was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies.

A preliminary autopsy suggested that Hanson died quickly from a fractured neck and “some suffocation,” said Fresno County Coroner David Hadden. The neck injury appeared to come from a swipe from the lion’s paw. The body had “numerous claw marks and bite damage” elsewhere, likely inflicted after the initial swipe, Hadden said.

Authorities on Thursday continued investigating the circumstances of the attack. Hanson and the other volunteers were alone on the roughly 100-acre park when the attack occurred about 12:30 p.m., officials said.

Friends of the workers said the routine was to feed the cats about noon, typically by putting food in a small enclosure, getting out and then letting the animals inside from a larger enclosure.

Officials have not specified the details of the incident, including whether the lion was in the larger enclosure or the feeding area.

But Hadden said Hanson’s body was found in the larger enclosure and it was his understanding that the lion had just been fed in the smaller enclosure when it “escaped.”

A necropsy on the lion was also scheduled to be performed Thursday, said Janice Mackey, a spokeswoman for California Fish and Wildlife. Officials will collect samples from the lion, looking for any underlying conditions or health issues that might have contributed to the attack. Results are expected in a couple of weeks.

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-- Diana Marcum in Dunlap

Photo: Dale Anderson at Fresno County cat sanctuary. Credit: Diana Marcum.

Lion attack: Intern likely died from paw swipe to neck

An autopsy indicated the 24-year-old woman killed by a lion at a Fresno County wild cat park died from a fractured neck and "some suffocation," probably because of a swipe from the lion's paw, coroner's officials said.

Dianna Hanson probably died quickly during the Wednesday attack at Project Survival's Cat Haven, Fresno County Coroner David Hadden said. The body had “numerous claw marks and bite damage” elsewhere, believed to be inflicted after the initial swipe, he said.

Hanson was killed at the Dunlap park Wednesday, when a 4-year-old male lion named Cous Cous attacked her. Another volunteer tried to lure the lion away from Hanson, but by the time authorities reached her, it was too late. Hanson died at the park. The cat was shot and killed by sheriff’s deputies.

Friends of the workers said the routine was to feed the cats about noon, typically by putting food in a small enclosure, getting out and then letting the animals inside from a larger enclosure.

Authorities on Thursday continued investigating the circumstances of the attack, and have not specified the details of the incident, including whether the lion was in the larger enclosure or the feeding area.

But Hadden said Hanson’s body was found in the larger enclosure and it was his understanding that the lion had just been fed in the smaller enclosure when it “escaped.”

City Beat: Vito Vincent the cat heads from Hollywood to Broadway

Remember Vito Vincent, the tabby cat who came out west to try to make his way in Hollywood?

I wrote about his quest for acting gigs in a front-page story last March.

In reporting the story, I dined with Vito Vincent and his owner, Michael LeCrichia, at an outdoor cafe at the Grove -- and throughout the meal, as music played and hundreds of people passed by, the cat sat perfectly calmly all by himself in a chair.

At the Grove, he moved with assurance on a leash, walking in and out of stores -- and in the process turning so many heads, he even attracted his own paparazzo.

The story -- and accompanying video -- of the supremely calm cat got Vito Vincent a lot of attention, but, alas, no TV or movie offers. So he and LeCrichia eventually headed back home to the East Coast.

Last year, Vito Vincent nabbed a campaign for an online card company as well as a Target ad. (You might see him soon on billboards, says LeCrichia. Look for the cat in the yellow slicker.)

This year, he got his first big break -- on Broadway.

Vito Vincent has just been chosen to play Cat in a new production of "Breakfast at Tiffany's," starring Emilia Clarke (of "Game of Thrones" fame) and now in previews at the Cort Theatre.

Lion attack: Intern was 'living her dream' at park, brother says

The brother of a 24-year-old intern killed by a lion at a Fresno County wild cat park described his little sister as passionate about animals and "living her dream" at the nonprofit sanctuary.

Paul R. Hanson, 29, said his sister, Dianna Hanson, had always been interested in animals, particularly big cats. After graduating from Western Washington University with a degree in biology in 2011, the Seattle-area native began working toward a certification that would have allowed her to work at a zoo.

That goal took her to the Soysambu Conservancy in Kenya after graduation and then, in January, to Project Survival's Cat Haven in Dunlap for a six-month internship.

"She was living her dream," Paul Hanson said. "She was living her destiny as far as being able to work with those animals. That was what she wanted in life."

Dianna Hanson's Facebook is filled with photos of wild cats, including one from Feb. 7 in which she posed with two cheetahs.

"You gotta love what you're doing!" a friend wrote.

"Can't complain," she replied.

"She always had this desire to work with the big cats," Paul Hanson said. "As she got older, her desire evolved into sharing the plight of a lot of these animals and work she could do to ensure their survival through the process of education and outreach."

Their family was "extremely" proud of all she had accomplished, her brother said.

Now, the Hansons are trying to process what happened Wednesday, when one of Dianna Hanson's beloved cats — a 4-year-old male lion named Cous Cous — attacked and killed her at Cat Haven.