Wolves attack worker at Caswell preserve where lion killed intern in 2018

Two gray wolves attacked a worker over the weekend at the same Caswell County exotic animal preserve where an intern was mauled and killed by a lion a little over two years ago.

Posted 4:39 p.m. Mar 22, 2021 — Updated 3:19 a.m. Mar 23, 2021

Sarah Krueger

, WRAL reporter

BURLINGTON, N.C. — Two gray wolves attacked a worker over the weekend at the same Caswell County exotic animal preserve where an intern was mauled and killed by a lion a little over two years ago.

The worker, identified in police reports as Hayley Quay, was in the wolf enclosure trying to "socialize" two young wolves, named Sitka and Rayne, when the animals bit her on both arms and her right leg at about 2:20 p.m. Saturday, according to authorities.

She was taken to UNC Hospitals Hillsborough for treatment. She issued a statement Monday that she was recovering and looking forward to getting back to work.

"I have been working closely with wolves for my entire professional career and know that sometimes things like this happen, even when everything is done perfectly," Quay said in the statement. "I am looking forward to a full and speedy recovery so that I can get back to doing what I have spent years studying and training to do – caring for Rayne and Sitka and all of the other animals at the animal park."

Margaret Vanderford, of Chapel Hill, arrived at the Conservators Center with her three children minutes after the attack on Saturday and saw an ambulance arrive.

"As we were walking around the building, my son asked what happened. He was like, 'Did somebody get bit?' And [staffers] were like, 'No, no, no, somebody just passed out,'" Vanderford said. "Either they were not aware, or they were not forthcoming, for sure.

"I get why they did it. They need the income [from visitors] to take care of the animals, and it probably would’ve scared a lot of people off," she added. "Ethically, they probably should have shared what was happening."

Sitka was one of two 2-year-old gray wolves to attack a worker at the Conservators Center exotic animal preserve in Caswell County on March 20, 2021. (Photo from Conservators Center's Facebook page)

Mindy Stinner, executive director of Conservators Center, initially declined to comment on the attack Monday, citing employee privacy. But she later issued a statement saying that the public was never in any danger and that the preserve followed all of its protocols.

"Caswell County Animal Control was also called, and the juvenile wolves have been quarantined for 10 days, just as would be the case for any dog that bit a human," Stinner said in the statement. "At no time during this incident was any member of the public in any danger. The center continues to have as its top priority the safety of its public guests, volunteers and employees, and the center is confident that it provides a safe environment for all who visit and work at the center."

On Dec. 30, 2018, Alex Black, an intern at the preserve, was killed when a lion was able to escape its enclosure and attack her.

Firefighters who responded to the scene attempted to use a hose to force the lion, known as Matthai, off of Black, but were unsuccessful, authorities said. Following multiple attempts to tranquilize the animal, deputies eventually had to fire eight shots to kill Matthai.

An autopsy determined that Black died from multiple traumatic, deep lacerations to her neck that resulted in significant blood loss. She also suffered several defensive wounds.

According to a medical examiner's report, a large ball blocked a door from closing properly after the lion had been placed inside a pen while humans entered the enclosure.

An attorney representing the Conservators Center has denied that a ball blocked the door, calling the report "neither accurate nor plausible."

"I’m a little in shock," Tom Black, Alex Black's father, said Monday of the latest attack.

But he declined to comment when asked whether the preserve needs to make operational changes or close altogether.

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"I feel for the people that are working there because this is another incident that someone that they work alongside has been injured," Tom Black said. "You have to have a heart for that kind of work. You don’t get into that job to make a bunch of money; you get into that job because you feel for those animals."

He said he's confident his daughter would feel the same concern for the staff and the animals.

"My heart goes out to those folks – the person that was injured [and] the relatives of the person that was injured – because I’ve been there. I understand how they’re feeling," he said.

Vanderford said she was aware of Alex Black's death but didn't realize it happened at the Conservators Center until she was there on Saturday.

"It makes me wonder if they’re taking enough precautions for their employees," she said. "On the other hand, I feel like ,if you’re working with lions and wolves, then maybe you’ve accepted some sort of risk."

The state Department of Labor fined the preserve after Alex Black's death $1,000 each for what inspectors deemed three serious workplace safety violations.

The violations were for "ineffective procedures" for securing the lion enclosure, a lack of a preventive maintenance program to ensure the enclosure door worked properly and an inadequate emergency response plan.

The Labor Department is investigating the wolf attack, but spokeswoman Dolores Quesenberry said a final report won't be completed for several months.

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