SHANGHAI, May 21 -- A tiger at a south China zoo, apparently agitated during the mating season, attacked and killed its keeper who had looked after the animal for years, Reuters reported today, citing the Beijing Youth Daily.

The victim, a 42-year-old Thai, died in hospital in Sanya on the tropical island province of Hainan yesterday after he was bitten in the leg and neck while cleaning the tiger's cage, the newspaper said.

The tiger leapt at the victim when he bent down to pick up a broom, it said. A colleague rushed to the victim's rescue by poking the tiger with a pole.

The victim had looked after the tiger for about eight years, the newspaper said.

In February, a tiger attacked a six-year-old girl waiting to have her picture taken with the animal at a zoo in southwest China, biting her head and killing her.

Two months later, crocodiles devoured a 9-year-old child who, along three school friends, had climbed into an enclosure at a holiday park and taunted the animals with sticks and catapults.