A tiger handler is being treated in hospital after being mauled during a show at the zoo started by Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin.
The 30-year-old was bitten on the neck and shoulder when the tiger became "over excited" during play, Australia Zoo says.
The senior handler, who had raised the animal since it was a cub, remained in a serious but stable condition in hospital.
He suffered two large puncture wounds and was conscious when he was flown to Brisbane from the zoo, which is on the Sunshine Coast.
He was reportedly attacked in front of a large crowd.
The zoo keeps both Bengal (pictured) and Sumatran tigers. Pic: File The zoo's director Wes Mennon said co-workers saw the attack and helped drag the victim, who has not been named, to safety.
"The tigers get exited ... when they're playing, that's what they do and unfortunately," he said.
"It's got a bit too exited and just grabbed him in that spot and let go pretty much immediately once the other handlers grabbed him.
"Our emergency response team were on the scene immediately. They acted professionally and calmly. My hat goes off to them."
Andrew Haggerty, a doctor at air rescue charity RACQ CareFlight, said the handler's injuries could have been much worse.
"The neck is a very complex area and contains lots of serious structures including blood vessels, and perhaps most importantly the airway," he said.
"Any bleeding in the area itself could cause significant complications."
Helicopter pilot Alan Carstens, who was called to the scene to take the man to hospital, said it was a strange afternoon.
Steve Irwin at the zoo in 2006 "I honestly thought someone was kidding me, they said, 'It's a tiger attack', I said 'no', but it was," he told reporters.
"We landed just outside the African (enclosure) area, right next door to where the tigers are.
"I waited with the chopper, I was looking at a tortoise straight opposite me, I thought it was a rock initially, then it started moving."
Twitter user dbass9 posted a picture of a media throng at the zoo, saying: "I saw the tiger attack at Australia Zoo today.
"Things went from playful to violent instantly. I hope that poor fella recovers quickly."
Australia Zoo, which keeps Bengal and Sumatran tigers, said it was conducting a full investigation into the attack.
The zoo was made famous by Irwin, who starred in the hugely successful wildlife documentary series The Crocodile Hunter.
It is now run by his family, including widow Terri.
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