Updated

German authorities say a tiger attacked and killed his keeper at a zoo in the country's northwest.

The local fire department said the 57-year-old keeper was killed in the Allwetterzoo Muenster on Thursday afternoon after apparently not noticing he had left one animal behind after he moved a group of tigers into a new enclosure, the dpa news agency reported.

The tiger then attacked the keeper and bit him fatally on the neck. The zoo had no immediate comment and further details weren't immediately available.