A female employee at Palm Beach Zoo died after being attacked by a tiger.

Stacey Konwiser, known around the zoo as a 'tiger whisperer', was performing a routine procedure at the West Palm Beach facility when the 13-year-old tiger mauled her, the Palm Beach Post reported.

The 38-year-old was taken to St Mary's Medical Center and died later in the day after suffering a 'severe bite' wound, a top zoo official told the newspaper.

The attack happened in an area of the zoo closed to visitors, while Konwiser was getting ready to teach visitors about tigers during a 2pm 'Tiger Talk'.

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Stacey Konwiser (pictured left with her husband Jeremy, also a keeper at the zoo), 38, died on Friday afternoon after being attacked by a male Malayan tiger at Palm Beach Zoo in West Palm Beach

The tiger injured Konwiser around 2pm on Friday as she was getting ready to give visitors a 'Tiger Talk'. She was taken to the hospital (pictured) and died later in the day

Zoo officials issued a code red alert after the attack and the male Malayan tiger received tranquilizers.

Guests were escorted out of the zoo and some were pictured waiting in the gift shop after officials subdued the animal.

Her husband Jeremy is also a keeper at Palm Beach Zoo.

The two had been together for about ten years and met while working at a different zoo, Living Desert Zoo in Palm Desert, California.

'The tiger never escaped,' spokeswoman Naki Carter told the Sun Sentinel. 'We have safety protocols for when incidents like this occur. We initiated those safety protocols.'

Guests were never at risk during the attack, Carter added.

The zoo hasn't said which of its four Malayan tigers attacked Konwiser. The animal has been put down according to CBS 12.

The zoo has now been closed and will remain so through Saturday.

Grief counselors arrived on Friday afternoon for staff members.

The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will investigate Konwiser's death.

'This is the first death at the hands of an animal in the history of the Palm Beach Zoo,' Carter said according to the Palm Beach Post.

'There are no words to describe. We've lost a family member. This is a family that is in mourning right now.'

Spokeswoman Naki Carter said the zoo's staff were left grieving like a family after the death of Konwiser (pictured in March last year during the dedication of a new tiger habitat)

It is the first time one of the zoo's animals has killed someone according to Carter. Pictured, Palm Beach Zoo employee Nina Blakeman receives a hug following Konwiser's death

A Mount Hoyoke graduate, Konwiser (pictured) had been trained to work with wild animals, including tigers, and was performing routine acts when the tiger attacked her

Konwiser had met her husband Jeremy while the two (pictured) worked at a different zoo in Palm Desert, California. They had been together for about ten years

Following the attack, Konwiser was taken to the hospital (pictured) with a severe bite wound. Visitors were never at risk according to zoo officials

Palm Beach Zoo officials haven't said which of their four tigers injured Konwiser. She shared this photo of a tiger on Facebook earlier this year and called him 'the newest man in my life'

Police officers (pictured) arrived at Palm Beach Zoo after Konwiser's death. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission will investigate the case

Konwiser, a graduate from Mount Holyoke College in South Hadley, Massachusetts, had worked at Palm Beach zoo for more than three years and was the primary keeper for tigers and koalas.

The tiger attacked her around 2pm as she was caring for him in the tigers' night house, where the animals sleep.

Guest Alena Rodriguez, 25, told the Sun Sentinel she saw a trainer run by the tiger cage around 1:50pm, saying: 'We need to evacuate.'

Then, Rodriguez said she was taken into the gift shop among 25 people, including eight children, while staff members controlled the tiger.

Officials subdued the tiger within 20 minutes and guests received a free pass for another visit in the future, according to the Sun Sentinel.

Zoo employees also made sure all of their 500-plus animals were accounted for.

Konwiser had been trained to work with wild animals, including the zoo's four Malayan tigers.

'This was her specialty,' Carter told the Palm Beach Post. 'She loved tigers. You don't get into this business without the love for the animals and understanding the danger that's involved even more.'

'I kind of referred to her as a tiger whisperer. They spoke to each other in a language that only they could understand.'

Konwiser was performing basic tasks when the tiger injured her according to Carter.

'She was very proficient and efficient handling these animals and something happened. Exactly what occurred remains under investigation,' Carter said according to the Palm Beach Post.

Malayan tigers are considered an endangered species. There are 250 and 340 of them around the world according to WWF.

Officials subdued the tiger within 20 minutes and took guests to safety into the gift shop. Police (pictured) came to investigate the scene

Medical personnel also rushed to Konwiser's side. Pictured, a woman running to the scene in the moments after the attack

A witness who was visiting the zoo while the attack occurred said she had seen a train run by the tiger's cage, saying: 'We need to evacuate.' Pictured, personnel working at the scene

Medical staff took Konwiser (pictured) to the hospital. Meanwhile, the zoo went through its safety protocol and made sure all of its animals were accounted for

Konwiser (pictured left in a Facebook shot) had been working at Palm Beach Zoo for more than three years and was in charge of koala and tigers