Police say a Japanese zookeeper was mauled to death by a tiger while he cleaned the animal’s cage.

Atsushi Ito was attacked Saturday by 330-pound male tiger at the Kyoto City Zoo in western Japan. The zoo was open when the attack occurred and a visitor found Ito lying in the cage bleeding.

“The tiger bit him on the neck, face and head,” said Toshiomi Ootaguro, a Kyoto police official.

Police suspect Ito had failed to lock the cage’s door, allowing the 11-year-old tiger to slip into a room where he was working.

“After the attack, he was rushed to a nearby hospital, but he was already in cardiac arrest,” he said.

The zoo was closed after the incident. Zoo officials could not be reached for comment.

The tiger is one of two at the zoo.