Woman Attacked By Cheetahs Downplays It

The owner/operator of a Florida wildlife refuge who was attacked by two cheetahs says she expects to be released from the hospital and back at work Monday.

The South Florida Sun Sentinel reports that Judy Berens calls the attack (quote): "not a big deal"

Berens heads the Panther Ridge Conservation Center in Wellington, near West Palm Beach. The sanctuary provides homes for exotic cats.

Authorities say Berens was airlifted to a hospital with 40 puncture wounds to her torso, arms and legs, but it appears her injuries aren't life-threatening.

She was conducting an exhibition Saturday with two male cheetahs when one was excited by someone who was bouncing a ball outside. The cheetah ran toward the ball and knocked Berens over. It then began to claw and bite her. At some point, the other cheetah joined in the attack.

She was saved by people who ran into the enclosure.

Officials say it appears no laws were broken. The animals remain on the property in cages.

"Anytime you work with animals, and I don't care what it is, I don't care if it's domesticated animals, wild animals, there is always a risk factor," wildlife sanctuary curator David Hitzig told CBS affiliate WPEC-TV in West Palm Beach. "And yes, there is a greater risk factor when you're working with large, wild animals."

On The Early Show Monday, Suzi Rapp, head trainer at Ohio's Columbus Zoo, told co-anchor Julie Chen that, though she wasn't there when Berens was attacked, she's sure Berens was fortunate cheetahs are built for speed and agility, not strength. "The good thing," Rapp says," ... is that Judy was amongst cheetahs rather than maybe tigers or cougars, which would have done a lot more damage."

Rapp says it's "not surprising at all" that Berens survived. "My gut feeling is the cheetahs probably weren't being extremely aggressive to her. It probably was a play thing. Then they got very defensive amongst each other. ... They do get possessive of things, as any animal does. Your own dog gets possessive."

Still, when around a wild animal, "don't trust it blindly." She's been taught that, they day you do is the "probably the day you're gonna get hurt or killed, because your defenses are down. You're not up on your toes. These animals live off instinct."

The bottom line?

"Respect these animals," Rapp says. "Respect their potential."