JINAN, May 17 -- A lion was shot dead at a zoo in east China's Shandong Province on Sunday, after it attacked a trainer and broke out of the cage.

The management committee of the Taishan Scenery Area said the attack happened at 6:20 a.m. Sunday in Tai'an Tiger Mountain Park in the scenery spot, when the trainer entered the lion's cage for cleaning.

The trainer died in the hospital.

The zoo called police to shoot the lion in order to ensure the safety of tourists.

Police are still probing into the incident.

A similar animal attack happened in another Chinese zoo just in March, when a zookeeper was mauled by a tiger at a zoo in east China's Jiangxi Province.

In addition to pouring sympathy on zookeepers, the public also questioned the zoo management. Zookeepers and cleaners should follow the procedure to keep carnivores in a separate place when cleaning the animal cages.