A zookeeper has died after being struck by an elephant's trunk.

The news was confirmed by staff at the Cabarceno Natural Park in Spain, as well as local officials from the northern city of Santander.

Per The Guardian, 44-year-old male zoo worker Joaquín Gutiérrez Arnáiz was cleaning out a female elephant's enclosure on Tuesday morning (February 23), when the 8,800lb animal suddenly hit the staff member with her trunk.

The blow caused the zookeeper to subsequently hit his head on the bars of the enclosure.

The elephant's calf was also in the enclosure at the same time, reports say.

Despite being transported to a nearby hospital, the zoo worker died later that day.

Per The Independent, Javier Lopez Marcano - the tourism minister in the regional government of Cantabria which owns the zoo - said: "We are talking about unpredictable animals.

"The force of the strike was tremendous, of a magnitude that one could not survive."

Gutiérrez Arnáiz had worked at Cabarceno since 2002, the Daily Mail reports, and the park described him as one of its most veteran elephant keepers.

Marcano added: "We are deeply shocked. The loss of such a young and popular person has caused great pain. He was a great lover of elephants and his work."

Reports say that both the police and the zoo have launched an investigation into the incident - which is the first "fatal accident" in the park's 31-year history.

Cabarceno Natural Park is located 17 kilometers south of Santander in the town of Cabárceno. It is home to nearly 120 animal species, including tigers, lions, wolves, and jaguars.

A zookeeper has died after being struck by an elephant's trunk.

The news was confirmed by staff at the Cabarceno Natural Park in Spain, as well as local officials from the northern city of Santander.

Per The Guardian, 44-year-old male zoo worker Joaquín Gutiérrez Arnáiz was cleaning out a female elephant's enclosure on Tuesday morning (February 23), when the 8,800lb animal suddenly hit the staff member with her trunk.

The blow caused the zookeeper to subsequently hit his head on the bars of the enclosure.

The elephant's calf was also in the enclosure at the same time, reports say.

Despite being transported to a nearby hospital, the zoo worker died later that day.

Per The Independent, Javier Lopez Marcano - the tourism minister in the regional government of Cantabria which owns the zoo - said: "We are talking about unpredictable animals.

"The force of the strike was tremendous, of a magnitude that one could not survive."

Gutiérrez Arnáiz had worked at Cabarceno since 2002, the Daily Mail reports, and the park described him as one of its most veteran elephant keepers.

Marcano added: "We are deeply shocked. The loss of such a young and popular person has caused great pain. He was a great lover of elephants and his work."

Reports say that both the police and the zoo have launched an investigation into the incident - which is the first "fatal accident" in the park's 31-year history.

Cabarceno Natural Park is located 17 kilometers south of Santander in the town of Cabárceno. It is home to nearly 120 animal species, including tigers, lions, wolves, and jaguars.