white tiger
Representational picture. Reuters

An 11-year-old boy's hand was partially amputated after it was nearly ripped off by a tiger at a southern Brazilian zoo.

The incident happened at the Cascavel Zoo in the state of Parana, when the boy, along with his father and three-year-old brother, got into the restricted part of the tiger's enclosure.

The father reportedly allowed his son to enter the prohibited area and stroke the tiger. The next moment the boy was seen in a pool of blood, Scallywag and Vagabond reported.

According to an eye witness, the boy was trying to feed the tiger, named Hu, with meat pieces when the big cat grabbed his hand and mauled him.

Music teacher Ricardo Espindola, who recorded the video, said that "he was giving the tiger pieces of food, meat and stroking it."

"I finished looking at the animals, left, then heard the screams. I went down and saw the father running with the boy with his arm hanging. I called the ambulance," he added.

"He was in shock, talking nonsense, talking that he was going to die."

However, the boy was received quick treatment but lost his injured hand and still remains in the intensive care unit.

The boy's father was arrested by the local police on charges of negligence but later released on bail.

The zoo officials, described the tiger as a quiet animal.

Watch the video below: