We are getting our first look tonight at the volunteer who was killed at Project Survival Cat Haven in the Sierra foothills.
CBS47 has learned the victim is 24-year-old Dianna Hanson from Seattle.
She was mauled to death by a lion.
The lion was shot and killed by a sheriff's deputy.
The victim's body was removed from the site Wednesday evening.
Dianna Hanson's family said she dreamed of being a zoo keeper. Her Facebook page features photos with some of the exotic cats at Project Survival Cat Haven.
Hanson had started a six month internship at the sanctuary in January.
Her father drove her to California. He spoke by phone from Washington state.
"I got to meet the lion Cous Cous. He was immediately her favorite, that and the tiger," said Dianna's father, Paul Hanson.
We took video of Cous Cous inside the lion enclosure at the Cat Haven when we visited a year ago.
Authorities say Dianna Hanson was inside the enclosure when Cous Cous attacked. Another employee tried to get the lion away from her, but with no success.
Staff called 9-1-1 and a sheriff's deputy shot and killed the lion.
Hanson died at the scene.
Dale Anderson, the found of the Cat Haven, raised Cous Cous by hand since the lion was 8 weeks old.
He read a statement expressing his sympathy to Hanson's family.
"We are deeply saddened by the events of today. Our hearts go out to the families and friends of our volunteer as they deal with this loss," Anderson said.
California has some of the toughest regulations in the country when it comes to exotic animals.
And the Cat Haven has an excellent safety record.
In 2011, we saw the security features at the facility. Each enclosure is surrounded by a reinforced fence. Employees have to pass through two gates to get to the animals. And each cage is padlocked.
Hanson's father said she wanted to be close to the animals.
"That place said you couldn't go into the cage. I remember she was pretty disappointed they wouldn't let her go into the cage with the lion and the tiger. But she went into the cage with all the other animals," Paul Hanson said.
We don't know yet why Dianna was in the lion enclosure.
The lion's body has been taken to a state facility for examination. Authorities want to see if there is any medical reason the lion may have attacked.
The Fresno Sheriff's Department, California Department of Fish and Game, CAL OSHA, and the USDA are all looking into the incident.
It will be several more days at least until the investigation is complete.
