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From rescued toddlers to massive lotto wins, reunions and rare animal sightings, this is the news that'll make you smile.

A sheriff's deputy shot a Malayan tiger that grabbed the arm of a man who was either feeding or petting the animal at a zoo in southwest Florida, authorities said.

The Collier County Sheriff's Office said the man, believed to be in his 20s, was seriously injured on Wednesday evening when he entered an unauthorised area near the tiger's enclosure at Naples Zoo at Caribbean Gardens.

The man works for a third-party cleaning service contracted to clean restrooms and the gift shop, the sheriff's office said.

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News outlets reported the eight-year-old tiger named Eko later died.

The zoo posted on its website that it will remain closed on Thursday.

“Preliminary information indicates that the man was either petting or feeding the animal, both of which are unauthorised and dangerous activities," the sheriff's report said.

Investigators said they believe the tiger grabbed the man’s arm after he breached a barrier fence and put his arm through the fence surrounding the enclosure.

The first deputy to arrive at the scene kicked the enclosure to try to get the tiger to release the man's arm from its mouth.

“But the deputy was forced to shoot the animal," the report said.

The man was taken to a hospital in nearby Fort Myers, officials said.

His name was not released and his condition was not known on Thursday.

According to the sheriff's office, the tiger retreated back into its enclosure after being shot. Deputies flew a drone inside and found the tiger was not responsive.

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A veterinarian later sedated the tiger and had planned to examine the animal, the report said.

On Tuesday, the zoo's Facebook page featured a photo of Eko.

The Malayan tiger is one of the smallest tiger species found throughout the southern and central Malay Peninsula and southern parts of Thailand, according to Malaysian Wildlife.

It is the national symbol of Malaysia.

In 2016, a Malayan tiger attacked and killed a zookeeper at the Palm Beach Zoo. An autopsy found that Stacey Konwiser, 38, died of a fractured spine, a lacerated jugular and other neck injuries suffered when she was attacked by the 12-year-old tiger named Hati.

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When snake catcher Stuart McKenzie was called to remove a carpet python from a Queensland bedroom, he expected an average day on the job.

But what the Sunshine Coast Snake Catchers owner didn't expect to find was "one of the biggest spiders" he has seen in his career.

The caller, a woman from the town of Landsborough on the Sunshine Coast, told Mr McKenzie the snake was locked in the room the day before.

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So when the snake catcher opened the door, he was taken by surprise.

"Literally the first thing we saw was a huge huntsman," Mr McKenzie said.

The spider, which was above the bed, stood out "because it was so massive".

As the snake catcher's eyes scanned across the room, he spotted the snake curled up on the cupboard at the end of the bed.

The woman was ready to leap into action and take care of the spider, telling Mr McKenzie: "I'll get the bloody fly spray out."

"I think she was pretty happy to tackle the spider herself," he said.

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"I didn't want her to kill it."

Mr McKenzie proceeded to catch the snake and spider and take them outside.

As he did this, he noticed the spider was wider than his hand.

"In terms of its leg, it was longer than a toilet roll, the legs would go either end of the roll," he said.

How the snake found its way into the home remains a mystery but Mr McKenzie suspects it may have come in through the ceiling fan in the bathroom.

"The cover had fallen off," he said.

If you find a snake in your home, call a qualified snake catcher.