Denver ? A zookeeper died Saturday after a 140-pound jaguar mauled her in the doorway of its exhibit, and the big cat was fatally shot when it approached emergency workers treating the injured woman, the zoo said.

The zookeeper, whose name was not immediately released, was taken to a Denver hospital, where she died, police spokesman Sonny Jackson said.

The park closed after the shooting.

It planned to reopen today, but the feline building was to remain closed, officials said.

Zoo officials did not know how the mauling occurred or what led to the attack, spokeswoman Amy Sarno said.