A rare white tiger attacked three employees in a Czech zoo today after escaping from its enclosure, officials said.

One man was hospitalized with head injuries, said Lenka Markovicova, spokeswoman for the rescuers in the northern city of Liberec. She said he is not in life-threatening condition.

Two women suffered minor injuries and were also taken to the local hospital for treatment.

The tiger, named Paris, was tranquillized, said zoo spokesman Ivan Langr, and poses no further danger. He said the zoo's employees were shocked and that it was not immediately clear who is to blame for the escape.

The Liberec Zoo is the only one in the Czech Republic with white tigers — the result of both parents having a recessive gene for white colouration. They are rare in the wild because they stand out in the jungle, hindering their efforts to catch prey.