(Branson West, MO) -- A teenaged volunteer is critically injured and in need of rescue from a tiger habitat....and a Branson West animal attraction has a different story than the Stone County's Sheriff Department.

The Sheriff's Department says Dakota Ramel, 16,  stepped inside the tiger exhibit at Predator World to take photos for guests.

According to officers, witnesses told them he was knocked down by one of the large cats- and two more joined in, dragging him to the water pool.

However, a volunteer at Predator World says the attraction has witnesses of its own who tell a different story - that the tigers were trying to help Ramel after he fell down in the exhibit.

Holly Van Dyke (right) has worked with Ramel at the park.  "The eyewitness that we spoke to, said that there wasn't any noise, he actually fell and hit his head and was unconscious the whole entire time. The tigers were actually in the water, pulling him out of the water.
Accidents happen, we don't look at this as this being an accident that the tigers were at fault. There's no reason, I know there was talk about destroying the animals, and that's not even in the remote position right now, that's not something we're even remote considering."   (WEB EXTRA: click here to see more of this interview) 

Ramel is said to be in critical, but stable condition in a Springfield hospital this morning.  The attraction says the teen had worked at the park for some time and was experienced.  Van Dyke says the tigers involved in the incident were born at Predator World and very used to human interaction.