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Tiger Nearly Eats Zoo Visitor After She Climbed Into Enclosure To Pet It, Police Now Involved

Tiger Nearly Eats Zoo Visitor After She Climbed Into Enclosure To Pet It, Police Now Involved

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Well, well, well, if it isn’t the consequences of your own actions… A woman was a whisker away from becoming a tiger’s lunch after she had the brilliant idea of hopping over a zoo fence in New Jersey, USA. A video shared on Facebook by the Bridgeton Police Department on Tuesday (August 20) showed the reckless zoo visitor sticking her hand through a wire enclosure.

Highlights
  • A woman narrowly escaped a tiger attack after climbing over a zoo fence in New Jersey, USA.
  • The video, shared by Bridgeton Police Department, shows the woman taunting the tiger by sticking her hand through the wire enclosure.
  • The New Jersey law prohibits climbing over zoo fences, and violating it can lead to fines, jail time, and charges like trespassing and animal cruelty.

The stunning video, which has since gone viral on social media, further displayed a Siberian tiger suddenly lunging toward the thoughtless woman before trying to bite her hand.

The feline enthusiast was subsequently filmed quickly pulling back then briefly pausing and gazing into the distance, almost as if she were posing for a photograph. Finally, the woman was captured on the same clip hopping back over the wooden fencing.

“A female at the Cohanzick Zoo went over the wooden fence at the tiger enclosure and began enticing the tiger almost getting bit by putting her hand through the wire enclosure,” the Bridgeton Police Department wrote on Facebook. 

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    A woman was a whisker away from becoming a tiger’s lunch after she hopped over a zoo fence in New Jersey, USA

    Image credits: kintock

    Image credits: cohanzick-zoo

    The department went on to ask for assistance from members of the public to identify the culprit before referring to the local ordinance CO 247-C.

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    The New Jersey law explicitly prohibits climbing over any fences within zoo premises. Violating this ordinance could lead to legal consequences.

    The penalties for jumping over a fence in a zoo to pet a tiger in New Jersey can vary depending on the specific charges brought against the individual. 

    A video shared by local police on Tuesday (August 20) showed the reckless zoo visitor sticking her hand through a wire enclosure

    Image credits: cohanzick-zoo

    Image credits: cohanzick-zoo

    The visitor might face charges of trespassing, reckless endangerment, animal cruelty, and even civil liability, all punishable with significant fines and jail time.

    As the careless visitor has yet to be identified, she has seemingly come out of the situation alive. In previous incidents of the like, others have not been so lucky.

    Back in 2014, a 20-year-old man who fell into a zoo’s enclosure in New Delhi, India, was killed by a white tiger.

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    Police asked for assistance from members of the public to identify the culprit

    Image credits: NJ.com

    Image credits: NJ.com

    Witnesses said the visitor had lost his balance while trying to get a closer look. However, the zoo authorities claimed he had jumped in despite warnings, NDTV reported at the time.

    “He crossed the barrier of the enclosure and jumped in,” Zoo Director Amitabh Agnihotri told the Indian outlet. 

    Other officials reportedly said a guard had warned the young man after he crossed the outer fence and had even brought him out, but he went back in.

    The New Jersey law explicitly prohibits climbing over any fences within zoo premises

    Image credits: NJ.com

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    Back in 2017, zoo keeper Rosa King was mauled by a tiger at Hamerton Zoo Park, UK, after entering an enclosure without recognizing that a metal slide designed to isolate the animal had been left open.

    The 33-year-old died on the scene from traumatic injuries from the attack by a Malayan male called Cicip, The Guardian reported in 2019.

    In recent decades, there have been 256 injuries from animal attacks at accredited and non-accredited zoos, menageries, and wild animal parks in the US, CNN reported in 2016.

    “She should be arrested,” a person commented on social media

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    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

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    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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    Andréa Oldereide

    Andréa Oldereide

    Writer, BoredPanda staff

    I’m a journalist who works as Bored Panda’s News Team's Senior Writer. The news team produces stories focused on pop culture. Whenever I get the opportunity and the time, I investigate and produce my own exclusive stories, where I get to explore a wider range of topics. Some examples include: “Doberman Tobias the viral medical service dog” and “The lawyer who brought rare uterine cancer that affects 9/11 victims to light”. You've got a tip? email me: andrea.o@boredpanda.com

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    Donata Leskauskaite

    Donata Leskauskaite

    Author, BoredPanda staff

    Hey there! I'm a Visual Editor in News team. My responsibility is to ensure that you can read the story not just through text, but also through photos. I get to work with a variety of topics ranging from celebrity drama to mind-blowing Nasa cosmic news. And let me tell you, that's what makes this job an absolute blast! Outside of work, you can find me sweating it out in dance classes or unleashing my creativity by drawing and creating digital paintings of different characters that lives in my head. I also love spending time outdoors and play board games with my friends.

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    Themoonprincess
    Community Member
    4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hate these type of people. If anything bad happens, the tiger will be the one to be put down.

    LonelyLittleLeafSheep
    Community Member
    4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No, not in this situation. But it will cause the animal a lot of distress and destroys the trust that was built up between keepers and tiger. (Former zookeeper here).

    Load More Replies...
    BewilderedBanana
    Community Member
    4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's like she thought the tiger was a house cat. Dumbassery of the highest level.

    Load More Comments
    Themoonprincess
    Community Member
    4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    I hate these type of people. If anything bad happens, the tiger will be the one to be put down.

    LonelyLittleLeafSheep
    Community Member
    4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    No, not in this situation. But it will cause the animal a lot of distress and destroys the trust that was built up between keepers and tiger. (Former zookeeper here).

    Load More Replies...
    BewilderedBanana
    Community Member
    4 months ago DotsCreated by potrace 1.15, written by Peter Selinger 2001-2017

    It's like she thought the tiger was a house cat. Dumbassery of the highest level.

    Load More Comments
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