A US woman made headlines for climbing over the fence at the Cohanzick Zoo in New Jersey on Sunday.
According to the Bridgeton Police Department, she jumped into the Bengal tiger enclosure on Sunday around 2 p.m. and tried to touch the tiger and was nearly bitten.
Video of the incident is circulating online, capturing the woman in a dark T-shirt and white shorts teasing the animal and sticking her hand through the enclosure.
The 500-pound wild cat, just inches away, nearly attacked her before she quickly backed away.
The Police Department reportedly initially posted the video of the incident on Facebook, but later deleted it. The Facebook post included a photo of a notice at the zoo near the enclosure that read: “Do not jump the fence. Jumping any zoo fence is against city ordinance 247-C.”
John Medica, Director of Recreation and Public Affairs for the City of Bridgeton, said the safety of animals and visitors is of utmost importance and any behavior that puts them in danger will be dealt with seriously.
The zoo’s website says it is home to two Bengal tigers named Rishi and Mahesha, who are siblings, who arrived as cubs in 2016 and now weigh nearly 500 pounds each.
Bengal tigers, also known as Indian tigers, are an endangered species, with only about 3,500 left in the wild as of October 2022.
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