A woman has been charged after allegedly climbing over a fence at a New Jersey zoo and being nearly bitten by a tiger.
Zyair J. Dennis, 24, of Millville, is accused of defiant trespassing and breaking two city laws after allegedly climbing fences at the zoo on August 18, according to a Bridgeton police statement released Monday.
Officials launched an investigation Tuesday after the city’s Recreation Department received video and still photos from Cohanzick Zoo visitors of someone who “jumped over a fence and approached the caged enclosure of the tiger, reaching into the cage before quickly pulling her hand out when the animal reacted aggressively,” according to the statement.
According to authorities, there is a video of a similar scenario involving the same person on the same day in the bear enclosure.
A video shows a woman climbing over a wooden fence meant to keep tourists away from the tigers before climbing straight up the tall metal barrier and placing her hand through a gap in an apparent attempt to pet the animal. The tiger’s jaws moved quickly toward her, prompting her to release her hand and step back. She takes a moment to pose before climbing back over the wooden fence.
Dennis is expected to appear in municipal court next month.
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It wasn’t clear Monday afternoon whether Dennis had hired a counsel. Attempts to contact her on Monday afternoon were unsuccessful.
The event is similar to one that occurred at the Bronx Zoo in New York in 2019 when a woman walked into the lion enclosure and stood feet from one of the lions.