A jaguar at Arizona’s Wildlife World Zoo attacked a woman Saturday after she climbed over a barrier to take a selfie closer to its enclosure.
The jaguar reportedly reached through its enclosure and hooked its claws into the woman’s arm as she posed for the selfie. Witnesses rushed to distract the jaguar and save the woman from its grasp. Representatives of the zoo said the woman, who is in her 30s and whose name has not been released, was taken to a hospital with non-life-threatening injuries and that zoo officials are investigating the incident. (RELATED: Woman Eaten Alive By Her Own Pigs)
Please understand why barriers are put in place. Sending prayers to the family tonight. pic.twitter.com/2MPb8bXhwR
— Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (@ZooWildlife) March 10, 2019
Adam Wilkerson, who witnessed the incident along with his mother, said he and his mother heard the woman screaming and ran to help her when they realized what was happening.
“My mom runs up and takes her water bottle and shoves it through the cage near where the jaguar is, and the jaguar goes to let go of the girl to take the water bottle, and the claw just catches this girl’s sweater,” Wilkerson told AZFamily. “So at that point I see that it’s no longer attached to the girl’s actual arm, only on her sweater, so I grab the girl on her torso and I pull her back.”
Wilkerson videoed the aftermath.
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“There’s no way to fix people crossing barriers,” said zoo director Mickey Ollson. “That happens occasionally. And we put substantial barriers there and if people cross them, they can get in trouble.”
Zoo spokeswoman Kristy Morcom clarified Sunday that the large cat would not be euthanized but is off exhibit while the investigation is underway.
We can promise you nothing will happen to our jaguar. She’s a wild animal and there were proper barriers in place to keep our guests safe- not a wild animals fault when barriers are crossed. Still sending prayers to her and her family.
— Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium & Safari Park (@ZooWildlife) March 10, 2019
Ollson also said the jaguar scratched someone in 2018, though it did not injure that person as seriously as it did the woman on Saturday.
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