Police are looking for a woman who climbed over a barrier surrounding a tiger enclosure at a zoo in New Jersey before she approached the big cats and put a hand through a metal fence, narrowly avoiding being bitten.
Bridgeton police said they wanted to speak to the woman after video of her inside the enclosure at Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton emerged. The police department released the video Tuesday; it is unclear when the incident took place.
“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,” police said in a statement on Facebook. “We are asking if anyone recognizes the female in the video/photo.”
The video shows the woman climbing over a wooden fence designed to keep visitors away from the tigers before she goes right up the tall metal fence and places her hand through a small gap, apparently in an attempt to pet the enormous animal.
The tiger quickly moves its jaws toward her, forcing her to swiftly remove her hand and step away. She stops and poses, as if someone else is taking a photograph, before she climbs back over the wooden enclosure.
Police said: “Reminder to the public when visiting the zoo that it is against City Ordinance to climb over any fence.”
Anyone with information is urged to call Patrolman Cusano at 856-451-0033, extension 0, or send anonymous tips to BPD.TIPS.
The incident is similar to one at the Bronx Zoo in New York in 2019, when a woman climbed into the lion enclosure and stood feet away from one of the lions, appearing to taunt it.
