Woman Climbs Over Fence and Taunts Tiger at New Jersey Zoo and People Are Outraged
Police are searching for a woman who hopped over a safety fence to approach, and taunt, a tiger at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, New Jersey. The Bridgeton Police Department released a video of the incident on their social media channels on Tuesday, August 20th, though it's unclear when the incident took place. ABC News also shared the video on Wednesday, August 21st.
The video starts with the woman already face to face with the tiger. She can be seen taunting the big cat, who appears to be agitated by her presence. Soon after, she put her hand through the fence and was almost bit. She then turned around to face someone behind her before jumping back over the safety fence.
ABC News commenters were not impressed by the unidentified woman's actions. Many commenters said the woman was cruel, while others were 'rooting' for the cat to attack the woman like @Duane Brown740, "I was rooting for the kitty!" while @Jen said simply, "Idiot." @Paumanok shared just how fast these tigers can move, "There is a tiger sanctuary nearby and the cats hit the fence at 30 MPH and are gone. Folks who wander too close can hear it but see nothing. The cats can’t get out, but they hit fast and hard and are gone."
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More About the Woman Who Taunted the Tiger at Cohanzick Zoo
Bridgeton PD said in a statement posted on Facebook, "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. We are asking if anyone recognizes the female in the video/photo." They went on to say, "Reminder to the public when visiting the zoo that it is against City Ordinance to climb over any fence." and included contact information should anybody have any information. They requested that anybody with information call Patrolman Cusano at 856-451-0033, extension 0, or send anonymous tips to BPD.TIPS.
Different zoos have different penalties for approaching animal enclosures. For example, according to the Denver Zoo's website, violators can face a criminal citation with penalties of up to 300 days in jail and a $999 fine. This includes actions like feeding, chasing, or teasing the animals like the woman in the video.
This video serves up a couple of common sense reminders that apparently aren't common sense for everybody. Zoos and wildlife parks that house wild animals have rules for a reason, the main reason being that wild animals are dangerous. If the woman would've been bitten, she probably would've sued because the barrier was climbable even though common sense tells most of us not to go over it unless you want to get eaten. It also is a great reminder about the importance of these safety guidelines and respecting boundaries put in place for the safety of you and the animals. I hope this woman is found and receives some sort of punishment. I'll continue to follow this story and report if she is found.
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