Viral video: Woman leaps into tiger enclosure at zoo, escapes near-bite

In a startling incident at Cohanzick Zoo in New Jersey, a woman breached the Bengal tiger enclosure on Sunday afternoon, sparking a dangerous encounter with one of the zoo’s resident tigers. According to the Bridgeton Police Department, the woman, dressed in a dark top and white shorts, climbed over the fence around 2 p.m. and attempted to touch the tiger, narrowly escaping an attack.

LOOK: Bridgeton Police want to identify this woman, who climbed over the tiger enclosure’s wooden fence at the Cohanzick Zoo “and began enticing the tiger, almost getting bit by putting her hand through the wire enclosure.” 1/4 pic.twitter.com/DPRFi5xFg1

— Steve Keeley (@KeeleyFox29) August 21, 2024

A video that has gone viral on social media shows the woman reaching through the enclosure’s inner fencing as the Bengal tiger paced just inches away. The footage reveals the tiger’s attempt to bite her hand as she dangled her fingers close to its mouth. The woman managed to pull back just in time, with the tiger turning away after the near-miss.

The police department initially shared the video on their Facebook page, which has since been removed, along with a warning about the zoo’s regulations. The post featured a photo of a notice at the zoo stating, "Do not climb over the fence. Climbing over any zoo fence is against city ordinance 247-C." The department reminded the public that violating this ordinance could lead to a ban from the zoo.

John Medica, Director of Recreation and Public Affairs for the City of Bridgeton, emphasized the zoo's commitment to safety in a statement. “The high-quality care of the animals, along with the safety of our guests and visitors, is our top priority. Any visitor behavior that places the animals, staff, and members of the public in a potentially dangerous situation is unacceptable and will be addressed accordingly.”

The zoo’s website notes that the two Bengal tigers, Rishi and Mahesha, arrived as cubs in 2016. Now weighing nearly 500 pounds each, the tigers were initially described as "gorgeous and ornery" by Bonnie Facemyer, then-president of the Cohanzick Zoological Society.

Public reaction to the incident has been swift. One commenter expressed concern, stating, “It’s highly predictable that someone will jump that fence. The zoo will get sued if someone gets hurt. There should be no feasible way a visitor can come into physical contact with a tiger.” Another added, “Props to the tigers for having mercy.”