Police are looking for a woman who climbed over a fence at the tiger enclosure at the Cohanzick Zoo in New Jersey.
According to a Facebook post from the Bridgeton Police Department, the woman climbed over a wooden fence and tried to touch a tiger, “almost getting bit” in the process.
In footage posted by the authorities and shared by local media outlet News 12 New Jersey, the woman can be seen trying to entice the tiger and putting her hand through the wire enclosure, causing the animal to try and bite her hand.
The woman then quickly moved back before the Bengal tiger turned away.
The Facebook post shared by the police department also featured a photo of a sign at the zoo by the enclosure that read, “Do not climb over the fence. Climbing over any zoo fence is against city ordinance 247-C.”
“Reminder to the public when visiting the zoo that it is against City Ordinance to climb over any fence,” the police department added, per their statement.
A sign by the tiger enclosure at the Cohanzick Zoo.
Bridgeton Police Department
According to News 12 New Jersey, the ordinance says these actions could result in a person being restricted or banned from the zoo.
“The high quality care of the animals, along with the safety of our guests and visitors, is our top priority, John Medica, Director of Recreation and Public Affairs for the City of Bridgeton, told PEOPLE in a statement. “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.”
Per the zoo’s website, the tiger is one of two Bengal tigers that were born in 2016. They were then donated to the Cohanzick Zoo by a zoo in North Carolina.
“A zoo in North Carolina graciously donated the cubs to the Cohanzick Zoo in January of 2017,” the description of the tigers, who now weigh nearly 500 lbs., reads.
According to the zoo, the Bengal is considered the second largest tiger after the Siberian tiger.
Anyone with information is advised to call Bridgeton Police at 856-451-0033 or send anonymous tips at BPD.TIPS.
