The zoo has confirmed that nothing will be happening to the jaguar as a result
A woman has been attacked by a jaguar after climbing over the safety barrier and attempting to take a selfie at an Arizona zoo.
She did, however, return to the Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park (around 20 miles from Phoenix) following the attack to apologise to the zoo and admit fault over the incident. According to zoo spokeswoman Kristy Morcum she “feels horrible about the bad publicity the zoo is getting”.
Eyewitnesses reported that the visitor crossed the safety barriers on Saturday evening and was then mauled by the female jaguar, sustaining non-threatening injuries to her arm.
“The visitor sustained non-life threatening injuries to their arm from one of our female jaguars. At the request of the family, paramedics were called. At no time was the animal out of its enclosure … please understand why barriers are put in place. Sending prayers to the family tonight,” the zoo tweeted.
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, an eyewitness of the incident, described the scene as “pandemonium” and how his mother came to the woman’s rescue by successfully distracting the jaguar.
“Without thinking, I had no idea what I was going to see, I just ran over there,” he said. “I saw the other girl up against the fence with her arm caught in the jaguar’s claws.”
Wilkerson said he was standing behind the woman, but didn’t want to pull her off. “I could see the claws in her actual flesh,” he said. In an effort to distract the jaguar, his mother then ran up behind him and pushed her water bottle through the cage. The bottle distracted the jaguar and it let go.
“When my mom put the water bottle through the gate, the jaguar let go of the girl. And we pulled the girl back and she collapsed,” he said.
The zoo has confirmed that the jaguar would not be put down following the incident.
