Leanne, who is not sharing her last name,told CBS Evening News in an interviewon Monday that she was taking responsibility for her actions after she crossed the jaguar enclosure’s waist-high barrier at Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park, Arizona, in an attempt to get a closer photo.
“I was in the wrong for leaning over the barrier, but I do think that maybe the zoo should look into moving their fence back,” she told CBS correspondent Errol Barnett.
Accordingto a statement from the zoo on Twitter, Leanne approached the zoo’s jaguar exhibit on Saturday and “crossed over the barrier to get a photo” with the big cats. One of the female jaguars attacked her, leaving Leanne with “non-life threatening injuries” to her arm.
CBS Evening News
Jaguar enclosure at Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park, Arizona.CBS Evening News
Shawn Gilleland of the Rural Metro Fire Departmenttold PEOPLE Leanne was transported to a hospitalfollowing the incident, where she was treated for lacerations to her arm and hand. The jaguar in question was removed from the exhibit temporarily pending an investigation for the sake of her privacy and well-being.
Despite her regrets about what transpired, Leanne told CBS Evening News on Monday that “anybody can reach out” in the space between guests’ viewing area and the enclosure.
“I’m not the first, and if they don’t move the fence I’m probably not going to be the last,” she said,adding that the photo op was“not worth” the ordeal she went through. “I never expected [it]. And I feel like we’re all human. We make mistakes, and I learned my lesson.”
Jaguar.Tambako/Getty Images
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But the zoo’s director, Mickey Ollson, toldCBS Evening NewsMonday that they maintain the rules are in place for a reason. “When people do not respect the barriers, there’s always a chance that there might be a problem,” he said.
TheHumane Society of the United Stateshopes this incident encourages the Wildlife World Zoo and other zoos to rethink guests experiences that allow close encounters with wild animals.
source: people.com
