Black jaguar attacks woman who climbed over barrier at Arizona zoo to take selfie
- Video of the incident showed at least one gash on the woman’s left forearm as she writhed on the ground in pain
A woman was attacked by a jaguar as she was apparently trying to get a photo outside the big cat’s enclosure at Wildlife World Zoo in Arizona, authorities said.
Shawn Gilleland, a spokesman for the Rural Metro Fire Department, said the woman, who is in her 30s, climbed over a barrier at the zoo Saturday to get closer to the jaguar’s enclosure so that she could get a selfie with the animal.
The jaguar reached out and grabbed her arm with its paw, leaving lacerations, Gilleland said.
Gilleland said the woman, who was not publicly identified, was taken to a hospital with injuries that were not life-threatening.
Officials with Wildlife World Zoo said in a statement that a guest was injured by a female jaguar at the zoo in Litchfield Park, not far from Phoenix.
Officials said the attack was under investigation but noted that the animal was not outside her enclosure at any time.