A woman seen on video hopping a fence to taunt a tiger at a New Jersey zoo — and very nearly getting her hand bit — has been charged for the dangerous encounter.
Zyair Dennis, of Millville, was charged with defiant trespassing for the Aug. 18 incident at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, police said. She also violated city ordinance by climbing over a fence at the zoo.
Video showed the 24-year-old allegedly going into a restricted area next to the tiger and bear enclosures at the zoo, which bills itself the first zoo in the state.
Get top local stories in Connecticut delivered to you every morning. >Sign up for NBC Connecticut's News Headlines newsletter.
She was seen on videos and in photos jumping over a fence and went up to the caged enclosure. She then leans over, just inches from the ferocious feline, with one hand holding the enclosure and fingers poking through. The tiger quickly got aggressive, passing madly on the other side of the fence, police said.
At one point, Dennis pulled her hand out and leapt back from the fence as the tiger lunged directly at her. She eventually turned around and walked off, hopping back over the fence as the seemingly very frustrated tiger stewed in its enclosure, video shows.
Bridgeton Chief of Police Michael Gaimari said that video and photos posted on the department's social media pages quickly brought in tips from the public, which led to Dennis being identified as the woman in the video. He also said there was similar video with the same scenario at the nearby bear enclosure on the same day, also involving Dennis.
U.S. & World
Attorney information for Dennis was not immediately clear.
New Jersey State Senator Jon Bramnick told NBC New York that if personal safety isn't enough to keep people away from the animals, maybe his proposed tougher penalties for zoo trespassing will.
"In Naples, Florida, there was a rare tiger. Someone tried to feed the rare tiger and the tiger took the person's arm and then the police had to shoot the rare tiger," said Bramnick.
The proposed law would only apply to animals in secure enclosures. Many zoos have exhibits where visitors are welcome to interact and feed the animals. The tiger enclosure at the Cohanzick Zoo was not such an enclosure.
