She was a whisker away from a Darwin Award.
A New Jersey zoo visitor is wanted after she hopped the fence outside a tiger exhibit to get up close and personal with one of the big cats, and nearly lost her hand in the process.
Video shared on Facebook by the Bridgeton, NJ, Police Department on Tuesday shows the reckless woman sticking her hand through the wire enclosure fence at Cohanzick Zoo, offering it up to the massive beast like a canapé.
After curiously sniffing for a moment, the Siberian tiger suddenly lunges toward the woman and tries to bite her hand, which she quickly jerks back before appearing to briefly hold still while looking off in the distance, as if posing for a photograph.
The unidentified woman stuck her hand through the fence separating her and the tiger. Bridgeton Police Department
Following the brainless incident, the Cohanzick Zoo reminded guests that “it is against City Ordinance to climb over any fence.” Bridgeton Police DepartmentThe video ends with her hopping back over the wooden fencing, which looks to be about 4 feet high.
“A female at the Cohanzick Zoo went over the wooden fence at the tiger enclosure and began enticing the tiger almost getting bit by putting her hand through the wire enclosure,” police said in a statement.
The department shared the video in the hopes someone would recognize the woman, asking the public to send anonymous tips through its website.
“Reminder to the public when visiting the zoo, that it is against City Ordinance to climb over any fence,” they wrote.
Bridgeton is located about 50 miles south of Philadelphia.
Cohanzick Zoo, which opened in 1934, bills itself as the first zoo in the Garden State.
It houses around 45 species of animals, including leopards, bears, wallabies and mountain lions.
