An Arizona woman in her 30s was attacked by a jaguar at a zoo after she attempted to get a photo with the big cat. The Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park, Arizona confirmed the reports of an attack on Twitter, stating that the unnamed woman sustained "non-life threatening injuries to their arm."
In a video provided to local news stations, the woman in question can be seen being treated by paramedics.
When people on social media started asking how she was injured by the jaguar, the zoo stated that she climbed over a barrier intending to get a photo. "We regret to inform that this evening, before closing there was an incident reported involving a guest, who crossed over the barrier to get a photo, according to eye witnesses," they stated. "At no time was the animal out of its enclosure. The incident is being fully investigated."
Adam Wilkerson, a witness, told CNN he rushed to see what he could do when someone came running for help. "I saw the other girl up against the fence with her arm caught in the jaguar's claws," he explained. "I could see the claws in her actual flesh." Wilkerson's mother was able to distract the jaguar after she put her water bottle through the cage.
"When my mom put the water bottle through the gate, the jaguar let go of the girl," he continued. "And we pulled the girl back and she collapsed." He said that he doesn't know how she managed to get so close to the jaguar.
The zoo promised that "nothing will happen to our jaguar" following the attack. They stressed that people need to understand why these barriers are in place. "She's a wild animal and there were proper barriers in place to keep our guests safe, not a wild animals [sic] fault when barriers are crossed," they wrote on Twitter. "Still sending prayers to her and her family."
The woman taken to a nearby hospital following the attack and is expected to make a full recovery.
