N.J. woman accused of climbing over zoo fence is charged after close call with tiger

A woman who police say climbed over a barrier at a New Jersey zoo and was nearly bitten by a tiger has been charged.

Zyair J. Dennis, 24, of Millville, is accused of defiant trespassing and violating two city ordinances after allegedly climbing fences at the zoo, Bridgeton, N.J., police said in a statement Monday.

Officials began investigating Tuesday after the city’s Department of Recreation received video and still photos from Cohanzick Zoo patrons of someone who “jumped over a fence and approached the caged enclosure of the tiger reaching into the cage before quickly pulling her hand out when the animal reacted aggressively,” the statement said.

There is video of a similar scenario involving the same person on the same day involving the bear enclosure, police said.

A video shows a woman climbing over a wooden fence designed to keep visitors from the tigers before she goes right up the tall metal fence and places her hand through a gap, in an apparent attempt to pet the animal.

The tiger quickly moves its jaws toward her, forcing her to swiftly remove her hand and step away. She stops and poses, before she climbs back over the wooden enclosure.

Dennis is scheduled to appear in the city’s municipal court next month.

It was not immediately clear Monday afternoon if Dennis had retained an attorney. Attempts to reach her were not successful Monday afternoon.

The incident is reminiscent to one at the Bronx Zoo in New York in 2019, when a woman climbed into the lion enclosure and stood feet away from one of the lions.