Woman arrested for climbing near tiger exhibit at New Jersey zoo

A woman has been arrested and accused of illegally climbing over a fence and reaching her hand into a tiger enclosure at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, New Jersey, this month.

Zyair Dennis, 24, of Millville, New Jersey, is alleged to have climbed over a wooden fence at the zoo on Aug. 18 to enter a restricted area near the tiger and bear enclosures, the Bridgeton Police Department said in a release Monday.

Ms. Dennis, who was arrested Friday, has been charged with one count of defiant trespassing. Climbing over the fences at the municipally operated zoo violates Bridgeton city ordinances, and Ms. Dennis was issued two citations on those grounds, according to NJ Advance Media.

Videos purportedly showed Ms. Dennis reaching her hand into the cage and withdrawing it when one of the two tigers kept at the zoo reacted. There was also video of Ms. Dennis reaching into the Asiatic black bear exhibit the same day, Bridgeton police said.

“The Cohanzick Zoo is evaluating measures related to the safety of our animals and visitors,” zoo officials said Monday, according to NJ Advance Media.