Woman is filmed taunting a tiger after climbing over zoo fence
Police in Bridgeton, New Jersey, are searching for a woman who climbed over the fence of a tiger enclosure at the Cohanzick Zoo and dangerously lured the tiger.
Authorities filed charges last week after videos of a woman taunting a tiger at a Bridgeton zoo circulated online.
Zyair J. Dennis, 24, of Millville, faces a misdemeanor charge of trespassing in connection with the Aug. 18 incident at the city’s Cohanzick Zoo.
She is also accused of violating two city ordinances, police said.
A widely circulated video shows a woman purporting to be Dennis taunting one of the zoo’s Bengal tigers in a fenced enclosure and attempting to “lure” him through a second chain-link fence.
Similar footage from that day shows the same behavior in the zoo’s bear enclosure, allegedly by the same person, said Bridgeton Police Chief Michael Gaimari.
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Bridgeton Police asked the public for help in locating the person on the tape and charges were filed on August 23.
A police statement said “immediate response” to video and photographic footage of the incident led to the identification of Dennis.
Dennis is scheduled to appear in Bridgeton Municipal Court at a date to be determined.
The charges against Dennis are merely allegations. She was not convicted in this case.
Kaitlyn McCormick writes for the Courier-Post, The Daily Journal and Burlington County Times, covering current affairs and local news from across South Jersey. If you have a story you want her to cover, email her at [email protected]. And subscribe to stay on top of the news you need.
