Authorities have identified and charged a woman who was caught on video climbing into a tiger enclosure at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, New Jersey, in a viral incident that triggered widespread online outrage.
The woman, 24-year-old Zyair Dennis, is accused of entering both the tiger’s enclosure and a bear paddock within the zoo.
The footage, which circulated on social media, shows Dennis dangerously close to the tiger, narrowly avoiding a potentially fatal encounter.
Bridgeton Police quickly launched an investigation to identify the individual, as her actions violated a city ordinance against climbing over zoo fences—an act that also defied common sense.
The investigation revealed that this wasn’t Dennis’s first offense. In addition to her close encounter with the tiger, she had previously entered a bear enclosure at the same zoo. Consequently, she has been charged with trespassing and cited twice for general misconduct.
The incident has attracted significant attention, with many highlighting the dangers of such reckless behavior.
Despite being in captivity, the animals remain dangerous predators capable of causing serious harm.
Dennis’s actions could have had much graver consequences for both herself and the animals involved.
