Woman Climbed Into Bronx Zoo Exhibit To Taunt Lion

Zoo officials are now pursuing a criminal trespass charge against the unidentified woman.
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You’ve heard of swimming with the sharks, but what about dancing with the lions?

That’s what one woman did Saturday at New York City’s Bronx Zoo when she climbed over the safety rail at the African lion exhibit.

The unidentified woman was filmed standing in the exhibit near a lion with only a moat with a 14-foot drop separating them, according to CBS New York.

The woman appears to dance for the lion, who doesn’t appear to be impressed, based on this Instagram video of the incident.

Hernán Reynoso, who filmed the video above, told WNBC TV that at first he thought the woman and her dancing were all part of the exhibit.

That quickly changed.

“But when I see ... she just was there, dancing, saying, ‘Hi,’ to the lion and everything and that was crazy,” Reynoso said.

Reynoso also said when he saw the lion start to get agitated and roar at the woman, he decided to grab his family and leave the scene.

Bronx Zoo officials told WABC TV that there were no injuries from the encounter, but that it has a “zero-tolerance policy” for antics of this sort.

“This action was a serious violation and unlawful trespass that could have resulted in serious injury or death. Barriers and rules are in place to keep both visitors, staff, and animals safe,” the zoo said in a statement.

The woman has not been identified, but the zoo is currently filing a criminal trespass report against her, the station said.

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