A shirtless man, who claimed to be the fictional character Tarzan, was arrested on Tuesday morning for trying to get a little too close to the animals at a Southern California zoo, KTLA reported.
John William Rodenborn, 37, allegedly waded through the mud of one exhibit at the Santa Ana Zoo, then attempted to break into another, this one filled with birds. When that didn't work, the half-dressed man climbed several trees and tried to swing into the monkey exhibit, Cpl. Anthony Bertagna of the Santa Ana Police Department told KTLA.
Zoo director Kent Yamaguchi called 911 to explain the bizarre scene, NBC Los Angeles reported.
“He’s shouting at people that he’s Tarzan,” Yamaguchi reportedly told the emergency operator.
Tarzan is a fictional character created in the early 20th century by author Edgar Rice Burroughs. A feral child, Tarzan was raised in the African jungles by great apes after his parents died. The "noble savage" was the focus of more than two dozen books and countless movies, TV shows and comics.
When officers arrived on the scene, a short chase ensued before Rodenborn was apprehended. Police said he was in possession of methamphetamine, ABC 7 reported, and likely under the influence of the drug.
Rodenborn now faces misdemeanor counts of trespassing, being under the influence of meth and possession of the drug.
According to The Orange Country Register, Rodenborn has a criminal history that includes burglary and drug charges.
None of the zoo's animals were disturbed during the incident.
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