One of the biggest questions of our time, which is really inappropriate and its consequences are impossible to imagine, is: “What could be wrong if I put my hand around a big cat and scold the jaguar?” A Florida man took it upon himself to understand the puzzle and reportedly stuck his hand between the Jacksonville Zoo and Garden Jaguar enclosure in Florida on Aug. 3.
WJXT News4Jax reports, the big cat responded like the biggest cat when confronted by an uninvited stranger in his area and nailed his hand, leaving blood marks and the injured person behind, WJXT News4Jax reported. The Jacksonville Fire and Rescue Department responded to the incident by saying the man was in his 20s before he was taken to hospital for fatal injuries. According to local media, the incident took place after the man climbed over the security barrier at the range of the Jaguar exhibition, for more close contact with the Jaguar. Not yet close enough, the man proceeded to hold his hand with the second barrier, this time a fence and rebuked the cat.
“It’s a man who wasn’t using his head,” said Dan Maloney, deputy zoo director. “He stuck his hand with the net that separated the Jaguars from the outside.” The jaguar was identified as a 12-year-old male named Harry. According to the zoo, it was the same jaguar that was involved in the death of one of the zoo’s oldest female jaguars in February.
The zoo said it was the first time anyone had been injured since the Jaguar exhibition opened 11 years ago and would not take any action against Harry. Kelly Rouillard, the zoo’s marketing director, told the Florida Times-Union, “He was working as part of his normal behavior towards a wild animal.” “We expect this kind of behavior from wild animals and nothing will happen to it.”
The man himself claimed he threw his cellphone into the enclosure and wanted to recover it, but a video captured by zoo officials saw him draw attention to the animal and refer to the jaguar as “cool.” Jacksonville Zoo and Gardens don’t want to impose charges. There is a reason why people love to go to the zoo and see exotic animals. Even zoo people will tell you, never forget, even if they are born and raised in captivity, they are not domesticated animals.
