A man was removed from the Bronx Zoo after allegedly trying to breach the Himalayn Highlands exhibit, where the snow leopards and red pandas are kept, according to a NY Post report.
According to the Post, "The feline fanatic was prowling around the snow-leopard and red-panda enclosures when he made a wild leap for the exotic cats a little after 7:30 p.m. Friday, law-enforcement sources told The Post." He was apparently able to go past a first barrier, but was stopped by zookeepers and a police officer before reaching the protective netting.
The man was not arrested, but his "season pass" (likely a zoo membership) was revoked, per the Post's sources.
The Wildlife Conservation Society, which has not commented on the incident and manages the Bronx Zoo, Central Park Zoo, Queens Zoo, Prospect Park Zoo and New York Aquarium, actively works to conserve the snow leopard population. Three snow leopards have been born in the Bronx Zoo since 2013.
Nearly four years ago, a man jumped from the Bronx Zoo's monorail into the tiger enclosure, where he was mauled. He allegedly wanted to "be one" with the tigers. After a young boy crawled into the Cincinnati Zoo's gorilla enclosure, prompting zookeepers to kill a silverback gorilla, zoo designers are wondering if their designs are enough.
