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By Janelle Griffith
A woman was attacked by a jaguar as she allegedly tried to take a selfie outside the big cat’s enclosure at Wildlife World Zoo, Aquarium and Safari Park in Arizona, authorities said.
Rural Metro Fire Department crews said the woman, who was not publicly identified and is in her 30s, was attempting to take a selfie near the fence of the jaguar enclosure when the cat reached out and attacked her arm.
The woman was taken to a hospital for treatment of injuries that are not life threatening, Shawn Gilleland, a spokesman for the department told NBC News on Sunday.
The woman returned to the zoo this morning to apologize, describing her actions as “foolish,” the zoo’s owner told NBC News.
Witnesses told officials at the zoo in Litchfield Park, not far from Phoenix, that the woman crossed over the barrier to get a photo, according to a statement from the zoo.
At no time was the animal out of its enclosure, the statement said, adding that the incident is being investigated.
“We can promise you nothing will happen to our jaguar,” the zoo said on Twitter. “She’s a wild animal and there were proper barriers in place to keep our guests safe.”
The zoo also said it is not a wild animal’s fault when barriers are crossed and that it was “sending prayers” to the woman and her family.