"She's very lucky that she didn't lose a hand or worse," John Medica, the director of recreation for the city of Bridgeton, says.
Authorities are searching for a woman who climbed a fence at a zoo so she could pet a tiger in its enclosure.
After scaling a wooden fence, the woman went face-to-face with a Bengal tiger through a wired cage.
The tiger suddenly lunged forward and nearly bit the woman's hand before she pulled it away. The woman then left the enclosure by jumping the fence as the tiger paced back and forth.
The incident occurred at the Cohanzick Zoo in Bridgeton, New Jersey, and police are now looking to speak to the woman, who police say they believe tried to entice the tiger.
"We are asking if anyone recognizes the female in the video/photo," police said in a statement.
Beyond speculation, it is not yet known why the woman entered the tiger enclosure. A sign has been posted outside of it clearly warning visitors to keep their distance and never jump the fence to get closer to the animals.
John Medica, the director of recreation for the city of Bridgeton, spoke with Inside Edition.
"Very close call for the young lady that decided to try to hop over and interact with the animals. She's very lucky that she didn't lose a hand or worse," Medica says.
