Physical Wellness
Nebraska Woman Sneaks into Omaha Zoo to Pet a Tiger, Gets Bitten
A woman from Nebraska reportedly broke into an Omaha zoo and tried to pet a tiger.
After sneaking into Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium during closing hours, the woman, Jacqueline Eide, 33, went to pet a caged tiger and was bitten on the left hand. Her friend, who had accompanied her to the zoo, took her to Creighton University Medical Center where she was admitted, the police said in their statement. The hospital has not commented on her condition.
Zoo officials believed that the tiger who bit Eide was 18-year-old Mai, a three-legged tiger from the wilderness of Pahang province, Malaysia. Her bite reportedly left severe trauma on Eide's hand.
Eide was cited for criminal trespassing. The police's statement added that Eide appeared to be intoxicated.
"Eide was aggressive toward staff and showed signs of intoxication of alcohol and/or drugs," the statement said.
Zoo executive director and CEO, Dennis Pate, said in a statement via the zoo's Facebook page, "The safety and security of our guests and animals are always a priority at Omaha's Henry Doorly Zoo and Aquarium... We will continue to keep security a top priority for Zoo guests and animals."
In the comments section of the post, many people were expressing their concerns about the fate of Mai. Oftentimes, animals will be put down if they are believed to be dangerous to humans. However, in this situation, the commenters noted that Mai was not at fault and should not be punished.
The zoo eased people's concern by replying that nothing will be done to Mai.
"Thank you everyone for your concerns about Mai, our Malayan tiger. Mai will remain on display as normal and go about life as usual. No action will be taken against her," the zoo wrote.
The incident is being investigated. The police did not say whether or not she will be charged.
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