Woman Injured by Jaguar Apologizes, Says Zoo Should Move Barrier

A woman who was mauled by a jaguar at an Arizona zoo has spoken out, saying she learned her lesson.

The woman, who was identified as Leanne, said that she feels lucky to be alive after the big cat clawed her arm at the Wildland World Zoo on March 9.

Leanne said she saw the animal pressed up against the cage of its enclosure and saw an opportunity to “get some good pictures,” CBS News reported.

The woman then leaned over the a security barrier and posed in front of the animal, prompting it to swipe at her arm.

“The black jaguar was up against the fence and we happened to be walking by and we said ‘Hey, let’s get some good pictures,’” she told the news outlet.

“I was in the wrong for leaning over the barrier, but I do think that maybe the zoo should look into moving their fence back,” she added.

When she began crying out in pain, other people rushed to her aid.

One rescuer, Adam Wilkerson, said he distracted the jaguar by pushing a water bottle into its enclosure so the woman could be attended to. Wilkerson told AZCentral that the barrier is indeed fairly short.

“Any teenager or adult could reach in and touch the cage if they wanted to, (but) it doesn’t feel advised to do so,” Wilkerson said. “If someone were so inclined to touch the cage, they could if they wanted to.”

“I never expected this,” Leanne told CBS, adding that “we’re all human, we make mistakes and I learned my lesson.”

“Anybody can reach out. I’m not the first, and if they don’t move the fence, I’m probably not going to be the last,” she continued.

Last year, according to ABC15, a jaguar attacked a man at the same Arizona zoo.

Jeff Allan claimed he was injured by the same big cat last summer, saying he was reaching over a barrier to take a video when the jaguar clawed him.

“I never climbed over a barrier. I never stepped over a barrier I was behind the barrier and just reached my arm out,” he told ABC15 on March 11.

Allan said that like Leanne, he received stitches. He also hired a lawyer in the hopes that the zoo would add more protection between the visitors and animals.

The woman who was attacked by a jaguar at an Arizona zoo. Screenshot/CNN

The case never made it to court.

“I didn’t even want money. All my wife and I wanted was... I mean a kid could cross over this barrier if he wanted to. If my 3-year-old grandson wanted to cross over this barrier he could do it,” he said.

But Kristy Morcom, a Wildlife World Zoo, told the news outlet that the barriers meet federal guidelines.

“We are taking into consideration all aspects of safety pertaining to this exhibit as well as throughout the entire park because that is our biggest concern,” she said.

An American Jaguar strolls through its enclosure at Bratislava's Zoo on Nov. 13, 2014. Joe Klamar/AFP/Getty Images

Meanwhile, the jaguar that attacked the woman was taken out of the exhibit.

The zoo also said it will not be euthanized.

“When people do not respect the barriers, there’s always a chance that there might be a problem,” said zoo director Mickey Olson, CBS News reported.