Woman is charged with trespassing after being bitten by Tiger
A woman in Omaha was accused of trespassing after sneaking
into a local zoo and being bitten by a tiger on Halloween night. Jacqueline Edie,
33, is currently being treated for injuries on her left hand at the Creighton
University Medial Center. Edie, who showed signs of intoxication and acted
aggressively towards hospital staff, allegedly snuck into the Henry Doorly Zoo
& Aquarium Saturday night to pet an 18-year-old Malayan tiger named Mai.
Zoo officials say that upon reaching into the animal's cage,
the tiger bit Edie's hand and caused severe trauma. A friend then transported
Edie to the hospital.
Police say the incident may have occurred at 4 a.m and it's
is currently under investigation by the Omaha Police Department.
How Edie managed to enter the zoo is still under
investigation. Executive director Dennis Pate told Sky News additional cameras
are being installed at the zoo, which is currently staffed by 24-hour security
personnel and equipped with computerized locks for entry and exit points.
Zoo patron Ron Hegg told Omaha.com the tiger's actions were
understandable. "It's not like it got loose and attacked someone,"
Hegg said. "It was just protecting its territory."