Man Climbs Onto Barrier Above Big Cat Enclosure at St. Louis Zoo

A man was taken into custody Saturday after climbing over a fence and onto a barrier above the big cat habitat at the Saint Louis Zoo in St. Louis, Missouri.

Video captured the man sitting on the edge of the barrier above the zoo's Big Cat Country habitat, with his legs dangling over the side.

Visitors who saw the video were shocked by how close the man appeared to be to the animals.

“Those cats, they can become very territorial, very aggressive pretty quickly, too,” St. Louis resident Isabella Miljkovic said.

Zoo officials say the man climbed over a fence and onto a barrier wall above the big cat habitat. He reportedly remained there for several minutes but did not come into contact with any of the animals.

Zoo security officers quickly intervened and took the man into custody. Officials say he was unharmed.

Other St. Louis residents who watched the video questioned why anyone would attempt to reach the area.

“It’s a little disturbing that he could actually get to that location,” resident Ada Dugan said.

The Saint Louis Zoo said in a statement that officials are investigating the incident to determine what modifications might be needed to prevent similar situations in the future.

The incident ended without injuries to the man, zoo staff or animals.

Visitors say the situation serves as a reminder to stay out of restricted areas and avoid attempting to get close to zoo animals.

“Don’t mess with the animals in general,” resident Linda Zazove said.