Dublin Zoo is investigating an incident that apparently happened last Friday in which a man allowed a young boy in his care to climb into the rhino enclosure.
The shocking images emerged on social media over the weekend.
Just a child inside the rhino enclosure at @dublinzoo pic.twitter.com/xxsn8Dm5Ag
— Ciarán Ferrie has moved to Mastodon.ie (@ccferrie) July 30, 2016
One witness claims that the boy was in the enclosure “for a good 20 minutes”. Another onlooker told the Irish Mirror: “The child was with a male relative who was getting him to pose for photos and trying to make the child go further in.”
this man had the child in behind the fence for good 20 minutes ! pic.twitter.com/BzhhUW5Obr
— Adrianna Straszewska (@Adriannasss) July 31, 2016
A zoo spokesperson said: “The matter is being taken care of internally by Dublin Zoo. It’s completely against Dublin Zoo’s health and safety rules but it is being looked into at the moment.”
Absolute idiot – "he was safe the whole time" – could have instead been the kid trampled and rhino killed.
— Gary S (@GPSherms) July 31, 2016
The incident has drawn comparisons between to the recent case of Harambe the gorilla at Cincinnati Zoo, where the animal was shot dead after a young boy fell into its enclosure.
