Berlin Zoo Woman jumps into polar bear enclosure Berlin Zoo

Z

zooman

Well-Known Member
15+ year member
A 32 yo german woman. Has jumped into the polar bear enclosure! Yeasterday.

She lands in the water! Two polar bears then attack her! As she tries to escape by climbing up ropes thrown to her!

She does get out.

Amazing film footage!
 
I think there's already a thread on this and, not surprisingly there's already a video on youtube. Strangely 3 of the 4 bears are just sat there in the water whilst everything goes on around them. I thought they'd all have gone for the easy meal lol.
 
ashley-h said:
I think there's already a thread on this .
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I could not find it Ashley. I did look. Maybe you could point it out.

Thanks snowleopard, for the link.
 
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Thanks Ashley, will leave this thread. As l think its deserves to be listed here and not under "small news at Berlin zoo".
 
The news said she wanted to play with Knut who was in the enclosure.
Watching the video I couldn't help but burst out laughing to see a large (putting it nicely) woman being pulled out of the enclosure by two or three men and being bitten on the arse by a polar bear. LOLOLOLOLOL
 
Blackduiker

Back in the '70s, we had a drug-crazed guy at the Los Angeles Zoo climb over the back wall of the Lion enclosure and jump in. Needless to say, they were picking up body parts in the exhibit for the next few days. At least what was left of him! You can't fault the animals for attacking when their space is invaded.
 
Blackduiker said:
Back in the '70s, we had a drug-crazed guy at the Los Angeles Zoo climb over the back wall of the Lion enclosure and jump in. Needless to say, they were picking up body parts in the exhibit for the next few days. At least what was left of him! You can't fault the animals for attacking when their space is invaded.
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Both London and Whipsnade in the UK have had invaders in the Lion enclosures.

I believe at London a man jumped into the enclosure with a Bible to protect him. He was attacked, but was rescued.

At Whipsnade, a man used to boast that he knew the lions well, so someone challenged him on it and threw his hat into the enclosure for the person to fetch. Person climbed in and was killed after banging his head onto the ground.
 
In the video its interesting to see the Bears' behaviour too while she is being rescued.. All three(?) are clearly very interested with their little ears pricked forward as if to say 'what's this, new enrichment?' But only one is still up front making any actual contact with the unfortunate lady- who by then is presumably seriously regretting her action. Maybe that is the dominant animal and the others give way to it?
 
Pertinax said:
In the video its interesting to see the Bears' behaviour too while she is being rescued.. All three(?) are clearly very interested with their little ears pricked forward as if to say 'what's this, new enrichment?' But only one is still up front making any actual contact with the unfortunate lady- who by then is presumably seriously regretting her action. Maybe that is the dominant animal and the others give way to it?
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Much like the Gorilla incident at Jersey.

Jambo, being the dominant male, was the only one of the troop to go towards the child and the rets of the troop stood back (apart from the adolescent male when the rest of the troop had been shut inside)
 
CZJimmy said:
Both London and Whipsnade in the UK have had invaders in the Lion enclosures.

I believe at London a man jumped into the enclosure with a Bible to protect him. He was attacked, but was rescued.

At Whipsnade, a man used to boast that he knew the lions well, so someone challenged him on it and threw his hat into the enclosure for the person to fetch. Person climbed in and was killed after banging his head onto the ground.
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Two deaths at Whipsnade, both to Lions. The man you mentioned was a driver for the catering department. The hat had been blown in their accidently, the driver boasted he knew the lions and knowing that they had just been fed was challenged to retrieve it. He got mauled severely, this was in 1934. In June 1956 a cub scout was killed as he and a friend climbed the safety barrier and were poking a sleeping lion(ess?) through the bars with sticks . The animal grabbed the child through the bars and many visitors tried to pull him away from the animal which may have aggrivated his injuries. He died a few days later from his injuries
 
zebedee101 said:
In June 1956 a cub scout was killed as he and a friend climbed the safety barrier and were poking a sleeping lion(ess?) through the bars with sticks. He died a few days later from his injuries
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I clearly remember reading, or being told about that incident.
 
CZJimmy said:
Jambo, being the dominant male, was the only one of the troop to go towards the child and the rets of the troop stood back (apart from the adolescent male when the rest of the troop had been shut inside)
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In the uncut version of the video it begins with a quick shot of Jambo, walking upright as he actually carries a juvenile AWAY from the area where the boy has fallen, and then puts him down. I find that amazing. Then he approaches the boy and it looks as if he positions himself to block the female & youngster from getting nearer, presumably for their own safety.

The young male 'Hobbit' was either let out by mistake or they had to let him out so as he wasn't next to Jambo indoors- I never found out which. Clearly he was aggressive though and was getting nearer to the boy on each run across the enclosure. In that situation the keeper with the stick was a pretty brave guy.
 
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I actually blame Berlin zoo for that (I know what I'm starting here) I don't if she jumped or not she could fall over that 2-3feet barrier while looking down easily as well. I especially don't get those comments "I wish the bear would kill/eat/hurt her more and she would remeber or anything", that's plain stupid and tells a lot about such a person.

And of course if how Knut was treated made public feel that polar bears are just cuddly cute funny looking creatures not dangerous at all, it's Berlin again to be blamed.
 
Pertinax said:
In the uncut version of the video it begins with a quick shot of Jambo, walking upright as he actually carries a juvenile AWAY from the area where the boy has fallen, and then puts him down. I find that amazing. Then he approaches the boy and it looks as if he positions himself to block the female & youngster from getting nearer, presumably for their own safety.

The young male 'Hobbit' was either let out by mistake or they had to let him out so as he wasn't next to Jambo indoors- I never found out which. Clearly he was aggressive though and was getting nearer to the boy on each run across the enclosure. In that situation the keeper with the stick was a pretty brave guy.
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When Levan Merritt fell he was unconscious at first. The juvenile Jambo took away was probably Rafiki. Jambo came back and touched the boy. When the boy started to regain consciousness he started to cry. At that point Jambo headed back away. It could have been Levan's parents calling to Levan to stay still and be quiet, or it could have been Jambo knowing that a crying infant will be defended by a very protective mother.

A few years previously when I was visiting Jersey the then hypothetical topic of someone falling into the gorilla enclosure was brought up in conversation with two JWPT keepers, Ged Caddick and Richard Bowen. They said they thought the females, Nandi and N'Pongo would not be a problem, nor would Bamenda or Zaire, as all had had human contact previously. Tatu had the same contact but, being a boisterous male, would probably run in and bite them on the leg as a boost to his bravado. Jambo would probably not take kindly to someone invading his territory, but based on his attitude and behaviour Ged and Richard thought it would be interesting to see what he would do if that situation ever did arise.

Four years later I was thinking "Wow! We actually discussed this scenario!!!"

:p

Hix
 
docend24 said:
I actually blame Berlin zoo for that (I know what I'm starting here) I don't if she jumped or not she could fall over that 2-3feet barrier while looking down easily as well. I especially don't get those comments "I wish the bear would kill/eat/hurt her more and she would remeber or anything", that's plain stupid and tells a lot about such a person.

And of course if how Knut was treated made public feel that polar bears are just cuddly cute funny looking creatures not dangerous at all, it's Berlin again to be blamed.
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Some of the reports i've read have said that woman climbed over a stand-off barrier, a hedge and then the wall. This means it would be near impossible for someone to fall in, unless they made a dedicated effort to get into the enclosure.

Woman survives polar bear mauling at Berlin Zoo - Telegraph
She had to climb over a fence, a line of prickly hedges and a wall to get in.
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I don't think Berlin can be blamed for someone's sheer stupidity/insanity
 
Bit of a stupid question, but they arn't going to destroy the bear for biting that woman, are they :confused:

It's the kind of thing they'd do in these Health & Safety crazed days, but you can't really blame the bear.
 
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