Sunday Rerun: Off on a Jag

 We're always hearing about how intelligent people are if we just give them a chance to show it.

So, how about the little scene that took place in Wildlife World Zoo in Arizona, where a woman (unidentified and unintelligent) climbed over a barrier?

Now, had this been a barrier, that velvet rope thing at the movies, or the stretch canvas ribbon that forms near orderly lines at the bank so that we all have a chance to wait for 20 mins. while Honolulu O' Hoolihan searches her purse for her ID, or even the barrier that lets you hop on the subway, it would have been improper, or dumb, or several other things, but this one was the El Supremo of dumb barrier jumping.

Because the mystery woman jumped a barrier to take a selfie. With a jaguar.

Shawn Gilleland, a spokesman for the Rural Metro Fire Department, told The Washington Post that fire crews reported that a woman in her 30s climbed over a barrier at the zoo Saturday to get closer to the jaguar’s enclosure so that she could get a picture.   I guess posing with another living being makes the picture a dualie, but anyhow, the big cat reached out its paw, lacerating her arm, as jaguars will.

Her injuries are not life-threatening, although her foolishness may well turn out to be.

Wildlife World Zoo officials put out a statement saying the attack (more like a "predictable, justified response") is under investigation. They do point out that the animal was not outside her enclosure at any time. “Please understand why barriers are put in place,” officials tweeted, in the same way we might remind an adult not to stick their fork in an electric outlet. “Sending prayers to the family tonight.”

Adam Wilkerson went to the zoo on Saturday, never expecting a scene like this:

“My mom runs up and takes her water bottle and shoves it through the cage near where the jaguar is, and the jaguar goes to let go of the girl to take the water bottle, and the claw just catches this girl’s sweater. So at that point, I see that it’s no longer attached to the girl’s actual arm, only on her sweater, so I grab the girl on her torso, and I pull her back.”

Wilkerson said the woman was “lying on the ground, screaming in agony.”

Kitty (!) Block is the president of the Humane Society of the United States. She responded by urging zoos to “set a higher standard to protect people and to respect wildlife from a safe distance.”

Official police sketch of jaguar as described by the victim

“People get the mistaken idea that wild animals are approachable,” Ms Block said in a statement. “Throw in a healthy dose of poor judgement, and incidents like this are bound to happen.”

I'd have to remind her that when it comes to humans who want to do something for themselves, there is no "higher standard" available.  People would ford the Mississippi River if they thought they could get a photo of themselves with some crocodile on the bank across the way.

What's more, with about 37 cable channels showing us cute animal documentaries 24 hours a day, people are more and more charmed by critters that should scare the camera right back into their pocket. Just put some veterinarian in a jungle jacket, and put him or her on television, and there ya go.

But go carefully!