The woman was treated for non-life-threatening injuries at the hospital.
A jaguar that attacked a woman who posed outside its zoo enclosure in Arizona will not be put down, zoo officials said.
The woman, who hasn’t been identified, was allegedly trying to take a selfie when she crossed a barrier intended to keep visitors back from the animal's enclosure at Wildlife World Zoo in Litchfield Park on Saturday. The jaguar took a swipe at her, clawing her arm.
“The visitor sustained non-life-threatening injuries to their arm from one of our female jaguars,” the zoo tweeted after the incident. “At the request of the family, paramedics were called.
"At no time was the animal out of its enclosure ... please understand why barriers are put in place. Sending prayers to the family tonight.”
The woman, who was in her 30s, later apologized for what she did, according to Kristy Morcum, a spokeswoman for the zoo, who said the woman "feels horrible about the bad publicity the zoo is getting regarding the incident."
A witness told CNN that his mom distracted the jaguar with a water bottle during the attack and the animal let go of the woman’s arm.
"When my mom put the water bottle through the gate, the jaguar let go of the girl. And we pulled the girl back and she collapsed,” Adam Wilkerson told the station.
The woman was transported to the hospital after the incident. She was treated and released.
Now, the zoo is assuring the public that nothing will happen to the jaguar after the attack.
“She won’t be put down,” the zoo tweeted in response to someone's inquiry about the animal.
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