Man Sneaks Into Zoo Enclosure, Smacks Hippo On Rear End
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LOS ANGELES (CBSMiami) - A man in California got up close and personal with a couple of hippos at the Los Angeles Zoo.
For some reason, he felt the need to enter their enclosure and smack one of them on the rear end.
Which is exactly what he did, not realized the bizarre incident was captured on camera.
Video posted on Instagram shows the man cross into the enclosure and cautiously approach the two hippos. When he gets close enough, he slaps one on the rear, takes a moment to celebrate, and then runs off.
The zoo said the hippos are Rosie and Mara. In the video, the hippo that was slapped doesn't show much of a reaction but the other hippo seems a bit startled and looks up when the man is in the enclosure.
While it's not clear in the man knew he was being recorded, he was clearly showing off.
While hippos at the zoo do have human interaction, zoo officials said this kind of treatment can create an unpredictable situation. They released a statement which read in part:
"It is never acceptable for a guest to enter the habitat of any animal at the zoo. It is a privilege to observe these rare and endangered species, but they are still wild animals and their space must be respected at all times."
Zoo officials are looking at potential trespassing charges against the unidentified man.