OHIO – A person was transported to local hospitals after falling 12-14 feet into the safety area around the cheetah exhibit at the Columbus Zoo
According to the Zoo, at approximately 12:10 p.m. today, an adult male guest at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium fell from the top of a 42-inch protective handrail he climbed near the Heart of Africa’s Watering Hole and landed behind a safety barrier.
The zoo said that there was a cheetah in the exhibit at the time of the fall but, the person fell behind the safety fence and was separated and did not have any contact with animals.
Initially, during the noon Cheetah Run introduction, a member of the Wild Encounters team noticed a teenage guest in a nearby tree located behind a protective barrier in the center area of the boardwalk, and the team member made a safety announcement for the teenage guest to get out of the tree.
Following that, several guests and staff in the area witnessed the adult guest climb to the top of the 42-inch-high handrail and fall approximately 12-15 feet. The guest was conscious when safety teams arrived to help him. Again, the location where the guest fell was not in a space shared with animals.
Adrienne, a female 3.5-years-old cheetah, was with her trainer in the Watering Hole when the incident occurred. Adrienne took notice of the guest, who was calling for help. However Adrienne, who shares a strong bond with her care team, stayed with her trainer and was immediately secured behind the scenes. This allowed Zoo staff and responding EMS teams access to assist the guest.
It is unknown of the person or persons will face charges in this event.
