Video shows woman almost bitten by tiger at New Jersey zoo after she puts hand in enclosure

A woman was almost bitten by a tiger at a New Jersey zoo after she climbed over a barrier of the tiger enclosure and put her hand through a metal fence in what appeared to be an attempt to pet the wild animal.

Bridgeton Police Department said Wednesday it was seeking to identify a woman, who "climbed over the wooden fence" of the tiger enclosure at Cohanzick Zoo and "enticed the tiger at the interior fence almost getting injured." The police did not specify when the incident took place.

The police had earlier also shared a video of the purported incident in a post that has since then been deleted. They did not specify why the post, nor the video, was taken down and have not responded to USA TODAY's request for a comment.

Watch: Video shows woman climbing into the tiger enclosure

Video footage obtained by USA TODAY shows a woman in between a wooden barrier and a tall metal fence at the Cohanzick Zoo tiger enclosure. She then put her hand through a small gap, in what seemed to be an attempt to pet the animal.

The woman's actions irked animal who leapt towards the fence, prompting the woman to quickly remove her hand and jump back. The woman then proceeds to pose in front of the tiger, before climbing back over the wooden fence.

Police seeking public assistance in identifying woman

The woman was not identified, and Bridgeton Police Department said officers are looking for her. The department did not immediately respond to USA TODAY's request for an update on investigation.

Authorities have requested anyone with information on the incident to contact Ptlm. Cusano at 856-451-0033 ext. 0 or visit BPD.TIPS to submit tips anonymously.

"Reminder to the public when visiting the zoo that it is against City Ordinance to climb over any fence," police said.

Located about 50 miles from Atlantic City, Cohanzick Zoo, established in 1934 is New Jersey's oldest zoo, according to the zoo website, and offers free admission to visitors.

Cohanzick Zoo houses two Bengal tigers - Rishi and Mahesha - who were born at a zoo in North Carolina in September 2016 and were part of a litter of five, according to the zoo website. They arrived in Bridgeton in January 2017.

Saman Shafiq is a trending news reporter for USA TODAY. Reach her at [email protected] and follow her on X and Instagram @saman_shafiq7.