Dublin Zoo is investigating an incident that apparently happened last Friday in which a man allowed a young boy in his care to climb into the rhino enclosure.
The shocking images emerged on social media over the weekend.
Just a child inside the rhino enclosure at @dublinzoo pic.twitter.com/xxsn8Dm5Ag
— Ciarán Ferrie (@ccferrie) July 30, 2016
One witness claims that the boy was in the enclosure “for a good 20 minutes”. Another onlooker told the Irish Mirror: “The child was with a male relative who was getting him to pose for photos and trying to make the child go further in.”
@ccferrie @DublinZoo this man had the child in behind the fence for good 20 minutes ! pic.twitter.com/BzhhUW5Obr
— Adrianna Straszewska (@Adriannasss) July 31, 2016
A zoo spokesperson said: “The matter is being taken care of internally by Dublin Zoo. It’s completely against Dublin Zoo’s health and safety rules but it is being looked into at the moment.”
@Adriannasss @ccferrie @DublinZoo Absolute idiot – "he was safe the whole time" – could have instead been the kid trampled and rhino killed.
— GazS (@gips82) July 31, 2016
The incident has drawn comparisons between to the recent case of Harambe the gorilla at Cincinnati Zoo, where the animal was shot dead after a young boy fell into its enclosure.