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A young child sustained minor injuries after crawling beneath a fence and reaching into a wolf’s enclosure at a Pennsylvania theme park zoo, as confirmed by zoo representatives on Sunday.
The toddler never entered the wolf habitat at ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park, which is linked to the Hersheypark theme park. Officials noted the injuries were slight but did not provide further details.
According to a statement from the zoo, the “unsupervised” child managed to reach the metal barrier surrounding the wolf area on Saturday morning and extended his hand inside, prompting a wolf to approach and make contact.
The zoo emphasized that this interaction reflected the wolf’s instinctual behavior and was not aggressive. “Our enclosures are crafted with multiple safety layers, and we have clear warnings and barriers to ensure visitors can safely observe the animals. We expect guests to stay within designated zones and closely monitor their children at all times,” the statement read.
Located within Hershey, Pennsylvania’s entertainment complex, the zoo is part of an attraction that includes a chocolate-themed amusement park. According to its website, ZooAmerica houses three gray wolves.
Hersheypark made headlines last summer when a lost boy wandering a monorail line above a crowd was rescued by a park visitor who climbed onto a building and jumped onto the rails. The child was unharmed and reunited with his family.