HERSHEY, Pa. — An 18-month-old child crawled under the exterior perimeter fence of a wolf enclosure at ZooAmerica at Hersheypark.

According to a Hershey Entertainment & Resorts spokesperson, the child crawled under the exterior fence and proceeded to crawl to the primary metal enclosure surrounding the wolf’s habitat.

The spokesperson also said that the child stuck their hand through the metal fence. A wolf inside the enclosure then made contact with the child that Hershey says, “is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression.”

Hershey says that the child received minor injuries from the incident.

In their statement to FOX43, Hershey says that the safety of its guests and animals is their top priority, and that habitats are designed to ensure safety.

“We are aware of an incident involving a young child at ZooAmerica the morning of Saturday, April 4, and are relieved that the child’s injuries were minor. 

Based on our review, an unsupervised 18-month old child was able to crawl under an exterior perimeter fence, travel to the primary metal enclosure surrounding the wolf habitat, and put his hand through that fence. A wolf approached and made contact with the child’s hand. This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression. The child was never inside the wolf’s enclosure. 

The safety of our guests and the wellbeing of our animals are always our highest priorities. Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing. Guests are expected to remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times.”