The vibrant atmosphere at Berlin Zoo took a sudden turn when cries of panic erupted, accompanied by a loud splash as a figure plunged into the moat surrounding the polar bear enclosure.
To the astonishment of onlookers, a 32-year-old woman found herself in the exhibit, swimming directly toward the polar bears.
It was a Friday in Spring 2009, just days before Easter, and both locals and tourists had gathered at the zoo. The excitement in the air was palpable as everyone anticipated a glimpse of the zoo’s star attraction: a family of four polar bears.
It was feeding time, and as usual, the bears attracted large crowds of eager spectators hoping to catch a glimpse of the Arctic creatures.
However, the danger posed by these predators meant that even zookeepers refrained from entering the enclosure during this time.
What was supposed to be a fun day at the zoo quickly turned into a nightmare when a woman scaled the three-foot perimeter wall and leaped into the frigid water below.
Incredible photographs captured the bear as it pounced on the woman, biting the back of her neck, with the pain of the predator’s bite visible on her contorted face
As the woman struggled to escape her dire situation, one of the bears yanked her back into the water.
What began as a fun day at the zoo for visitors quickly turned into a nightmare when a woman scaled the three-foot perimeter wall and jumped into the icy water below, swimming directly toward the bears.
Visitors were left horrified as they watched the woman swim toward the polar bears, who were perched on a rocky island at the center of the enclosure.
For her reckless decision, the woman would pay a steep price.
Visitors were left in shock as they witnessed a woman swimming toward the polar bears, which were resting on a rocky island in the middle of the enclosure.
Her reckless choice would come at a high cost.
While most of the bears were too focused on their meal, one bear noticed the visitor in the enclosure and approached her, lunging in her direction.
Stunning photographs captured the moment the bear pounced, sinking its teeth into the back of the woman’s neck, pain evident on her twisted face.
Witnesses, including families with young children, were horrified by the scene unfolding before them, many fearing they were about to witness a fatal mauling.
Fortunately, before a tragedy could unfold, the woman began a desperate dash to escape the enclosure.
At a steep wall separating the bears from the viewing area, she was met by zookeepers who urgently tossed life rings her way, while others threw meat and prodded the bears to distract them.
The zookeepers’ heroic efforts and the woman’s frantic attempts to escape were captured on video.
To the shock of onlookers a 32-year-old woman was now inside the exhibit and swimming towards the polar bears
Footage shows the 32-year-old repeatedly attempting to escape from her predicament as she attempted to clamour up the wall by any means necessary
Footage shows the 32-year-old repeatedly attempting to escape from her predicament as she attempted to clamour up the wall by any means necessary
Footage shows the 32-year-old desperately trying to escape her dire situation, scrambling up the wall by any means necessary.
The terror of her predicament seems relentless as she repeatedly slips back into the water while three of the four bears encircle her.
She comes agonizingly close to being pulled to safety in a life ring, only to plunge back into the water once again.
On several occasions, she is pulled back down by one of the bears, which dives beneath the water and grabs her by the backside in an attempt to drag her away.
Eventually, the woman is pulled to safety using a life ring while zookeepers distract the animals by tossing food at them.
Once she is safely out of the water, calm returns to the enclosure, with the polar bears now surrounded by the remnants of the chaotic incident.
The unnamed woman was rushed to a nearby hospital with injuries to her arms, hips, back, and legs, but according to zookeepers, she was fortunate to escape with her life.
The unnamed woman was rushed to a nearby hospital with wounds to her arms, hips, back and legs but according to zookeepers she was lucky to escape with her life
Zoo biologist Heiner Klos informed German press at the time that the incident could have ended “even more terribly.”
He added, “Our alarm system worked. Otherwise, things would have gone badly for the bear.”
The polar bears were not held accountable for the attack. A police spokesperson told Der Spiegel in 2009, “The woman jumped in there carelessly and should logically expect that adult polar bears act this way.”
This was not the first time a visitor had jumped into the enclosure. In 2008, a 37-year-old man climbed into the area holding the baby polar bear Knut, who had become a global sensation as the first polar bear to be born and survive infancy at the zoo in over 30 years.
The man entered the paddock because he believed Knut was “lonely.” However, zookeepers quickly noticed the intruder and lured Knut into a secure area with a piece of meat, allowing the man to escape unharmed.
Despite these intrusions, Berlin Zoo has resisted calls to increase the height of the concrete wall surrounding the exhibit. Instead, the zoo maintains that those who want to jump in “will always find a way.”
