MELBOURNE, Fla. — Early this afternoon, during a Rhino Encounter, a hands-on, educational experience with Brevard Zoo’s white rhinoceroses, a 1-year-old child fell into the rhinoceros yard and was injured.
The family was transported to a local hospital. The condition of the child is unknown at this time.
During the encounter, participants and the rhinoceroses are separated by a series of steel poles. According to witnesses, the child stumbled and fell in between two of the poles and at this point, the ‘snout of at least one of rhinoceroses made contact with the child,’ zoo officials said.
BCFR responded to the Brevard Zoo today for a child that fell into the Rhino exhibit. The child was trauma alerted to a pediatric hospital & mother was ground transported to an Orlando hospital for treatment. Further info being referred to zoo officials. #BCFR #BrevardsBravest
— BCFRpio (@BCFRpio) January 1, 2019
“Our number one concern is the safety and welfare of our guests and our hearts go out to the family” said Keith Winsten, the Zoo’s executive director. “Safety has always been of paramount importance to us and we are suspending these encounters until we have
thoroughly reviewed our processes and procedures to ensure this cannot happen again.”
