Toddler Lightly Injured by Wolf at Pennsylvania Zoo

The child crawled under a fence and reached into the wolf's enclosure at ZooAmerica.

Apr. 6, 2026 at 2:20am

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A toddler was lightly injured after reaching into a wolf's enclosure at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park in Hershey, Pennsylvania. The child crawled under a fence and put his hand through the metal enclosure, prompting the wolf to make contact with the child's hand. The zoo said the response was consistent with natural animal behavior and not a sign of aggression.

Why it matters

This incident highlights the importance of proper supervision and safety protocols at zoos, where wild animals can pose a risk to unsupervised visitors, especially young children. It also raises questions about the design and security of zoo enclosures to prevent such breaches.

The details

According to officials, the toddler was never inside the wolf habitat at ZooAmerica, which is part of the Hersheypark theme park. The child reached the metal enclosure around the wolf's habitat on Saturday morning and put his hand through, prompting the wolf to make contact with the child's hand. The zoo characterized the injuries as minor without providing further details.

  • The incident occurred on Saturday morning.

The players

ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park

A zoo that is part of the Hersheypark theme park in Hershey, Pennsylvania, featuring a variety of North American wildlife, including three gray wolves.

Hersheypark

A chocolate-themed amusement park in Hershey, Pennsylvania, which includes the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park.

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What’s next

The zoo is likely to review its safety protocols and enclosure designs to prevent similar incidents in the future.

The takeaway

This incident serves as a reminder for parents and guardians to closely supervise children at all times, especially in areas with wild animals, and for zoos to prioritize visitor safety through robust safety measures and enclosure designs.