Toddler injured after sticking hand into wolf habitat at ZooAmerica

Thao Nguyen, USA TODAYSun, April 5, 2026 at 11:37 PM UTC

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Toddler injured after sticking hand into wolf habitat at ZooAmerica

A child was injured after crawling under a fence and sticking his hand into a wolf enclosure at the ZooAmerica North American Wildlife Park in Pennsylvania, the zoo said.

The incident occurred on Saturday, April 4, a spokesperson for Hershey Entertainment and Resorts Company confirmed to USA TODAY. The unsupervised 18-month-old crawled under an exterior perimeter fence and headed to the primary metal enclosure of the wolf habitat, where the child put his hand through the fence, according to the spokesperson.

"A wolf approached and made contact with the child's hand," the zoo added. "This type of response is consistent with natural animal behavior, and was not a sign of aggression."

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Following a review by the zoo, the spokesperson said that at no point during the incident was the child inside the wolf's enclosure. No other details on the incident were provided, and ZooAmerica did not identify the child or their family, but described the child's injuries as minor.

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ZooAmerica said the safety of its visitors and the well-being of their animals are "always our highest priorities," but noted that visitors are expected to "remain within designated areas and closely supervise children at all times."

"Our habitats are designed with multiple layers of protection, and clear signage and barriers are in place to help ensure safe viewing," according to the statement.

ZooAmerica is located in Hershey, Pennsylvania, about 95 miles west of Philadelphia. The zoo is part of Hersheypark, an about 121-acre family amusement park that features over 70 rides and attractions, and a water park.

The zoo covers about 11 acres and is home to more than 200 animals native to North America, including three gray wolves, according to the zoo's website. The zoo is accredited by the Association of Zoos and Aquariums.

This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Child injured after sticking hand into wolf enclosure at ZooAmerica

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