Man Critically Injured by Tiger at Bronx Zoo

A man who was in his mid-20s jumped from a monorail at the Bronx Zoo on Friday afternoon and landed in the tiger habitat, where he was attacked by a tiger, zoo officials said.

"It sounds like he had some severe deep cuts to his back and a severe injury to a leg," said Frank Dwyer, a spokesman for the Fire Department. The man was taken to Jacobi Medical Center where the police said he was in critical condition. The attack happened around 3:25 p.m.

"Our emergency response staff immediately went to the site and used a CO2 fire extinguisher to move the tiger away from the person,'' according to Jim Breheny, the director of the Bronx Zoo. "Once the tiger backed off, the man was instructed to roll under a hot wire to safety. The keepers were able to call the tiger into its off exhibit holding area and safely secured the animal. The man, about 25 years of age, conscious and talking, was taken to the hospital by ambulance.''

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