Harrassing zoo animals may be criminal

ALBUQUERQUE, NM {KRQE} - Messing with a zoo animal is just plain stupid. Soon it may become its own crime.

State Representative Al Park wants to make sure people who get too close to the exotic creatures face jail time for it.

He has introduced a bill that is a direct result of last summer's zoo break-in by a group of college students. The group hopped a fence at the Rio Grande Zoo late at night, and then posted pictures of their midnight safari on Facebook.

They got into the giraffe, sea lion and rhino exhibits.

The Facebook pictures caused an outrage, and prompted zoo director Rick Janser to make it very clear how dangerous the stunt was.

Here is what he said in June: “A giraffe can kick the head off a lion, so they are very lucky that they weren't injured by these animals.” Janser went on to say, “We've got a 500 lb male sea lion in there who is very territorial.”

Now Park wants to make something clear: If you mess with a zoo animal you could go to jail.

Janser strongly supports the idea.

“This bill just adds another layer. Even though it's just a petty misdemeanor, it's still something we can use in court,” he said Friday.

The charge would carry up to 6 months in jail and a fine of up to $500.

The college students who broke into the zoo pled guilty to trespassing, and were sentenced to 100 hours of community service to be done at the zoo.