Zoo pleads guilty to safety breach over tapir attack

Dublin Zoo has pleaded guilty to breaching health and safety regulations after a two-year-old girl was mauled by a "chilled-out" Brazilian tapir which suddenly went on the attack.

The toddler was set on by the 225kg exotic animal named Rio during a supervised “close encounter” experience in the tapir enclosure on August 8 last year.

The Zoological Society of Ireland, which was prosecuted by the Health and Safety Authority, admitted a breakdown in communication was to blame for a 2006 risk assessment not being heeded. It had stated that the public should only be allowed to get close to harmless animals such as stick insects, rabbits, or frogs.

The girl suffered stomach and arm injuries and had to receive treatment from surgeons at Temple Street Children’s Hospital, while her mother also required medical attention.

Dublin District Court heard yesterday that the normally mild-mannered female tapir Rio had been placid but reacted aggressively when the child “let out a screech”.

Judge John O’Neill heard that there had never been any incident like this in the zoo’s 180-year history and it was humiliated, apologetic, and embarrassed, and has implemented new safety measures.

It pleaded guilty yesterday to a single count contrary to Section 19.4 of the 2005 Safety, Health and Welfare at Work Act for failing to implement a risk assessment.

Defence counsel Shay Fleming described the chances of the incident occurring as “one in a million”.

HSA inspector Mairead Wall told Antonia Boyle, prosecuting, that zoo-keeper Susan O’Brien had done a favour for a friend by letting a family with four young children have a close encounter with an animal.

Rio was described by the zoo-keeper to Ms Wall as “chilled-out, lazy” and, during the close encounter, the animal, which had given birth to a calf a month earlier, had been docile.

Ms Wall agreed that, during the five-minute visit, the animal had been lying on its side with its eyes rolled back in contentment as it was petted. However, she added: “The child let out a screech and at that the animal was on its feet.”

Ms Wall agreed with Mr Fleming that the visits no longer happen and that safety measures, including a higher fence, in relation to the tapir enclosure have been implemented.

The zoo has already paid prosecution costs of €2,953. Judge O’Neill ruled that if it donated €2,500 to the Jack and Jill Foundation and the same amount to Laura Lynn Children’s Hospice, he would apply the Probation Offenders Act, sparing the zoo a fine and a criminal record. The case was adjourned for eight weeks.