Kid Gets Bitten in CT— Why Can't We Stay Out of Zoo Enclosures?

According to the News Times, a toddler-aged child was bitten on the finger by a red-rumped agouti. I guess that is kind of like a guinea pig. This happened at the Beardsley Zoo, according to the report. The kid apparently got his or her finger into a small opening in the enclosure. Looks like the kid will be alright, and the zoo is looking into how to have no openings for fingers to get in.

No big deal and everyone moves on with their lives. It does, however, make me ask, why? Why do humans of all shapes, sizes, and ages feel the need to get into zoo enclosures? The gates, walls, cages are all there for a reason.

Is it about the animals or just obstacles in general? I'm betting on obstacles in general.

It's like our instinct to see a blockage and challenge it. It's also an instinct we should fight when we are visiting a zoo. You rarely read stories where this ends well. The obstacles exist so animals do not eat your head.

Kid Gets Bitten in CT— Why Can’t We Stay Out of Zoo Enclosures?