11 Most Bizarre Zoo Accidents

Everyone loves going to the zoo - it is one of the best family days out you can head on. Children's eyes light up just at the mere mention of visiting the zoo - the chance to see their favourite animals up close and personal makes their hearts flutter. Being able to visit exotic animals that would otherwise be unaccessible to us adds extra intrigue to the trip to the zoo as well. Giraffes, elephants and - of course - all the different varieties of big cats that children have learned about at school, read about in books and watched in cartoon-form on television are suddenly there to see in the flesh, just a pane of glass or a couple of fences away. Yet, as rare as they may be, accidents do occur from time to time at the zoo - and there have been some violent and frightening, as well as some quite-frankly bizarre, ones down the years. From big cat maulings and giant panda bear assaults, to tapirs biting people's arms off and 49 escaped animals being shot by the police, here are 11 of the most bizarre - and in, a lot of case, violent - accidents to occur at zoos, sea parks and conservation areas.