11 Most Bizarre Zoo Accidents

4. Binky The Polar Bear Tries To Drag A Woman Into His Cage (Alaska, 1994)

Binky the polar bear is a huge celebrity in Anchorage, Alaska, despite having been dead for almost 20 years. The animal, who was housed at Alaska Zoo, attacked 29-year-old Australian tourist Kathryn Warburton in July 1994 after she had passed two sets of safety rails in order to get a close-up photo. Binky responded by putting his head through the bars, wrapping his jaws around her ankle, before breaking her bone and forcing deep incisions into her legs. The polar bear then kept the woman's shoe for three days, refusing to give it back to zookeepers. Amazingly, just six weeks later Binky mauled another person - this time a drunken 19-year-old who had broken into the enclosure with his friends, hoping to swim in the pool. Binky and fellow polar bear Nuka took turns in biting the intruder, who suffered serious cuts to his legs - and both were left with blood on their faces. Incredibly, despite the fact he had mauled two people, Binky became a huge hit in Anchorage - and merchandise including T-shirts and mugs became popular with the locals, particularly products emblazoned with the iconic shoe photo and the slogan "Send another tourist, this one got away".