Woman climbs into exhibit, gets licked, kicked by giraffe

Police cite California 24-year-old who says she did it for her love of giraffes

MADISON, Wis. — A California woman visiting the Henry Vilas Zoo on Saturday was fined after climbing into the giraffe exhibit, Madison police said.

Around 5:30 p.m. Amanda Hall, 24, of San Luis Obispo, California, climbed over one of the fences and was partially through a second fence around the giraffe exhibit when Wally, a 2-year-old, 12-foot-tall giraffe named Wally, licked her face and then turned and kicked her in the face, according to a release.

Hall sustained non-life-threatening injuries, but was cited for harassment of zoo animals, which includes a $686 fine, police said.

Zoo staff said giraffes are capable of killing lions, so Hall was lucky not to have been more seriously injured, according to the release.

Hall told police she climbed into the exhibit because she loves giraffes.