Man taken to hospital after falling over handrail at Columbus Zoo

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An adult male was taken to the hospital after officials said he fell from the top of a protective handrail at the Columbus Zoo and Aquarium on Thursday.

According to the zoo, the incident happened at approximately 12:10 p.m. Thursday, when a man fell from the top of a 42-inch protective handrail, that he climbed near the Watering Hole, where he landed behind a safety barrier that was not in a space shared with animals.

Zoo EMS immediately responded and the guest was transported to a local hospital conscious and alert.

The Watering Hole is located in the Heart of Africa; it’s an area where the Cheetah Run presentations are held and other animals in the Heart of Africa region graze and gather throughout the day.

Adrienne, a female 3-and-a-half-year-old cheetah, was with her trainer in the Watering Hole when the incident occurred. Adrienne took notice of the guest, but stayed with her trainer and was immediately secured behind the scenes.

Also on Thursday, a member of the Wild Encounters team noticed a teenage guest in a nearby tree located behind a protective barrier in the center area of the boardwalk.

According to the zoo, the team member made a safety announcement for the teenage guest to get out of the tree.

All areas of the zoo are now open for guests.