Giraffe picks up girl for treat
A hungry giraffe accidentally picked up a toddler from the bed of a pickup truck at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose, Texas. The girl was unharmed in the incident. (Photo by Sierra Robert/TMX)
A video was captured on camera of the moment a two-year-old girl was lifted off the back of a pickup truck by a giraffe as she tried to feed it at a drive-thru safari in Texas.
Jason Toten told KWTX that his “heart stopped” and his “stomach dropped” after the June 1 incident involving his daughter, Paisley, at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in the Dallas suburb of Glen Rose.
“She pulled over to feed the giraffe and when she turned around to look out the back window she saw the giraffe just digging around in the area and he grabbed her and she was gone,” he told the sheriff’s office.
“Paisley was carrying the bag. [of food] “And instead of picking her up, the giraffe went to get his bag, but ended up picking up her shirt as well and picking her up,” Toten added. “As soon as she climbed up, her mom just yelled, ‘Hey!’ and the giraffe just let go.”
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A giraffe was caught on video lifting its baby into the air at a drive-thru safari in Texas. (Sierra Robert/TMX)
In the end, the child was unharmed.
Footage of the incident begins with a red truck approaching the giraffe on the passenger side.
“Want to feed the giraffes? Feed them,” Paisley’s mother can be heard saying.
She then reached out her daughter’s arm toward the giraffe, but the giraffe instead grabbed her by her shirt and began lifting her into the air.
“My heart stopped, my stomach dropped … I was scared,” Jason Toten told KWTX.
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In the footage shown in the truck window, Paisley Toten can be seen being lifted into the air by a giraffe. (Sierra Robert/TMX)
Fossil Rim Wildlife Center describes itself as a non-profit organization “specializing in captive breeding programs for native and exotic endangered species.”
“Most of Fossil Rim’s animals are free-roaming and may approach vehicles. Even docile-looking animals can be dangerous,” the website states.
A giraffe at Fossil Rim Wildlife Center was photographed approaching a truck on Sunday, June 1. (Sierra Robert/TMX)
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“Beginning June 6, 2024, guests will no longer be able to ride in the bed of a pickup truck,” it added.
