According to the NBC Station WESH in Orlando, a toddler and the child's mother were taken to hospital after the child fell into an animal exhibit at the Brevard Zoo in central Florida.
A 2-year-old child was taken to a hospital after falling into the rhino exhibit at the Brevard Zoo Monday, officials said.
BCFR responded to the Brevard Zoo today for a child that fell into the Rhino exhibit. The child was trauma alerted to a pediatric hospital & mother was ground transported to an Orlando hospital for treatment. Further info being referred to zoo officials. #BCFR #BrevardsBravest
— BCFRpio (@BCFRpio) January 1, 2019
Zoo officials said the child entered the rhinoceros yard during a exhibit called the Rhino Encounter.
In a statement, the zoo said the child stumbled and fell in between two of the poles and at this point, the snout of at least one of rhinoceroses made contact with the child.
In the encounter, participants and the rhinoceroses are separated by steel poles. The encounter is described by the zoo as a hands-on, educational experience where visitors can brush the rhinos with two-foot-long brushes.
Zoo officials said the child stumbled and fell between two poles and made contact with a rhino's snout.
Brevard County Fire Rescue said the child was flown as a trauma alert to Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children for treatment.
Officials said the child's mother hurt her arm while pulling the child out of the enclosure and was taken to the hospital.
Officials did not give an update on the child’s condition.
The zoo will suspend the rhino encounter until measures can be taken to prevent a repeat of the incident, officials said.
