While zoo animal attacks that result in human deaths are definitely alarming, the reality is that they remain incredibly rare when you look at the overall number of zoo visits each year globally.
Zoo safety protocols have come a long way! The vast majority of facilities put animal and visitor security at the highest priority. Even with millions of people touring exotic animal exhibits annually, fewer than 1 in 10 million zoo visits actually result in a human fatality. Your chances of being attacked are nearly the same as winning the lottery!
That said, it’s always important to respect barriers and heed zookeeper instructions. Our furry friends deserve to feel safe in their homes too. But in general, you can enjoy marveling at all the incredible creatures without losing much sleep over this unlikely threat. As for me, I’ll happily continue squeezing in zoo trips whenever I travel – the memories and photos are worth any minuscule risk. After all, you can’t live life afraid of such tiny dangers!