Video shows moment Texas woman climbs into a zoo enclosure to feed monkeys Flamin' Hot Cheetos
A woman has been arrested and fired from her job at a law firm after she was captured on video climbing into a monkey enclosure at the El Paso Zoo in Texas.
Luz Elizabeth Rae, 26, was booked into El Paso County Detention Facility under a $1,500 bond on Thursday. She faces a criminal trespass charge, a police press release states.
The video, which circulated on social media, shows Rae sitting underneath a waterfall of a spider monkey enclosure.
She appears to be throwing food, later identified as Flaming Hot Cheetos, at two of the monkeys while the person behind the camera can be heard laughing.
Watch the moment below:
A woman was caught on video climbing into a spider monkey enclosure and allegedly feeding the animals Hot Cheetos at the El Paso Zoo. El Paso PD is reportedly investigating the incident after the zoo filed a complaint. pic.twitter.com/yU3WJjRMBh
— NowThis (@nowthisnews) May 26, 2021
Zoo officials, who found out about the trespass through social media, called the stunt "stupid," according to El Paso Times.
"She's very fortunate that it didn't have a worse outcome for her or the animals," Zoo Director Joe Montisano said, according to NBC News. "These are primates. They are strong; they have canine teeth. They can scratch. We don't interact with them on the daily. And we don't interact with them without a barrier in between us."
Montisano said that the zoo might have to put up a higher fence around the spider monkey exhibit after the incident.
The fence was previously low so that visitors could see the monkeys better. The zoo had also previously added a moat because spider monkeys can't swim and are afraid of the water, according to the El Paso Times
The stunt cost Rae her job at the Houston-based Lovett Law Firm.
"The firm has always been a strong supporter of animals and advocacy," the firm said in a statement. "We absolutely do not condone this irresponsible and reckless behavior. We support the El Paso Zoo and our thoughts go out to the spider monkeys, Libby and Sunday, and we hope they recover from this traumatic experience."