Police report made after visitor jumps into rhino enclosure at Singapore Zoo, does backflip for TikTok video

SINGAPORE — Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) has filed a police report on Thursday (Dec 17), after a visitor jumped into the white rhino exhibit at the Singapore Zoo on the same day. 

In a TikTok video uploaded by user @ralphwee_, the young man is seen getting into the enclosure, doing a backflip and then quickly rushing to leap out of the fence. Two white rhinos were seen in the background while he was doing the stunt.

In a post on its Instagram page on Friday, WRS said: “We are aware of a social video that is circulating online, which shows a visitor trespassing and encroaching into the space of our white rhino exhibit.

“This is a reckless and mindless act, which is socially irresponsible, extremely dangerous and simply disrespectful to wildlife and our animals.” 

WRS is appealing to the public to not encourage copycat acts, because it can put lives in danger. 

“To the millions of others who have visited our parks, appreciated and shown animals respect, we thank you for your graciousness and support,” it added.  

By Friday evening, the video was no longer on the young man’s TikTok account. TODAY has reached out to him for comments.

In November 2008, 32-year-old Malaysian contract worker Nordin Montong, who worked as a cleaner, deliberately jumped into the white tiger exhibit at the Singapore Zoo and was attacked by its three inhabitants. 

He swam towards the animals and was mauled to death in front of onlookers, in a horrific incident that made news headlines around the world.

A state coroner later ruled the case as suicide.