A California man gets extra-close to the hippos at the zoo.
For some reason, he felt the need to smack one of the animals on the rear end. And the bizarre incident was captured on camera.
Video posted to Instagram shows a man crossing into the LA Zoo’s hippo enclosure and sneaking up on two hippos.
The man’s approach is very cautious – finally close enough he slaps one of the hippos on the rear, takes a moment to celebrate and then runs off.
The LAPD confirms they got a report of trespassing at the zoo and are investigating.
The zoo released a statement about the incident: “It is never acceptable for a guest to enter the habitat of any animal at the zoo. It is a privilege to observe these rare and endangered species, but they are still wild animals and their space must be respected at all times.”