Diergaarde Blijdorp: Minors climb into sea lion enclosure

Two minors from a group organized by the Central Agency for Asylum Seekers (COA) climbed into the sea lion enclosure at Diergaarde Blijdorp in Rotterdam. The incident occurred on a Tuesday during a group outing.

Visitors alerted security after seeing the boys standing on the rocks among the animals. Security personnel intervened quickly, removing the pair from the enclosure before they fell into the water. No injuries were reported for the boys or the sea lions, though zoo officials noted the situation was highly dangerous due to the predatory nature of the animals.

Following the incident, the entire visitor group was removed from the zoo in accordance with safety protocols. The police were involved, resulting in a fine for the two minors for mischief and a one-year ban from the park. The director of Diergaarde Blijdorp, Belinde Bakker, has discussed the matter with the management of the asylum seekers' residential group.