Man jumps into cheetah cage at NJ zoo for ‘closer look,’ cops say

MIDDLE TOWNSHIP — A man who wanted better view of the cheetahs at the Cape May County Zoo decided to go the up-close-and-personal route and jump into their display.

Lucky for the man, Buju and Beenie, the spotted brothers that have been in Cape May since 2011, ignored his presence, according to the Cape May Sheriff's Office.

A cheetah can reach its top speed of 65 mph in three seconds with their claws fully retracted, according to the zoo's website.

The man, whose identity was not revealed, was removed from the park but not arrested after being issued tickets for county ordinance violations.

Buju and Beenie are 8 years old.

Contact reporter Dan Alexander at Dan.Alexander@townsquaremedia.com or via Twitter @DanAlexanderNJ