A Texas family got more than they bargained for when their driving safari experience took a turn.
Jason Toten, his fiancé Sierra Robert and their children took a trip to the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose for their wildlife tour on Saturday, Toten told McClatchy News.
“We were having a little family day, just leaving the house,” he said.
Like a petting zoo, Fossil Rim allows visitors to feed some animals with food they provide.
The couple and their daughter, Paisley, were admiring the passing animals and getting an up-close look at the hungry wildlife when a giraffe approached the truck and took a special liking to the little boy.
In an instant, the girl rises into the air.
Jason Toten, his fiancée Sierra Robert (pictured) and their children took a trip to the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose for their wildlife tour on Saturday, Toten told McClatchy News.
A Texas family got more than they bargained for when their driving safari experience took a turn
The car behind the truck with Toten and his family also took a video, where you can see the giraffe accidentally grab the little girl’s shirt, lifting it into the air.
Robert reacted immediately, grabbing Paisley as the giraffe lifted her into the air.
“I looked out the back window and saw the giraffe… and then he came up,” Toten said. “My heart stopped, I was so scared.”
But the fear quickly subsided as all it took for the giraffe to let go of the boy’s shirt was a stern “hey” from Robert.
And Paisley was the least worried of all.
“I guess it scared the giraffe,” Toten said. “She wasn’t even scared,” she added. ‘As soon as her mom caught it, she was like ‘oh’.
Toten said he understands the situation was a complete accident and that the giraffe intended to take the bag of food out of Paisley’s hands, but she refused to let go.
“He ended up taking his shirt and pulling it out of the truck,” he said.
Toten said he understands the situation was a complete accident and that the giraffe intended to take the bag of food out of Paisley’s hands, but she refused to let go.
After the incident, the family took Paisley to the gift shop, where all he wanted was a stuffed animal of his new favorite animal.
“We walked in and all I wanted was a giraffe toy and a giraffe t-shirt,” Toten said. “We ended up buying him both, we thought he deserved it.”
Toten said his family is not discouraged from returning to Fossil Rim and will still ride in the back of the truck “because it’s an experience in itself.”