A Texas family were left stunned after a seemingly harmless giraffe approached their car on a safari tour only to break their windshield and run off.
Kari Hill of Granbury, Texas, took her family on a trip to the Fossil Rim Wildlife Center in Glen Rose on Thursday, in a trip that almost turned into a disaster.
The wildlife center is home a whole host of animals including cheetahs, Emus, Zebras, European red dear as well as giraffes.
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Guests are permitted to go on a self-guided tour and feed the animals or can opt for a guided tour with staff, where guests can travel around the park without having their own vehicle.
Hill and her family opted for the former, but unfortunately, got more than they bargained for and saw their car significantly damaged.
Speaking to Fox 4 News, Hill said she and her family parked by the giraffes during the tour, and one of the animals stuck its head through the sunroof. A family member was able to snap two photos of this moment.
However, moments later, after losing its footing, the giraffe fell on the windshield of the Kia Sorrento and began panicking, flailing its limbs and breaking the glass of the car.
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After eventually regaining their footing, the clumsy giraffe scampered off.
Fossil Rim said that the giraffe was not injured during the incident and a spokesperson told Fox 4 News that after 11 years working at the park, nothing like this has ever happened.
Hill also confirmed that she nor her family members were hurt in the incident, but they were covered with shards of glass.
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Fossil Rim Wildlife Center has said that all guests must agree to a liability waiver when tickets are purchased.
The waiver states: “Fossil Rim Wildlife Center assumes no liability for damages to vehicles, people, or property as a result of any interactions with the animals and facilities.”
While the park has not indicated Hill and her family did anything wrong, the frequently asked questions page on the park’s website warns that all of the animals in the safari are wild and can be dangerous both to themselves and guests.
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Reflecting on the incident, Hill said she was just thankful that only the car was damaged and none of her family members were injured.
Hill also joked that it was hard for the insurance company worker not to laugh when she filed a claim, and had to explain what happened. She added that despite the odd nature of the incident, the member of staff remained professional.