Girl, 12, was bitten by a shark while feeding stingrays in a contact tank at a zoo

A 12-year-old girl was bitten by a shark while feeding stingrays in a touch pool during a zoo visit.

The child, who has not been identified, suffered a finger injury on April 9 at the Turtle Back Zoo in West Orange, New Jersey.

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Essex County executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo Jr. said in a statement to McClatchy News, “Staff responded quickly and provided the girl with a band-aid and antibacterial cream.

“By the time emergency services arrived, the cut was covered by the band-aid, the bleeding had stopped and the family refused the technicians’ care.”

The species of shark that bit the girl was not specified, but DiVincenzo said epaulette sharks swim alongside the stingrays in the 1,600-gallon tank.

According to the Aquarium of the Pacific, epaulette sharks are small and can be identified by the numerous spots along their narrow bodies.

The sharks are native to the coasts of New Guinea and Australia, while their “teeth are small and broad-based.”

The Turtle Back Zoo gave the girl’s family free tickets for a return visit due to the shark bite, DiVincenzo said.

“We pride ourselves on providing our visitors with an educational and fun experience and every effort is made to ensure the safety of our visitors and animals,” added DiVincenzo.

According to the zoo’s website, feeding the touch tank’s sea creatures costs $3.

East Orange is about 60 miles northeast of Trenton.

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