Dublin Zoo has launched an inquiry after a child was photographed inside a rhino enclosure at the weekend.
Photographs show the child standing on the wrong side of the fence holding a man’s hand from the viewing side.
Pictures of the young boy posing for a photograph inside the animal’s enclosure sparked concern after they were widely shared online.
Dublin Zoo is Ireland’s largest zoo and houses about 400 animals, including gorillas, lions and elephants.
One person who took a photograph of Saturday’s incident claimed the man accompanying the child allowed him to stand on the dangerous side of the fence for “a good 20 minutes”.
It is understood the zoo is examining the health and safety standards for the African savanna enclosure, the Press Association reports.
A spokesman from Dublin Zoo told the Huffington Post UK that the incident is being looked at internally.
Saturday’s incident is the latest in a line of controversies surrounding zoos.
In May Harambe the gorilla was shot dead after a child entered his enclosure at Cincinnati Zoo, sparking an ethical debate about the role they serve in conservation and education.
Two lions were shot dead in Chile after a man stripped naked and entered their enclosure.
Last week a woman was mauled to death by a tiger after she got out of her vehicle at a safari park in China.