19YO Who Did Backflip for TikTok in Rhino Enclosure to be Charged for Criminal Trespass

What would you do if you came across a rhino on the streets?

a) Run away, screaming

b) Ask the rhino what the heck it’s doing on the streets

c) A backflip

No rational person would go for the third option, right? Well, you’re forgetting there’s a breed of humans that frequently engages in irrational acts as a hobby: teenagers.

19YO Who Did Backflip for TikTok in Rhino Enclosure to be Charged for Criminal Trespass

The 19-year-old who went viral last December for doing a backflip at a rhino enclosure will be charged by the police with criminal trespass.

The zoo informed the police about the incident on 17 Dec last year at about 5.40 pm.

The zoo claimed the youth had allegedly trespassed into an enclosure and performed a backflip.

The person who filmed the dangerous stunt for TikTok, his 18-year-old female companion, was issued a stern warning for abetting criminal trespass.

The 19-year-old will be charged in court on 12 July. He also faces charges of vandalism and mischief not related to this case.

If found guilty of criminal trespass, the teen could be imprisoned for up to three months, fined S$1,500, or both.

What Happened

If you were too busy preparing for Christmas last year, you may not know what happened.

In the third week of December 2020, a video of the youth doing a backflip inside a White rhinoceros enclosure at the Singapore Zoo made the rounds on social media.

It was first shared on TikTok by the youth, who has around 33,000 followers.

The video was removed soon after, but had been reposted on several other platforms.

What’s this mess @tweetWRS pic.twitter.com/6T3cfvnkGJ

— Pengkritik Sandiwara (@Pengkritique) December 17, 2020

At the beginning of the video, which was filmed by the youth himself, he rhetorically asks his followers: “What’s Ralph thinking about?”.

We’re guessing his name is Ralph, because otherwise that question is rather confusing.

The video then cuts to Ralph trespassing into the rhino exhibit, where he does a backflip before darting out of the enclosure.

In the five seconds that he was inside the enclosure, two huge White rhinos could be seen in the background, not too far from the youth.

The youths facetiously added the text “Keep your distance” on top of the video, as well as  “who’s man is this [sic]”.

Fortunately, the police soon found out whose man that was.

At the time, Wildlife Reserves Singapore (WRS) condemned the youth’s actions, calling it a “reckless and mindless act which is socially irresponsible, extremely dangerous, and simply disrespectful to wildlife and our animals”.

“We appeal to the sensibilities of the social community out there – let’s not encourage copycat acts – this can put lives in danger,” it added.

Featured Image: Twitter (@Pengkritique)