Mark Vette: zoologist says man who jumped into Auckland Zoo rhino enclosure pond lucky to be alive - Heather du Plessis-Allan Drive

A zoologist says a man who jumped into the rhino enclosure at Auckland Zoo is lucky to be alive.

He climbed over a barrier and plunged into the pond, floating and rinsing his face.

The rhinos were startled and moved quickly to the far end of the habitat, where zoo keepers kept them safely away.

Zoologist Mark Vette says the man put himself in real danger.

"People just don't realise they're very fast, they've got poor vision, they've got good smell, they're two and a half tons, they've got a big point on their head and they can kill you."

LISTEN ABOVE

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.