ST. PAUL — Police say a cougar apparently injured a boy at St. Paul’s Como Zoo after an adult lifted the child over a guardrail.

The incident happened about 5:45 p.m. Saturday. Sgt. Paul Schnell told the St. Paul Pioneer Press on Monday that the man and boy left the zoo before staff arrived, so police are working from witness accounts to zoo staff. Police want to make sure the child got treatment for any injuries.

Schnell says the child was described as 2 to 5 years old. He says a man presumed to be the child’s father lifted the boy over a rail in front of the cougar exhibit and set him down in front of a tall mesh enclosure, apparently to take a picture.

He says the cougar then pushed through the mesh and scratched the child and possibly the man.