Colombian pop star Shakira was bitten by a sea lion after getting a little too close to take pictures with her phone, and she's not the first famous person to have a close encounter with an animal and live to tell the tale.
She recounted the incident on her Facebook page -- in English and Spanish.
Suddenly, one of them jumped out of the water so fast and impetuously that it got about one foot away from me, looked me in the eye, roared in fury and tried to bite me, she wrote. Everyone there screamed, including me. I was paralyzed by fear and couldn't move, I just kept eye contact with it while my brother 'Super Tony' jumped over me and literally saved my life, taking me away from the beast.
But the singing sensation didn't let the frightful encounter darken her spirits.
Now I'm off to see some penguins! she wrote. I hope they are a bit more friendly!
Here are five other incidents in which famous people were attacked by animals.
Shakira began her career at 12 and quickly captured fans throughout Latin America. She has won two Grammy Awards, seven Latin Grammy Awards and has been nominated for the Golden Globe. She is also the highest-selling Colombian artist of all time and the second most successful female Latin singer, having sold over 50 million albums worldwide, according to BMI. Additionally, she is the only artist from South America to reach the Number 1 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100, Canadian Hot 100, the Australian ARIA chart and the UK Singles Chart. Shakira has also contributed to society, including the Pies Descalzos Foundation - a Colombian charity with special schools for poor children.ReutersFabio, whose face and physique have graced many a romance novel cover, got whacked on his nose by a bird while riding a roller coaster at Busch Gardens in 1999. He was treated at a hospital. ReutersHilton was bitten by her pet kinkajou in 2006. She was fine, but had to get a tetanus shot, The Associated Press reported.ReutersRoy Horn of Siegfried & Roy was bitten on his neck by a male tiger during a 2003 show in Las Vegas. He reportedly asked that the tiger not be harmed.ReutersNew York City mayor Michael Bloomberg was bitten on the hand by a Staten Island groundhog on Groundhog Day in 2009.ReutersAfter a strong showing at a Tuesday debate and a poll showing him in second place, one question lingers: Can Anthony Weiner actually win the NYC Mayoral race?
Reuters
