A 19-year-old man has died after entering a lion’s den at a zoo in Brazil.
In a press release on Instagram, the Arruda Câmara Zoobotanical Park said it “deeply regretted” that a visitor scaled the gates and entered the animal’s enclosure, and that he “deliberately invaded” the pen.
The person, whom several North American and Brazilian news outlets identified as Gerson de Melo Machado, was mauled to death by a lioness on Sunday, the zoo said.
“As soon because the incident was reported, the park was immediately closed, following all safety protocols. The teams contacted the competent authorities and provided the needed support for the help and the work of the forensics team,” the statement reads, adding that the park will remain closed while an investigation is underway and assuring visitors that it’s committed to upholding strict safety protocols.
“Arruda Câmara Park expresses its solidarity with the family of the young man who passed away, deeply regrets the loss, and needs them strength during this difficult time,” the news release concluded.
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The zoo later added in a separate post that the lioness, Leona, was doing well and can proceed to receive the needed care.
“Following the incident, she was immediately evaluated by the technical team and stays under continuous remark and monitoring, as she experienced a high level of stress,” the park wrote.
It emphasized that euthanizing the animal was and will not be a consideration, as Leona is healthy and doesn’t display patterns of aggressive behaviour outside the context of the incident.
“The protocol for situations like this outlines exactly what’s being done: monitoring, behavioural assessment, and specialized care,” the statement says, adding that staff are dedicated to making sure she recovers.
Officials for town of Joao Pessoa said in a press release that Machado “In a rapid and surprising manner, climbed a wall over six metres high, scaled the safety bars, accessed one among the trees, and entered the enclosure.”
Footage of the incident, shared on social media, shows the person shimmying down a tree contained in the lion enclosure and Leona running towards him as he moves closer to the bottom.
The lion pauses, looks up at the person, then pulls him down from the tree and brings him to the bottom. The person stands up briefly before being dragged right into a bush, disappearing behind a wall.
The federal government’s statement said Machado “died from injuries attributable to the animal,” and that his actions could have indicated a possible suicide attempt. As of this writing, Machado’s intentions are unclear.
The lion’s enclosure is supplied with fences over eight metres high and technical reinforcements to guard the animals and visitors, the zoo said.
“The incident was completely unpredictable, outside of any scenario throughout the park’s routine,” read an Instagram post.
In accordance with CBS News, child protection counsellor Veronica Oliveira said she had worked with Machado for eight years as he “went through all of the institutional care on this city.”
She said his mother and grandparents were schizophrenic, but that state psychiatrists said he “had a behavioural problem.”
“He must have been in treatment,” she said.
In other media interviews cited by the U.S. outlet, Oliveira said Machado desired to be a lion tamer and that he once broke into an airport and hid within the plane’s landing gear, believing it was certain for Africa.
“Society, without knowing your story, preferred to throw you into the lion’s den,” she said.
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