Teenager mauled to death by lion after climbing into zoo enclosure in front of visitors

A teenager has been mauled to death by a lion after climbing into an enclosure at a zoo in Brazil.

Gerson de Melo Machado, 19, managed to scale a 20 foot wall before sliding down a tree at Arruda Camera Park in the north east of the country.

Footage captured by visitors on Sunday showed a lioness called Leona pacing below the tree as the teenager got closer to the ground. Eye witnesses were then heard saying “it got him, it got him” after the animal pounced.

Machado had dreamed of being a lion tamer, his child protection counsellor Veronica Oliveira said, and had previously hid in the landing gear of a plane in the hope of flying to Africa.

The teenager and his family had all suffered with a history of mental health issues, the counsellor explained. Machado’s mother had schizophrenia and they lived in extreme poverty, local media reported.

“He was 19 years old, but when he spoke, I believe his cognitive capacity was no more than that of a 5-year-old,” Oliveira said in an interview with O Correio Braziliense. “He had immense fragility in his mental health. If he had had regular and serious follow-up, we wouldn’t be experiencing this today.

“Gerson is the result of a system that always excluded him, he had been caged for years. Today was the culmination of a ‘Chronicle of a Death Foretold’. I hope the lesson remains and that the countless Gersons we attend to every day have a happier ending.”

A statement by local authorities said the incident was under investigation and it may have been a suicide attempt.

“Quickly and surprisingly, he climbed a wall of more than six metres, the security fences, accessed one of the trees and invaded the enclosure,” the statement said. “Although the security teams tried to prevent the action, the man acted quickly in accessing the enclosure and died as a result of the injuries caused by the animal.”

In a post to its Instagram, the zoo said it would be closed until investigations were complete.

“This is an extremely sad episode for all, and we send our solidarity and condolences to the family and friends of the still unidentified man,” the statement said.“Once the incident was confirmed, the park was immediately closed, following all safety protocols. The teams mobilised the competent authorities and provided the necessary support for the service and work of the expertise.”

The zoo said that it did not intend to put the lioness down Leona after the fatal attack.

“Leona is healthy, does not exhibit aggressive behavior outside the context of the incident, and will not be euthanized,” the zoo said in a statement on Instagram. “The protocol in situations like this provides exactly what is being done: monitoring, behavioral assessment, and specialized care.

“The Bica team, veterinarians, handlers, and technicians are fully dedicated to Leona’s well-being, ensuring that she recovers, stabilises emotionally, and resumes her routine safely,.

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