Man mauled to death by lion after breaking into enclosure in Brazil

A 19-year-old man has died after entering a lion’s den at a zoo in Brazil.

In a statement 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 man, 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 as the incident was reported, the park was immediately closed, following all safety protocols. The teams contacted the competent authorities and provided the necessary support for the assistance 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 is committed to upholding strict safety protocols.

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“Arruda Câmara Park expresses its solidarity with the family of the young man who passed away, deeply regrets the loss, and wishes 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 will continue to receive the necessary care.

“Following the incident, she was immediately evaluated by the technical team and remains under continuous observation and monitoring, as she experienced a high level of stress,” the park wrote.

It emphasized that euthanizing the animal was and is not a consideration, as Leona is healthy and does not display patterns of aggressive behaviour outside the context of the incident.

“The protocol for situations like this outlines exactly what is being done: monitoring, behavioural assessment, and specialized care,” the statement says, adding that staff are dedicated to ensuring she recovers.

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Officials for the city of Joao Pessoa said in a statement that Machado “In a rapid and surprising manner, climbed a wall over six metres high, scaled the security bars, accessed one of the trees, and entered the enclosure.”

Footage of the incident, shared on social media, shows the man shimmying down a tree inside the lion enclosure and Leona running towards him as he moves closer to the ground.

The lion pauses, looks up at the man, then pulls him down from the tree and brings him to the ground. The man stands up briefly before being dragged into a bush, disappearing behind a wall.

The government’s statement said Machado “died from injuries caused by the animal,” and that his actions may have indicated a possible suicide attempt. As of this writing, Machado’s intentions are unclear.

The lion’s enclosure is equipped with fences over eight metres high and technical reinforcements to protect the animals and visitors, the zoo said.

“The incident was completely unpredictable, outside of any scenario within the park’s routine,” read an Instagram post.

According to CBS News, child protection counsellor Veronica Oliveira said she had worked with Machado for eight years as he “went through all the institutional care in this city.”

She said his mother and grandparents were schizophrenic, but that state psychiatrists said he “had a behavioural problem.”

“He should have been in treatment,” she said.

In other media interviews cited by the U.S. outlet, Oliveira said Machado wanted to be a lion tamer and that he once broke into an airport and hid in the plane’s landing gear, believing it was bound for Africa.

“Society, without knowing your story, preferred to throw you into the lion’s den,” she said.

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