A tragic incident occurred on Sunday morning at the Arruda Câmara Zoobotanical Park, also known as Bica, in João Pessoa, Brazil. A 19-year-old man, identified as Gerson de Melo Machado, was killed after entering a lion’s enclosure.
Video footage showed him climbing over a 26-foot fence and descending from a nearby tree to reach the lioness’s area. According to local reports, Machado had long dreamed of becoming a lion tamer and struggled with mental health issues, including schizophrenia.
The zoo confirmed that he deliberately entered the enclosure and unfortunately did not survive the lion’s attack. In a statement, the zoo expressed its sadness over the incident and extended condolences to the victim’s family and friends.
Witnesses saw the lion approach Machado as he tried to escape, leading to a horrifying mauling that took place out of view as it hid behind a wall. Following the incident, the zoo closed its doors to visitors while investigations were ongoing.
Machado’s mother reportedly also suffered from mental health issues, and a counselor stated that he had always expressed a desire to travel to Africa for lion taming. The zoo has made it clear that it does not intend to euthanize the lion involved, stating the attack was an unpredictable event that stemmed from Machado’s trespassing.
Although the lion appears stressed, officials confirmed it is healthy and does not show aggressive behavior outside of the incident. The zoo reassured the public that euthanasia is not being considered for the animal.
