A young man with aspirations of working with large cats has sadly been killed by a lion at a zoo.
Gerson Machado, a Brazilian teenager, reportedly attempted to reach Africa by hiding on a plane, hoping to interact and train with these majestic animals. Unfortunately, his encounter with a lion turned fatal.
The 19-year-old is said to have broken into a lion enclosure at Arruda Camara Zoobotanical Park in Joao Pessoa, Brazil, on a Sunday (November 30). This involved climbing a tall wall and sliding down a tree.
Disturbing footage captured the moment a lioness attacked Gerson just as he reached the ground, in plain sight of other zoo visitors who were horrified by the scene.
According to zoo veterinarians, the lioness was ‘stressed’ and ‘in shock’ after the intrusion.
The footage shows the lioness, named Leona, lying near the glass where visitors were filming. She suddenly moved towards the tree as Gerson descended.
After pulling him down, there was visible movement in the bushes.
Gerson briefly stood up from the bush before vanishing from sight again.
Officials later confirmed that he succumbed to his injuries.
Following the incident, the park stated on Instagram that ‘euthanasia was never considered’ for Leona, emphasizing that she ‘exhibits no aggressive behavior outside of this incident’s context’.
As reported by The Sun, Gerson spent his childhood in care and faced mental health challenges. He had reportedly shared with social workers his dream of living with Africa’s big cats.
Veronica Oliveira, a child protection worker, shared in an Instagram video that she had supported Gerson for eight years and recounted an incident where he attempted to board a plane to ‘go on safari to Africa to care for lions’.
“I thanked God when I was alerted by the airport that you had breached the fence and entered the landing gear compartment of a Gol Airlines plane,” she said.
“I was grateful because they noticed a teenager on the cameras before a tragedy could occur.”
She also mentioned that his life was marked by poverty and a family history of mental health issues, emphasizing that he ‘required treatment’.
She stated: “Gerson was a child whose rights were violated.
“He was born to a mother with schizophrenia, and his grandparents also had mental health challenges.”
Oliveira continued: “Gerson’s story is one of a boy who simply wished to see Africa and tame lions.
“He learned too late that a lion is not a domestic cat and cannot be tamed without proper expertise.
“Tragically, he lacked the necessary understanding.”
City officials indicated that the zoo would temporarily close as an investigation is carried out, stating: “The individual who died climbed a 20ft wall and entered the enclosure using one of the trees.
“Police suggest it may have been a suicide attempt.
“Despite attempts by security staff to prevent him, he acted swiftly and succumbed to injuries inflicted by the lioness.
“We extend our condolences to the victim’s family following this tragic event.”
In a statement on Instagram, the zoo described the incident as ‘extremely sad’.
“We reaffirm that the park adheres to strict technical standards and safety protocols, and we are fully cooperating with all relevant authorities to ascertain the facts,” the zoo stated.