São Paulo, Brazil — A 19-year-old man named Gerson de Melo Machado died on Sunday after climbing into a lioness enclosure at a zoo in João Pessoa, in Northwest Brazil. People who claim to know Machado said he had a history of mental illness.
The death was confirmed in an official statement issued by the Parque Zoobotânico Arruda Câmara, known as Bica.
Machado was filmed by other visitors getting inside the enclosure through a gap after climbing safety structures, and then descending a palm trunk to the ground. As soon as the lioness perceived Machado’s presence, she ran to him and mauled his leg, taking him to the ground.
On Sunday, the zoo stated that the man had deliberately entered the lioness’ cage and described the episode as “sad.” The zoo said the site will remain closed to visitors for the time being.
“We inform you that Bica will remain closed to visitors until the conclusion of the investigations and official procedures, prioritizing safety and transparency and our commitment to the safety of our visitors, employees, and animals,” read a joint statement issued by the zoo and João Pessoa’s city hall.
In another statement, the zoo said that the lioness, nicknamed Leona, has experienced a high level of stress but is doing well and receiving all necessary care. The post published on Instagram emphasized that the possibility of euthanizing the animal was never considered.
According to Thiago Nery, a veterinarian who works at the Bica zoo, Leona did not eat Gerson and did not have to be immobilized by darts.
Mental disorder allegations
Verônica Oliveira, a child welfare counselor from the state of Paraíba, claims to have known Machado.
According to her, he had been receiving assistance for eight years from the Child Welfare Council of Mangabeira, a neighborhood in João Pessoa, and had psychiatric problems not recognized by the Brazilian state.
Verônica, a child welfare counselor, and Gerson, killed by a lioness at a zoo in João Pessoa, Brazil. Photo: social media reproduction
“Gerson needed treatment, which was not offered. Gerson went through all the institutional care facilities in this city. Son of a schizophrenic mother and schizophrenic grandparents, but the psychiatrists insisted on saying that he was just a boy with behavioral problems,” Verônica said in a social media post.
“My feeling today is one of outrage. Because I never remained silent in the face of the absurd violations of rights that this citizen, who will be buried, suffered. He should have been in (psychiatric) treatment,” she added.
Local media reported that a month before the zoo incident which took his life, a state court ruled Machado should have been interned at the Custody and Psychiatric Treatment Hospital (HCTP) after medical reports concluded that he was “entirely incapable of understanding the criminal nature of his act or of behaving,” but officials were unable to locate him months after the ruling.
Featured image: Man climbing down a tree before being killed by a lioness at a zoo in João Pessoa, Brazil.
Author: Social media
