https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-15341171/Man-mauled-death-lioness-zoo-climbing-enclosure-horrified-visitors.html

A man was mauled to death by a lioness at a Brazilian zoo after climbing into her enclosure in front of horrified families.

The victim, identified as 19-year-old Gerson Machado, slipped into the big cat's enclosure—a shocking repeat of previous attempts to get close to lions as part of his obsession with becoming a lion trainer.

Machado, who once tried to stow away on a plane to Africa in a desperate attempt to pursue his dream, was known to police for repeatedly violating security protocols due to his fixation on big cats.

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The troubled teenager, who had spent much of his life in foster care and struggled with severe mental health issues, was filmed climbing down a tree in his enclosure at João Pessoa Zoo in northeastern Brazil after scaling a 6-meter-high wall.

A horrifying video shows the lioness, who zoo veterinarians said was "stressed" and "in shock" after the incident, attacking him as he approached the ground.

Child protection worker Veronica Oliveira, who worked with Gerson for eight years, said he grew up in extreme poverty without adequate family support and described him as someone who, like his mother, who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia, had mental health problems.

Because of his own issues, he was the only one of his siblings not placed with adoptive families.

She told a Brazilian news website, "Gerson was a child whose rights were violated."

"He was the son of a mother with schizophrenia, and his grandparents also had mental health issues. He lived in abject poverty."

In a heartbreaking social media post, she recalled his dreams of traveling to Africa to tame lions: "You told me you were going to fly to Africa on safari to take care of lions."

"I thanked God when I was warned by the airport that you had cut through the fence and entered the landing gear bay of a Gol Airlines plane."

"I thanked God because they saw on the security cameras that a teenager was there before the tragedy occurred."

"Gerson's story is that of a boy who simply wanted to experience Africa and tame lions."

"He realized too late that a lion is not a house cat and that you can't tame one without the necessary knowledge. Unfortunately, he wasn't sensible enough to do so."

"I thanked God because they saw a teenager there on the security cameras before the tragedy occurred." The city police, who had previously arrested Gerson several times for minor offenses, including property damage, confirmed his African adventure and said he had informed them that he would be making the trip "on foot" after his security breach at the airport.

Following the tragic incident yesterday morning at Arruda Camera Park, also known as Bica, city hall officials confirmed that the park will remain closed until the ongoing investigation into the accident is complete.

A statement read: "The deceased climbed over a 20-foot-high wall and managed to reach the animal enclosure using one of the trees."

"According to police, it may have been a suicide attempt. Although security personnel tried to stop him, he acted with lightning speed and succumbed to the injuries inflicted by the lioness."

The park was immediately closed.

"We would like to express our solidarity with the family of the victim of this unfortunate incident."

The 26.8-hectare park where the tragedy occurred opened in 1921 and is home to over 580 animal species, including elephants, monkeys, and birds, as well as a wide variety of plants.

Zoo veterinarian Thiago Nery said the lioness was captured without the use of tranquilizer darts or weapons.

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Terrifying moment: "Lion whisperer" attacked by big cat and "dragged around like a toy by the neck."

He said, "She obeyed and returned to her enclosure, but it took a while because she was stressed and in shock."

Brazilian politician Matheus Laiola, former police chief of Curitiba's environmental protection agency, wrote in an online post that caused a stir due to some of its content: "A lioness did exactly what a lioness does. Instinct, defense, the natural behavior of a wild animal."

"Tragedy and error begin when people ignore basic safety boundaries, risk their own lives, and endanger the life of the animal."

"In Joao Pessoa, a man died yesterday after entering a lioness's enclosure at Arruda Camara Park.

According to the city council, he climbed a wall over six meters high, broke through the protective fence, used a tree for support, and entered the cage."

"We stand in solidarity with the victim's family."

"Respecting wild animals is not a matter of choice. It is a rule. When this boundary is violated, the animal always suffers, and this must not continue."