JOÃO PESSOA, Brazil US News: Disturbing cellphone footage showing a young man being fatally mauled by a lioness after deliberately entering her enclosure at a Brazilian zoo has gone viral, sparking grief and outrage across the country.
The victim has been identified as 19-year-old Gerson de Melo Machado, a João Pessoa resident who had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was under a recent court order for psychiatric hospitalization.
According to authorities and eyewitness accounts, the tragedy unfolded Sunday morning at Arruda Câmara Zoobotanical Park, locally known as Bica Zoo. Machado evaded security by climbing a concrete wall more than 20 feet high, crossing secondary barriers, and using a tree branch to lower himself into the lioness enclosure.
Witnesses say the attack happened within seconds. The lioness, a 12-year-old female named Leona, immediately charged and dragged the teenager out of sight as families screamed in horror. Despite rapid response from park staff and emergency services, Machado was pronounced dead at the scene from massive trauma.
Police in Paraíba state are treating the incident as a probable suicide. Investigators confirmed Machado had a documented history of severe mental health episodes and had previously attempted to breach restricted areas, including an airport perimeter.
The zoo closed indefinitely following the attack. In an official statement, João Pessoa City Hall expressed deep condolences to the family and stressed that the enclosure meets all national and international safety standards, including walls and fences exceeding required heights.
“Leona acted according to her natural instincts when an intruder entered her territory,” park officials said. The lioness is under veterinary monitoring but shows no abnormal behavior and will not be euthanized.
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Friends and a longtime child-welfare counselor who worked with Machado described him as a gentle soul who often spoke of wanting to “work with lions” and live among wild animals. “He lived in his own world sometimes,” the counselor told local media. “This is an unimaginable loss.”
The graphic videos, widely shared on social media despite efforts to remove them, have reignited debates over zoo security protocols and the urgent need for better mental health intervention in public spaces.
An investigation into the exact circumstances remains ongoing. The Arruda Câmara Zoobotanical Park has not announced a reopening date.
