Teenager mauled to death by lion after climbing into zoo enclosure

A troubled teenager who dreamed of becoming a lion tamer was killed in front of horrified zoo-goers after entering the big cats’ enclosure. Warning: Graphic SEE THE VIDEO

A troubled teenager who dreamed of becoming a lion tamer was mauled to death in front of horrified zoo-goers after climbing a 20-foot fence to get into the big cats’ enclosure.

Gerson de Melo Machado, 19, snuck into the lionesses’s pen at Brazil’s Parque Zoobotanio Arruda Camara in the city of Joao Pessoa, scrambling over a wire-topped fence to climb down a tree inside the lions’ pen, Brazilian outlet O Correio Braziliense reported.

Horrified visitors watched helplessly as lioness Leona ran over to the foot of the tree as Machado slowly climbed down — then suddenly pounced on him, video shared on X shows.

The big cat dragged the teenager behind a wall.

Gerson de Melo Machado, 19, snuck into the lionesses’s pen at Brazil’s Parque Zoobotanio Arruda Camara in the city of Joao Pessoa. Picture: X / @CPreparado

The troubled teenager was mauled to death after the lion pulled him out of a tree. Picture: X / @CPreparado

Machado reappeared briefly as he tried to run away, before the lioness leaped on him again.

The teen had been diagnosed with schizophrenia and was institutionalised as a child, before spending time in prison, according to O Correio Braziliense.

He previously snuck into the landing gear of an Africa-bound plane in pursuit of his dream to tame lions, but was discovered just in time and referred to Child Protective Services.

Gerson de Melo Machado died in the horrific incident. Picture: X / @CPreparado

Leona, the lioness who killed Machado, is undergoing evaluation. Picture: X / @CPreparado

The zoo, in the eastern Brazilian state of Paraiba, confirmed that the teenager had died — while stating that the lioness would not be euthanised, given that it was not the animal’s fault.

The animal “was immediately evaluated by the technical team and remains under continuous observation and monitoring, as she experienced a high level of stress,” the zoo wrote on Instagram.

“Leona is healthy, does not exhibit aggressive behaviour outside the context of the incident, and will not be euthanised. The protocol in situations like this provides exactly what is being done: monitoring, behavioural assessment, and specialised care,” the statement continued.

The zoo was “immediately closed, following all safety protocols,” the facility said, saying it would remain closed amid the ongoing investigation.

This story originally appeared in the New York Post

Originally published as Teenager mauled to death by lion after climbing into zoo enclosure