BRAZIL, Dec 1: A 19-year-old man was mauled to death by a lioness at Arruda Camara Park, also known as Bica, in João Pessoa after climbing into the animal’s enclosure in front of visitors, authorities said.

The victim, identified as Gerson Machado, had a history of repeatedly breaching zoo security in pursuit of his obsession with lions and aspirations of becoming a trainer. Earlier, he had attempted to reach Africa as a plane stowaway to pursue his dream. City police confirmed Machado had told them he planned to travel “on foot” after a prior airport security breach.

Machado, who spent much of his life in care and struggled with severe mental health issues, was filmed climbing down a tree inside the enclosure after scaling a 20-foot wall. Video footage captured the lioness attacking him as he neared the ground. Zoo veterinarian Thiago Nery said the lioness was contained without the use of tranquilizers or weapons, but remained “stressed and in shock.”

Child protection worker Veronica Oliveira, who worked with Machado for eight years, said he grew up in extreme poverty without proper family support. She added that his mother had schizophrenia and his grandparents also suffered from mental health problems, leaving Machado as the only sibling not taken in by adoptive families.

“Gerson was a child who suffered violations of his rights,” Oliveira said. “He discovered too late that a lion isn’t a domestic cat and that we can’t tame them without the right knowledge. Sadly, he wasn’t sensible enough for that.” She recalled his dreams of going to Africa to care for lions and described how authorities once intercepted him inside the landing gear compartment of a plane.

City hall officials confirmed the park would remain closed during the ongoing investigation. “The man killed scaled a 20-foot wall and entered the animal enclosure using one of the trees. According to police, it was a possible act of suicide. Although security staff tried to stop him, he acted very quickly and died from injuries inflicted by the lioness,” the statement said.

The 26.8-hectare park, which opened in 1921, is home to over 580 animal species, including elephants, monkeys, and birds.

Brazilian politician Matheus Laiola, formerly chief of police of Curitiba’s environmental protection department, said in an online post: “A lioness did exactly what a lioness does — instinct, defense, natural behavior of a wild animal. Tragedy begins when humans ignore basic safety limits and risk their own lives as well as the lives of the animals. Respecting wildlife is not a choice. It is a rule. When this boundary is ignored, it is always the animal that suffers.”