Overview
- Officials identified the victim as 19-year-old Gerson de Melo Machado, who scaled a roughly 20-foot wall and descended a tree into the pen, an entry captured in widely shared video.
- The zoo was closed to visitors as Brazil’s Environment Secretariat and the State Civil Police opened investigations, and forensic officials have not ruled out suicidal intent.
- João Pessoa City Hall and park administrators say the facility meets technical safety standards, with barriers that exceed minimum requirements.
- The lioness, Leona, was evaluated after showing stress from the incident, remains under continuous monitoring, and will not be euthanized, according to the zoo.
- Local reporting details Machado’s history of mental-health struggles and a previous attempt to stow away on a plane to Africa in pursuit of working with lions.