An individual, allegedly under the influence of alcohol, was attacked by lions after releasing them from their enclosures at a zoo. The incident took place at a reserve for former circus animals, where the man climbed a fence and set free six lions. When the animals turned hostile, he sought shelter in one of their cages, where a dog present was also killed by the lions. The man recorded the lions roaring and prowling near his hiding spot.
Zookeepers were alerted and swiftly responded to the scene, rescuing the man, estimated to be around 40 years old, who was found in a torn black sweatshirt and shredded blue jeans. The lions were safely returned to their enclosures. The episode occurred at Los Pinos Reserve in San Pedro Cholula, Mexico, on a Monday. The man, who sustained severe injuries to his arms and face, was taken to a hospital for treatment, while the lions remained unharmed.
In a video clip from the incident shared on a Mexican newspaper’s YouTube channel, shaky footage captured by the man showed the lions behind the cage bars. The man appeared to have created a protective barrier using a gate to shield himself from the lions.
A photo of the injured man at the hospital revealed extensive injuries to his face, bandaged and showing signs of swelling and scratches. This incident is not an isolated case, as a recent report highlighted a lion attack on a 10-year-old girl in China in February. The girl was grabbed by a lion while attempting to feed it at a zoo, leading to a terrifying ordeal that was eventually resolved by a quick-acting zookeeper. The girl was unharmed but too young to be involved in the feeding activities, and the zookeeper was reportedly suspended and reassigned following the incident.