Jamaica Zoo Attractions Limited issued a statement after a video went viral showing a lion biting off a man’s finger at the St Elizabeth-based attraction.

The zoo identified the man as a contractor, but did not name him. The zoo called the incident “tragic,” adding that the unnamed contractor’s actions were not in keeping with the entity’s safety procedures and policies, which “must be adhered to at all times at Jamaica Zoo.”

Also Read | ‘Snack time’: Adorable panda wakes up and rolls over to eat snacks, video viral

“We are currently reviewing the video, with a view of preventing any future recurrences,” Jamaica Zoo said. “It is an unfortunate event that should never have happened, and we, the family of Jamaica Zoo, are doing everything to assist the gentleman in moving forward.”  

The zoo identified the man as a contractor, but did not name him

Recently, a video made the rounds on social media showing a man placing his hands in the mouth of the lion while shocked people were heard commenting in the background.

As the man placed his hand in the lion’s mouth, the animal held on to it. The man tried vigorously to remove his hand from the lion’s jaws. 

Finally, the lion ends up bitting off his finger in anger. 

“When it happened, I thought it was a joke,” one woman who was reportedly present at the scene told local media. “I didn’t realise the seriousness of it, as a result of it’s their job to placed on a present.

“Obviously, when he fell on the ground everybody realised that it was serious. Everybody started to panic… The entire skin and about the first joint of his finger was gone…”

Also Read  Elephant saves life of drowning antelope, video viral on social media

Meanwhile, Hope Zoo Kingston, which is a distinct zoo in Jamaica, posted on Twitter: “The awful viral video of a lion being taunted by its keeper did NOT occur at #HopeZoo. We definitely do not condone the abuse of animals for the entertainment of guests.”