The damage to José’s leg was extensive after the animal put its claws and teeth full into his body. And all because he wanted to take an extremely dangerous selfie. To do this, the boy jumped over a security fence at León Zoo, in the Mexican state of Guanajuato. According to the Daily Mail, the jaguar stuck its head through the bars and was able to strike. The animal wouldn’t let go until Jose’s shoe fell.
A second jaguar then came running and quickly grabbed the shoe, much to the dismay of the first jaguar. It gave José time to quickly withdraw his leg. A video posted on Twitter shows the boy being carried away and placed on a bench. A man ties a belt around his leg to stop the bleeding.
The boy’s family shared a photo on social media, it can be seen that a large part of the skin of José’s leg has disappeared. Zoo workers provided medical assistance until emergency services arrived.
The zoo in Mexico has now announced that the boy is doing well under the circumstances. Initially, the zoo wanted to propose to help pay for medical costs, but local authorities say it is especially important that everyone adheres to the rules. “It is important to mention that there is a sign stating that visitors are not allowed to climb over the security gates. That stands for the safety of both our visitors and our animals.”