Jaguar Used in Olympic Torch Relay Ceremony Shot Dead in Brazil

The animal escaped from its handlers following an event and was killed, drawing criticism from animal rights groups.

The jaguar used in the Olympic torch relay ceremony. (Photo: Photo Courtesy: YouTube Screengrab)

A jaguar used in an Olympic torch relay ceremony was shot dead after it broke loose from its leash and tried to attack a soldier, the Brazilian army said on Tuesday.

The army’s press office said that Juma, the jaguar, was on display as part of ceremonies on Monday at the Jungle Warfare Instruction Centre in Manaus.

The Olympic torch is traveling throughout Brazil leading up to the 5 August opening ceremony.

“Juma was a docile animal used to living among people at the centre,” the army said in a statement, adding that soon after the ceremonies ended, Juma escaped from his leash and fled into the zoo maintained by the centre.

When the jaguar tried to attack a soldier sent to help recapture it, handlers shot the animal with tranquilisers. That failed to stop it, so the animal was shot with a pistol in the head.

We were wrong to allow the Olympic Torch, a symbol of peace and of the union among the peoples to be displayed alongside a wild animal in chains. We are very sad with the outcome that happened after the passing of the torch. We guarantee that we will not see more situations like this in the Rio 2016 Games.

Local Olympic organizing committee 

Ibama, Brazil’s environmental protection agency, told the Amazonia Real news agency it did not authorise Juma’s presence at the event.

Diogo Lagroteria, a veterinarian and environmental analyst at Ibama, told the G1 news portal that a jaguar can never be considered a domesticated or docile animal.

The incident happened due to the simple fact that it was a jaguar and wild animals will always be wild animals. There is no way to predict their reaction to this kind of situation

Diogo Lagroteria, Veterinarian

The shooting of the jaguar follows the recent killings of a gorilla at a Cincinnati zoo and alligators at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The deaths have sparked outrage among animal rights groups.