Pictures Show What Happened To Man Who Jumped Into Lion Exhibit At Zoo (Photos)

A Spanish man was allegedly mauled by lions at a zoo in Barcelona after witnesses said he jumped into the lions’ den.

Justo Jose, who was 45 at the time of the incident in 2014, was severely injured after getting mauled by a lion, Haaretz reported. Some witnesses said Jose deliberately jumped into the den, and while the reason for his action was not determined, some have suspected that the incident may have been related to a Neo-Nazi demonstration. Jose was reportedly known as a Neo-Nazi demonstrator who had displayed Swastika banners during a previous protest.

“To enter the enclosure, you have to want to go in,” said Barcelona fire chief Hector Carmona, according to Haaretz. “It couldn’t have been an accident because the security system makes it impossible for a person to fall into the enclosure.”

Jose was reportedly dressed in military clothing when he jumped into the pit, leading some to believe that the action may have been part of a Neo-Nazi protest.

Footage shows Jose scaling the enclosure’s walls before a lioness grabbed onto his leg and tossed him into the pit.

Thirty minutes before he could be rescued, fire fighters used hoses to keep the lions away from him.

While Jose was severely injured and taken to a local hospital in serious condition, zookeepers said the lions were not trying to hurt the man.

“The intention was not to kill him; they were just trying to play with him,” said Ignasi Armengol, director of Barcelona Municipal Services.

Jose’s injuries were not believed to be life-threatening.

Sources: Daily Mail, Haaretz / Photo Source: 20minutes.es/Twitter via Daily Mail