In further proof that 2016 is not a good year for captive animals, celebrities, or captive celebrity animals, a jaguar that was being used for an Olympic torch ceremony in Brazil has been shot dead after it broke free of trainers and bolted.
A Brazilian soldier shot the sedated animal after it escaped while it was being shepherded into its cage. It is alleged that the animal was first shot with tranquilisers. When that didn’t work, the jaguar was shot in the head with a pistol.
As you might imagine, this has caused some concern among animal rights groups, who are wondering why the hell a live animal – especially a nearly threatened one – needed to be used in an Olympic event.
The Olympic torch is currently travelling through Brazil in the lead-up to the August 5 opening event.
“We made a mistake in permitting the Olympic torch, a symbol of peace and unity, to be exhibited alongside a chained wild animal. This image goes against our beliefs and our values,” the local Olympic organising committee Rio 2016 said in a statement.
Ipaam, the Amazonas state government environmental authority, claim that the use of the animal was actually illegal, and that they are investigating the matter.
“The incident happened due to the simple fact that it was a jaguar and wild animals will always be wild animals,” said Diogo Lagroteria, a government veterinarian. “There is no way to predict their reaction to this kind of situation.”
Source: AP.
Photo: Nine News.
